Rug Ripping!

[dollface]

I've had Henry since he was weaned and he's always pulled afhis Leighton weight rugs. Always the same left hand corner and eventually makes them unwearable. He never does this with medium or heavy weights but just his light weights and fly rugs!
Why??

 

[rachk89]

Maybe he is too hot with them on? Does he always have a rug on even on hot days?

 

[Goldenstar]

Tats does not do rugs in summer he just rips them off .
I would leave your horse unrugged he's telling you something .

 

[Shay]

Sounds like he is trying to take the rug off. I'd go with him and remove it!

 

[dollface]

Id agree but the flies drive him insane so its kinder to him to wear it

 

[Shay]

Is there no fly repellent option which would work for you? What species is bothering him? Different solutions work for different species. Ditching the lightweight is summer is obviously easier. But perhaps changing fly rug makes would help. Have you tried any sweet itch remedies?

 

[Red-1]

Jay would remove his rug whenever he was too hot. Sometimes it came off with no damage, sometimes it was ripped, always on the left shoulder. He would grab it there and wriggle it over his head.

I had to be careful not to over rug him, simple as. I found a lightweight rug was pretty useless, as having no fill does not make a rain jacket cool if the sun comes out. If it was a showery day he had a fly rug with a waterproof strip up the back instead.

We have terrible horse flies here, and on cool days he had a sweet itch rug, but on warmer days he has a lightweight one that he was often bitten through. On vary hot days he would be out early and back in for 11am.

Fly spray was not effective with the horse flies.

 

[Shay]

No it isn't. You need horse fly traps for horse flies. They are attracted to relatively still warm dark masses so a dark horse will always be bothered more. A bright white fly rug can help divert them.