Fly sheets that don't bind at the neck

[Chanda]

I don’t know if my horse has strange conformation or what but, blankets seem to really dig into the bottom of his neck when he is bent down for grazing or eating. He gets really sensitive and won’t even let me tough him there so I know that it is uncomfortable for him. He actually has a dent in his neckhair and it doesn’t seem to matter how I adjust it or what brand of blanket.

I have stopped blanketing him altogether because of this(luckily it has been warm at night) but they flys are killing him and flyspray is just not cutting it. I am looking for a blanket and especially fly sheet with a different kind of neck that is less restrictive.

I have looked at the Rambo fly sheet with the full neck. By looking at the front clasp I think it might be a little easier on his neck. I am worried about the full neck on it though. Does anyone have any experience with this fly sheet and have any comments on how it fits in the chest? Also have you seen them with just the partial neck not the full neck? How is the full neck for when they are grazing?

Also, I remember seeing a couple blankets with a double elastic side closure but I can’t seen to find them anywhere. Has anyone seen any new styles of blankets that would be good for my horse?

Thanks

[HN73]

Have you considered a custom made one?

I have no idea how much it would cost…maybe you could even do it yourself? http://www.suitability.com/ecom/ecommerce.dll sells patterns for making horse stuff.

How about replacing the front closure (on any blanket) with some sort of elastic that gives some when he bends down?

Are there leg straps in the back of his blankets? Do the pull the blanket back?

Does he get these rubs/discomforts because the blanket slides back or the opening isn’t big enough?

[MarcyW]

if the problem is that the sheet slides back, how can it be altered so as not to reduce the neck opening (no leg straps)?

Forgive me, I’m not very “spatial” and this is the problem I have with my sheet.

[Chanda]

It is really hard to explain the problem here but I will try.
When he is standing with his head up the blanket(s) fit perfectly. They never slide around and I am able to have the various straps adjusted pretty loosely so that they don’t pull on the blanket when he bends down. I have several different brands of blankets and they all do this to him. He must have a low set neck or something.

The problem is when he bends down to eat or graze the bottom of his neck presses against the blanket. He gets very sensitive there and I can tell it is uncomfortable just from looking at it. On a side note: the animal communicator I just spoke to told me that he hates his blanket because it chokes him.

[Cactuskate]

I was with you until you got the communicator in the deal.

You might try having someone sew fleece around the bottom part of the neck opening and either leave the top fastener at the neck open, like a collar button would be.

Another option would be having the neck opeing altered to have a deeper cut to it. This could be determined by marking the blanket wiht chalk while it is on the horse with his neck down. You would then know the true crease area.

Myself, I love the Big D flysheet. The one that comes in the dark green with maroon trim. It fits my “chubby” 16.3 TB great. No shoulder rubs at all.

“The older I get, the better I used to be.”

[Taryn1]

I think that I saw a fly sheet in the Dover catalog (Rider’s brand??), that has an elastic band on the lower neck part. It sounded like a good idea to me, my guy is built the same way.

However, I can’t find it on the website, it’s only in the catalog.

[Chanda]

I don’t know if my horse has strange conformation or what but, blankets seem to really dig into the bottom of his neck when he is bent down for grazing or eating. He gets really sensitive and won’t even let me tough him there so I know that it is uncomfortable for him. He actually has a dent in his neckhair and it doesn’t seem to matter how I adjust it or what brand of blanket.

I have stopped blanketing him altogether because of this(luckily it has been warm at night) but they flys are killing him and flyspray is just not cutting it. I am looking for a blanket and especially fly sheet with a different kind of neck that is less restrictive.

I have looked at the Rambo fly sheet with the full neck. By looking at the front clasp I think it might be a little easier on his neck. I am worried about the full neck on it though. Does anyone have any experience with this fly sheet and have any comments on how it fits in the chest? Also have you seen them with just the partial neck not the full neck? How is the full neck for when they are grazing?

Also, I remember seeing a couple blankets with a double elastic side closure but I can’t seen to find them anywhere. Has anyone seen any new styles of blankets that would be good for my horse?

Thanks

[Eglinton]

I agree with you she lost me at the animal comunicator too!!! Anyway cutting out the neck really works… I had a blanket cut out for my horse before, they cut it into what they call a quarter horse cut eventhough he is a TB…it’s jsut a bit of a deeper cut. Worked very well.

[Van_Teal]

tried any of the Big D blankets/fly sheets, my TB is built very big in the front end wide shoulders etc. and the only blankets that fit him are the Big D’s. They are made for more of a QH build and fit every horse in our barn just GREAT. I always buy the over the head ones because my horse can open the front and take it off.

[Eglinton]

I use the Baker fly sheet and it fits my big TB very well…he has a very large neck and large shoulders. I also use a neck protector thing…it just attaches to the crown peice on the halter and does up down the front of the neck…it covers his whole neck and works very well.

[Amag]

I have a baker fly sheet and it fit quite well but I have a TB who isn’t very broad. A friend of mine has a rambo and it fits great!! The front clips sit low so they probably won’t bother his neck plus you get the added bonus of having his neck protected as well!