Fly rugs - yes or no?

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ecrozier

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As title really - we have lots of nasty little biting flys at our yard, do people find fly rugs good or do the horses get very hot in them? I'd always thought it must be frustrating for them not to be able to roll and have a good scratch!
And those of you who do like them - soft mesh or stiffer mesh? Any recommendations? Do you leave on overnight or take off - would be taken off about 7pm and back on about 7am. Also my lad is in field with 6 others and does get the odd bite mark from the bigger boys - would a fly rug offer any protection from this or would rug just rip?
Thanks for any advice!
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because they are white it helps reflect the sun on darker horses,and does keep them cooler,i intend to get my lad one this yr as he is getting some large swellings from bites
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,am sure they would rather the rug than biting little beggars
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personally prefer the softer ones those stiff ones must feel awful
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It will offer no protection at all against horse bites,chances are it will get ripped to pieces if they grab and pull!!So buy cheap if others are going to bite at it!!
 
My boy lives in a sweetitch rug so slightly different but if anything more likely to make the horse hot than fly rugs as there are no holes. The rug he is in now doesn't make him hot at all. The only advise I can give is be a little generous on the sizing scale - when he had his old sweetitch rug on that would be the right size in normal rugs we found he sweated up in it a bit in it but his new rug (which looks a tad comical as it is a bit big - nothing ridiculous just a little further down his tail than it would normally be) he is very happy and not hot at all. And he has it on day and night.
 
Def yes my boy was terrible last year lots of open woulnds from fly bites. I leave his on most of the time and it doesn't bother him. He has a mask too which i also recomend but remeber to clean out the tips of the ears onit as it seems to accumulate dirt.
 
Yess!!! I tend to have really thin skinned thoroughbreds, and they really help! I have the new amigo mio fly rug, cheap too at about £30. Its really good, and reflects the UV rays, keeping the horse cooler. It also seems to be withstanding my naighty 5 year old playing with it, so its durable too! I personally leave them on all day, every day, so can be on 24 hours plus at times and are yet to rub. Amigo mio comes highly recommended
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Fly rugs are a good thing, I use the Rambo Fly buster (it has the buzz blocker active for 24ish washed), its a fantastic rug which fastens under the belly, they have also brought out an amigo rug with the buzz blocker I have jut purchased this as I was so impressed with the rambo version.

The rambo is tougher and ideal for outside - ideal to use with an equilibrium fly mask - none of mine get too hot in them and if its going to rain I use the rambo water proof sheet - which is very thin light and white in colour to help repel the heat.

The Amigo with the buzz bocker we have got for the stable (for the one with sweetitch) as these are thinner material (we also have the orginal amigo (now called the milo?)) these are also a good fit although I wouldn't use them outside as they are not as tough. - In my opinion they are definately worth the money.

One of mine suffers badly from sweetitch - he hates the body suits you can get - gets depressed, I have tried every rug and find that the rambos with the buzz blocker are the best. _ he is happy, fly free and they are so tough that they don't rip easily and he doesn't over heat.

The rambo sweetich hoody is a very tough rug however it doesn't fasten unde rthe belly with valcro (like those with the buzz blocker) and I find that mine with sweetitch over heats, it is however idealy for greys if you want to keep them clean.

If you get a tough rug then this would help offer protection from bite and kicks - however you get what you pay for - a lot of rugs rip easily.

If possible I think its nice to leave them with out a fly rug (although always with a mask) as they can have a good scratch and have sun on there backs however if the flys/midges are really bad then its unfair - in addition the rambo buzz blocker rugs offer UV sun protection.

A bit long winded but I hope it helps!
 
I used to be a yes for fly rugs but my boy was boiling comin in in his yesterday. Plus we always seem to get a static electric shock from it when I take it off. Does anyone else find this or is it simply this type of rug (think its a Rhinegold one?)
 
i use it 1) for the flies and 2) to keep him happy because he is bay he gets really hot with the fly rug he is much happier
 
Mine come and stand over at the gate looking at the house waiting to have their fly rugs put on in the morning at the moment as the horrid bitey flies that attack have arrived!
I like to take them off for over night as, as you say, I feel mean making them have rugs on all year all the time!!

I have an Amigo one for my gelding - it suits him as it gives enough protection for him as he doesn't get bitten too much - it has a huge tail flap on it and soft mesh which I prefer.
The Amigo one pulled at my mare's shoulders and slipped and it ripped at the belly straps. I got her a different one that had a wide belly bit so gave her more protection (think it's Weatherbeeta, it's blue) It doesn't slip and seems to cover her better - but it is the harder mesh, it also sits quite high on her shoulders.

They tend to hide in the shade by the gate more if they do not have their rugs on so I think they are happier with them on.
 
I use fly rugs on both my girls. They wear rambo protectors, i perfer the tought materials ones found my horses get warmer wearing the soft ones and the static is aweful
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[ QUOTE ]
I used to be a yes for fly rugs but my boy was boiling comin in in his yesterday. Plus we always seem to get a static electric shock from it when I take it off. Does anyone else find this or is it simply this type of rug (think its a Rhinegold one?)

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No static seems to be a common problem with all polyester fly rugs.
 
yes, we have 2 amigo bug rugs, have saved a small fortune in fly repellant! My boy gets scabby when bitten, Much prefer the soft ones, have seen too many of the stiff ones slipping on horses. They only wear them in the day though so can have a good scratch/roll at night (they are at home so can take them off v easily) and they don't wear the neck covers as I don't like neck covers and no way would it fit round the cob!
 
Yes, using a Mark Todd fly rug on my grey mare who gets really pestered by flies. Even last week when it was 27deg she wasn't hot underneath it - nice and soft with quite an open mesh. It also washes and dries well - she always manages to poo on tail flaps and on Sunday we just hosed it off and it dried on the fence by the time we'd finished riding.
The only downside is that like every rug she has, it rubs her shoulders a bit, but well worth investing in - last week all the other horses were swishing madly and tossing their heads at the flies, and she was just grazing!
 
Ok I'm sold! off to ebay to have a look - dammit, why do I have 3 horses - makes everything so expensive!
Thanks for opinions all!
 
Ive had 3 fly rugs now, all Ive not been overly happy about: The Rambo Sweetitch Hoody fitted well but it ended up getting shredded (maybe I just have a trashy horse though)! The Weatherbeeta SoftMesh one had too soft a mesh so it pulled right back tight across the shoulders, it got even worse shredded than the Rambo very quickly. The Boett was a great fit however it kept getting very static no matter what I sprayed on it / washed it in so poor horse ended up freaking out everytime I had to take it off!!

I want one now that is tough mesh, not the soft kind. Im thinking the Rambo Protector or the other one similar.

I think they're only worthwhile if your horse really suffers in the summer. Mine has ultra sensitive skin due to allergies. I wouldnt use them on my other horses though as no need.
 
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