Fly Sheets with Colors to deter “Sight Flies”

[lenapesadie]

I’m cruising fly sheets because it’s that time of year already here in FL and my current fly sheets are looking puny.

The Amigo fly sheets with the blue and orange color block patterns are advertised as hiding the horses from flies. I believe zebra print fly sheets are touted to do the same.

I am presuming that this visual barrier is targeted towards flies that hunt by sight like horse flies. Is that correct?

Anyone have any experience with these types of sheets and if they actually offer any relief from horse flies?

[endlessclimb]

Won’t the sheet itself provide relief? My Rambos seem to.

[lenapesadie]

No not really. Not here and not my horses anyways. The horse flies still dive bomb the horses and drive them nuts. I have a Kensington fly sheet for one horse, it’s pretty sturdy material and I’ve seen that horse go on a bronc session trying to get a big one off his butt. Plus the horror of a horse fly crawling under a fly sheet. It’s usually only bad on early summer evenings.

Possibly flies in FL are extra? I’m told they are but I’ve not lived long enough in other climates to get a good comparison.

[Moon_River]

I had a zebra striped one a few years ago, I can’t say I noticed there being any more or less flies around my horse or sat on the rug than with a plain one that I was alternating with
.

[Knubbsy]

There’s at least two studies on the benefit of zebra print:
Caro et al. 2019
And an earlier study by Hovarth but I can’t find the actual study just articles referencing it “Help Your Horse Get His Zebra On” 2018
I bought a cheap zebra print one from Equinavia for my paint mare, she’s going to look rediculous between that, the shoo-fly boots and the fishbowl rambo mask but she’s so delicate, I’ll try anything

*edit: fixed url

[lenapesadie]

If I understand correctly, and I could be very wrong, “regular” flies hunt by scent so the color patterns wouldn’t impact those flies. But fly spray does. Whereas horse, deer, yellow flies etc hunt by sight and are not deterred by fly spray but possibly maybe deterred by camouflage color patterns?

[lenapesadie]

That’s very helpful. Thank you for sharing.

I wonder if it would be out of line to contact Horseware Ireland and ask them what info they used to determine that their color pattern is less visible to flies?

[Knubbsy]

Sure, why not? I think it’d be good information to have as a consumer

[lenapesadie]

I mean I’m gonna buy fly sheets, they should want to convince me their product has value right?

I’ll report back if I get any good info

[Moon_River]

Yes that’s the theory. I live in the UK and the only flies of any note here are sight hunting horse flies. The zebra rug was no better or worse than a plain grey or white one at deterring them.

[lenapesadie]

Thank you for the additional info! I appreciate it!

[Marla_100]

I’ll throw another wrench into your question. From observation, also in Florida:
Why does my solid black horse have loads of regular flies all over her- face, body, legs.
But my palomino horse has hardly any, maybe 1 or 2 on face, same on legs.
Would that indicate a darker color is more attractive to regular flies? Or is it the scent or sweat smell?

[Snowdenfarm]

@Marla_100 I had a similar experience. I had a dark bay who always had flies on her and a black/white paint that lived with her and rarely had any.

[lenapesadie]

I dunno my chestnut is more bothered by flies (all kinds) than my dark bay. But both horses and myself are traumatized by horse and deer flies.

ETA: my chestnut is the stereotypical sensitive, thin skinned, thin coated chestnut TB. My bay is hairier and also seems to get more relief from flies standing in deep shade than the chestnut. Maybe he blends into the shadows lol

[lenapesadie]

Possibly a support for a black and white zebra sheet!

[lenapesadie]

Looks like Horseware is using the zebra studies and also some other as of yet uncited information that flies can’t see aqua/light green/orange as well as white, yellow and “hide” colors (browns I presume).

The new Amigo pattern is ugly as sin but I guess I’ll try one.

ETA - link for ugly fly sheet in question

Amigo® 3-in-1 CamoFly (No Fill) - Horseware Ireland

ETA 2 - might be too hot for my area though if it’s waterproof on top

[Texarkana]

I like the look of that better than zebra stripes.

[Marla_100]

Seems that every year we have that question on COTH if there’s a flysheet that’s not too hot for
high temps like we have in Fl. And I start shopping again til enough responses have said it’s just too hot here and all fly sheets are hot to some extent.
I wish there were such an item but I haven’t seen it yet.
Let us know if you find something.

[lenapesadie]

Mine can wear fly sheets overnight in summer usually, but it’s certainly too hot for any sheet during the day in full summer imo!

[lenapesadie]

I’m not keen on the zebra stripes either, but then again I like my purple Kensington plaid and some folks think that’s beyond awful!