I’m intrigued with the idea of a riding fly sheet during the times when the horse flies are so bad here. They always tend to land on the horses’ rumps when I ride. I can’t really imagine how it would stay on other than while walking. Has anyone ridden in one?
Yes, I ride with one during horse fly season. It’s just like a winter quarter sheet except it’s made of white and blue textilene fly mesh material. Between that and my handheld fly whisk, I’ve cut way down on bucking fits induced by horse fly bites.
What kind of riding do you do while using the sheet? And what kind do you have? Does it stay pretty well in place? Thanks!
I have one and LOVE it! Especially during B-52 season. 
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[QUOTE=ParadoxFarm;6273098]
What kind of riding do you do while using the sheet? And what kind do you have? Does it stay pretty well in place? Thanks![/QUOTE]
It’s a discontinued Schneider’s product called the English Trail Sheet. It attaches to my girth billets with velcro and there’s an optional tail strap that I don’t use. I mostly do dressage/flatwork or hacking out in it, but I’ve jumped in it too. It’s no different than jumping in a winter quarter sheet.
May I gently suggest that if it shifted all over the place or was likely to fall off at the walk, nobody would be fool enough to ride with it.
Oh, heck…you don’t have to be gentle. 
Thanks for the info. Just never sure if things really work.
I really need one of these for later in the season. I’m too old for bucking fits if they can be avoided. Schneider’s says that item is discontinued. Does anyone have a lead for it anywhere else?
I have one of these that I got from them dirt cheap during a sale. They work wonderfully!
Amigo/Rambo makes a set and I think cashel does too. They are pretty much mandatory for cubbing season for the local foxhunt! It’s prime B52 season!
Something to think about if you’re shopping for one of these: I went with the Schneider’s product because it’s thick textilene and sort of “tents” behind my saddle, up and off the horse. A B-52 could bite right through the Saratoga Summer Exercise Sheet (which is a very nice product in every other way) and the Cashel Bug Armor (according to a member of my local hunt who uses it to dissuade mosquitoes and smaller stable flies).
But there is a tradeoff: thick textilene = hotter for the horse than a lighter material like the Saratoga or Cashel product. I don’t work my horse very hard in hot weather, and the sheet’s white color helps minimize the heat thing, but it’s still a consideration.
Another consideration: easy on/off and whether you care about it. I have, on very rare occasions, stopped my flatwork/hack halfway through the ride to remove the Schneider’s sheet for whatever reason (example: it turns out not to be a big day for horse flies, I decide to hack through the nearby woods where there’s too many bramble bushes that would catch on the sheet, etc.). That’s one reason that I don’t use the tail strap: I’m nimble enough to un-velcro the sheet from my girth billets and lift it off the horse without dismounting. The Saratoga product goes under your saddle so you’d have to take off the whole saddle to remove, and the Cashel product is designed to hook to dee rings on the back of your saddle (so I dunno what you’re supposed to do if you don’t have dee rings back there) and has an elastic tail strap.
Between the Cashel Bug Armor or the Saratoga Summer Exercise Sheet, I would choose the Saratoga. Black is a heat-attracting color, and it’s also a very attractive color to tabanid/sight flies which is what most of these huge horse fly breeds are. Many of the horse fly traps use big black balls or sheets of black moving fabric to attract horse flies. Why would I want to turn my horse into that!?
I wish Schneider’s would bring the trail sheet back. Or maybe someone should email Smartpak and suggest that they build a similar product out of their awesome Kensington textilene fly mesh? If you were really determined, you could probably get a good seamstress to cut/build you one from a full-sized fly sheet.
Man, I have thought WAY too hard about this topic. But to be fair, it’s saved me many an ugly spill from my horse.
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Thanks jn4jenny, for your thoughts. It does help me a lot. Yes, too bad Schneider’s is not making theirs anymore. I definitely am going to get one (or 2) of these for summer. Those horse flies are so miserable. Now to shop for what will work best for me…
I ride in something like this also, but it is a regular fly sheet that had the shoulders ripped to shreads, so I mended any rear rips and cut it into a quarter sheet.
I got mine here: http://www.luckypony.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=133&idcategory=17
But although it’s a lighter weight fabric than the textilene, I’ve found it does quite well for all types of horse flies. They may land, but I haven’t had my horse actually bitten through the sheet. Instead, they make their way north and I tend to get bitten on my back. My only complaint is that the light blue of the trim is more turquoise than baby blue so not quite in my colors. Oh, and there’s no wither relief, but it’s thin enough that I don’t get rubs if it doesn’t lay quite smoothly.
Thanks, Jen-S. That looks nice.
I just ordered the Lucky Pony one, in white with navy trim (lots of color choices). I’m so grateful to have seen this thread. It may have saved my hide, come summertime!
Mojo, let me know what you think when you get yours. I may order one as well.
[QUOTE=ParadoxFarm;6275314]
Mojo, let me know what you think when you get yours. I may order one as well.[/QUOTE]
They ship within a couple of days, so it should be here soon. I’ll ride in it and report back!
Thanks, Mojo!
Resurrecting this old thread to see if there is a product that’s popular? Looks like some of the old items mentioned here aren’t available. I like the amigo and cashel because they are two pieces, the cashel seems like it’s a little long and would protect more of the shoulder? After today’s ride I definitely need something!
