How did we manage before fly rugs?!

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Mabel98

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As title. How did our horses cope? Do we have more/different flies nowadays? Or are we too precious about lumps/bumps etc..?!
 
Think as you say we're more precious about lumps and bumps!

Also, depending on horse management I'd imagine as things have changed - how many fields now have lovely big shady trees for horses to stand under and swish the flies off one another? Was only commenting to my mum earlier that I've never actually seen two horses standing nose to tail swishing flies off the other. There's a lot more post and rail fencing around.

Dare I say also that people put fly rugs on horses that don't really need them? Would say that on my yard only two of the horses are actually allergic and therefore need them yet a good half dozen or so use them for cosmetic reasons... I'm guilty of this the night before a show but otherwise she's au naturel bar the flay mask.
 
I bought one today because my horse is covered in lumps and bumps - alot more than the others. When I turned him out in it the others initially thought he was a new horse - bizzare!
 
MegaBeast said:
Think as you say we're more precious about lumps and bumps!

Also, depending on horse management I'd imagine as things have changed - how many fields now have lovely big shady trees for horses to stand under and swish the flies off one another? Was only commenting to my mum earlier that I've never actually seen two horses standing nose to tail swishing flies off the other. There's a lot more post and rail fencing around. .
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Yes, that's true; I guess that a lot of people want individual turnout nowadays which means smaller paddocks with no natural shade and no companion to swish the flies away!
 
My immediate flippant response when I read the post title was "very well actually".

Having said that, I have got a couple of fly rugs for my horses - who are in during the day and out at night - but so far have not used them this year as the flies have not bee too bad.

I'm not sure that a lot of the stuff we buy these days is not down to good marketing but I do seem to fall for it ....
 
eggs said:
I'm not sure that a lot of the stuff we buy these days is not down to good marketing but I do seem to fall for it ....
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Totally agree, i bought a new fly mask today as i was worried that my old one didn't have a detachable nose piece and so was feeling guilty.....
 
I'm guilty of buying our girl a fly rug this year...complete with mask and neck.
She's never ever been bothered by flies to the extreme, not like the chestnut (she's dark bay) but this year she seems to be really pestered by them - and she's only out for an hour atm from about 8am - 9am in a morning. This fly rug seems to be doing the trick though she's not coming in covered in bites and extremely agitated! :)
 
I don't see the need for some to be so anti-fly rugs. I mean, honestly it's really no different to having a rug on?

Yes, I'm sure my horse would stand there unhappily swishing flies away ofhis own accord. But I'm sure out of the choice of being bitten or not being bitten....the choice might seem obvious? Does to me anyway. He sure doesn't seem to be mind being in his fly rug with the amount of damn horse flies we're plagued with here.

We could get by being naturalists...but we still choose to wear clothes ;)


It's the same with the rugging debate in summer, or being shod, or having 'fashion items' on....who honestly cares what the owner chooses to put on it if it's nothing that affects it's welfare? I sure don't tbh. Do what you like, buy what you want really in my view :) Doesn't mean I'll do the same for me....I mean rug or don't rug...but I really don't care what others do tbh!
 
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Binky01 said:
We could get by being naturalists...but we still choose to wear clothes ;)
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Very true - our girl has just never needed one before but the horse flies are out with complete malice already and she's coming in lumpy and bumpy and she's been through enough already this summer ;)
I think she deserves an hour out complete with her grass muzzle and magnetic boots, to (sort of) graze in peace!! :p
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Binky01
We could get by being naturalists...but we still choose to wear clothes


Like David Attenborough?;)

I have to confess, of the 10 horses here at the moment, not one of them possesses a fly rug. I do have plenty of shade in my fields and they are mostly turned out in pairs so there is head to tail stuff going on, and I do like them to spend time naked in the summer as they end up swaddled for most of the rest of the year:).
 
brighteyes said:
If a horse fly can bite me through my jods, they can surely bite the horse through a mesh rug?
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Not with the 'heavy duty' ones we seem to have...they must be like titanium plated or something! The few cheapo little cottony mesh ones we have don't do a thing to deter horse flies, but got a couple of other heavier duty looking ones which do :)


Not all of ours have them for the record. About half and half. My tb lad has his on as he is the most sensitive skinned thing on the planet, Hairy has a cotton sheet on just to help him if I can as his fields next to a pond and stream so the flies see him and just think 'LUUUUNCH', and our other show cob lad does as he's fully trimmed/hogged and also seems to attract them.

The 6 or 7 others we have don't seem to get them bad, as their fields are set back away from water areas and aren't plagued with them as much so have no need for them :)
 
Before fly rugs my horses had a more dusty appearance!

He wears one to keep him clean which has the added bonus of keeping the horseflys at bay ( they are particularly bad this year ) and they may still in theory be able to bite through a rug however like me in my jods they never seem to, my arm on the otherhand is a totally different matter!
 
brighteyes said:
If a horse fly can bite me through my jods, they can surely bite the horse through a mesh rug?
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Actually mine doesn't get bitten through his fly rug at all. When he came in from the field the other day I thought he had strangles as he had lumps under his jowl area where the rug doesn't go, but on closer inspection it was loads of horse fly bites! They are a nightmare at the moment.
 
I have to say my boy gets in a right state if i dont put a rug on him! I only put it on at night as he seems o.k in the day and he sweats in the day with it on.

I tried every fly spray but he gets bitten alive and the bumps are HUGE and EVERYWHERE!

He likes to graze around the trees and thats where the flies seem to be early evening. If i didnt have to cover him up i wouldnt but if you saw the state he is in the next morning you would put a rug on him too!!
 
Mine don't have fly rugs. I'd say that the flies are pretty minimal most days, where I'm grazing at the mo. It's been worse when I've used the further end of my field, but where they are at the mo isn't too bad. I've actually yet to see a horse fly this year.
 
Puppy said:
Mine don't have fly rugs. I'd say that the flies are pretty minimal most days, where I'm grazing at the mo. It's been worse when I've used the further end of my field, but where they are at the mo isn't too bad. I've actually yet to see a horse fly this year.
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I want to live where you do!!!!
 
For the first time ever im using an fly rug, it came with my new boy an old type masta and at first i put it in the garage and thought i wouldnt be needing that. But the new boy was just running around the paddock getting hot and sweaty, coming in really aggaritated with lumps and bumps all over him and he was even biting himself and even giving himself bitemarks. So ive put the fly rug on to see how we go in it, he's much happier, he gets a little sweaty on his shoulders but he's not dripping like he was without it. He's in during the day and so far its really working, going to try it for another week or so and if its still working with no rubs or anything and i will upgrade to a new one.
 
LOL! Well I spoke too soon. This afternoon, whilst poo picking, I saw a horse fly - biting ME on the leg. I killed it :D
 
I had to put on my chap's fly rug today, he looked so miserable! I also borrowed my friend's full face mask, as his eyes were all swollen and red when I went down this morning. He was a much happier boy when I was down a wee while ago! These are the worst flies I have ever seen!
 
I have loads of fly rugs, field shelters and tree shade. Not using the rugs as it is much too hot for them. They are all in a cool stable. They love it and sink into deep straw till the heat of the day is over.

It has not been a bad year for flys till now. The nights were still quite cool until two weeks ago.
 
Well, I don't have one fly rug and have no intention of buying one. I have to say i do feel sorry for horses with them - I wonder at what period of the year do they ever get to NOT have a rug on?? I want my horses to get sun on their skin, beable to have a good roll in the dirt to help naturally get rid of insects and generally get on with being horses. However, I woudnt either have my horse on any yard where it had to go in a individual paddock with no natuural or artificial shelter.

We have 4 horses all out together and they are lucky they have numerous trees/bushes etc that give shade throughout the day. They stand in the nose to tail position if they are resting and wish to swish away the flies.

The only time I would ever consider a fly rug is if i had a horse with sweetitch (but i would try and avoid buying one! Lol).
 
Well my 2 stand nose to tail and swish each other. I refuse to buy fly rugs. Have we forgotten that horses are horses? I make my own fly repellent and if they don't want schooshed they just have to suffer.

If you let them get bitten they will produce their own immunity to it.
 
ladyt25 said:
Well, I don't have one fly rug and have no intention of buying one. I have to say i do feel sorry for horses with them - I wonder at what period of the year do they ever get to NOT have a rug on?? I want my horses to get sun on their skin, beable to have a good roll in the dirt to help naturally get rid of insects and generally get on with being horses. However, I woudnt either have my horse on any yard where it had to go in a individual paddock with no natuural or artificial shelter.
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Whilst I completely agree that it's important for horses to get the sun (and rain & dirt) on their backs, and I too certainly try to rug to a minimum, (and don't have fly rugs). I do sadly now have to keep my horses in separate paddocks. :( Both are on very restricted grazing, as the young but retired one is a very good doer and needs serious rationing to keep her waist down, and the other has cushings. Unfortunately the oldie with cushings is not a good doer and as she can't have grass she needs constant hay/haylage to keep her weight up. It makes me sad that they can't be in together, and I try and give them regular sessions in together for a hour or a few at a time, but I can't manage their dietary needs with them in the same paddock. They are separated by electric fence, which only comes to the top of their legs so they can still groom and interact. It does go against how I would like to keep them, and how I always have kept my horses in the past, but it is a necessity. :(
 
Mabel98 said:
As title. How did our horses cope? Do we have more/different flies nowadays? Or are we too precious about lumps/bumps etc..?!
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I was thinking this earlier in the summer and posted this question

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=364687

Like your question, it got quite a good discussion going. I think they have their place for some horses and for many they're probably not needed but people buy them thinking they are being good owners.
 
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