On really hot days when the horses are sweating before I even groom, I’ll hose, scrape, and tack up in front of a fan. And if a horse is really muddy and it’s warm enough, I’ll hose off all the mud and tack up instead of trying to clean off lots of mud.
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Same. It’s not going to harm them at all. Heck, on the really humid mornings I’ll tack up, then sponge the front and back with Vetrolin water so we can start off on a cooler foot
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Ha! I have a grey nearly white horse. On hot humid days when he is especially GROSS from rolling or manure I just hose off and scrape rather than try and groom away (smear around really) the horror lol. Then I saddle and ride.
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I use fly sheets in the spring (right now) because in my area the flies are the worst in the springtime. By mid June, it’s dry enough that most of the larvae die before they mature. By mid July, we don’t even need fly masks anymore.
But I don’t use them if it’s above 85 degrees or if it’s pouring down rain that day.
As for mud, just spray your horse off before you ride. A usually give my horses a soap bath first and then after the ride just do a quick spray down.
The combo rain sheet/fly sheet options will by definition be much warmer and not really appropriate for general fly sheet use. Fly sheets need to breath really well to be tolerable in the summer. Most of ours seem to appreciate them when the bugs are bad out. If it’s so hot that we’re cutting turnout short or only turning out early/late, we don’t put the fly sheets on. When it’s 95 and humid, even the coolest fly sheet is just awful.
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Thanks everyone. You confirmed my suspicions NO matter what the advertisement says there is no such thing as a water proof or resistant fly sheet, they all get hot in them if the temps are above 80. So I will stick with my usual fly masks and let my horses take their dust baths.
Thanks
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So in California (depending on where) summers tend to be very hot and dry and fly sheets can be useful during the day for the UV protection (although honestly inside with fans is my preference).
If you’re in a humid climate (I’ve worked in western NY and Florida) it’s a whole different ball game.
I like the suggestion of vetrolin (I assume diluted as a body brace?) To cool off the chest muscles if the horse is already sweaty before a ride.
It’s a double edged sword for me.
Miserable fighting the flies sans sheet or
Sweaty but not fighting the flies.
For my two I typically go with the fly sheet. They get 2x as sweaty fending off the fies than they do with the heat added from the sheet.
Anything over 80ish degrees though, the sheets come off. That’s just too much for either of them.
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I’ve used the Rambo Summer Series fly sheet that has a soft shell top. It is. It very water resistant. Will keep the horse dry to an extent but then the sheet itself takes a while to dry out. It is really made for cooler temps where it’s not quite cold enough for a full rain sheet but keeping a bit of a shower off them would be more comfortable for them. So, it is not made for hot weather, and outside of the desert where I’ve used it, I’m not sure it would be that great as an in between season thing. But it’s a well made product and I’d recommend for the mostly dry but occasional showers cooler climate.
I was grooming for my trainer at one point and brought in a horse to tack up that was coated in mud, most of it still too wet to curry off. I hosed him off, tacked and handed him to the trainer and said you are getting a wet horse because you had 2 choices today: wet horse or wet and muddy horse.
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I wonder if they mean because it’s thin and mesh it doesn’t hold water, or it evaporates quickly?
Two of my guys get fly sheets, though they’re not really the run around types. Both will stomp their shoes off and one gets itchy scabby welts. My mare will not leave her run in if the bugs are too bad and makes a gross mess in there AND she refuses to wear a fly mask, so fly sheet with the neck cover and boots is the way to go. It’s so funny-- not an inch of hair to be seen.
I use the official measure of a few “glugs” of Vetrolin in a 5 gallon bucket of water.
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i only use a fly sheet for the horse that has allergies to flies and gets miserable sweet itch as a result. i’ve given up on them for the others because of the heat and shoulder rubs. they seem to be equally comfortable outside without them (except the one who is allergic to flies).
mine go out at night in general when there is shade available. i don’t have a lot of trees or any standing water for whatever that matters
Any that I’ve tried just end up trapping horseflies under them in the horse’s flanks.
We use masks and boots.
I use fly sheets. Light colored with belly and neck guards. My mares are not super sensitive, but they do occasionally show so I don’t want them covered in bites, bumps or anything else. I use them when the flies pick up in the spring, and use them until we get a good frost in the fall. It’s important that they are well fitted! I use masks year round, during daylight hours, to protect eyes from UV rays (yay for blue eyed horses!). I use boots if I seem them stomping. If it’s 85f and high humidity all fly gear comes off, and the horses are inside with fans during the heat of the day. I also apply fly spray twice a day. I haven’t had any issues with this routine in 3 years. 
I do. My sensitive redheaded old man would be miserable without it and his fly mask. It does get hot here in the Summer, but he is no more sweaty w it than without. I really like the SS Tack mosquito mesh. Very breathable.
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As others have said I think you have to go with what the individual wants and your specific climate. My mare doesn’t seem too bothered by flies/bugs, but is bothered by excess heat and frankly I’ve never found a fly sheet that doesn’t seem to pull right at the front of her neck, so we do a fly mask and fly spray with overnight turnout, and indoors with a fan during the day. I don’t do leg gear as I see very little stomping from her.
Some horses would rather sweat than be bothered by them, so fly sheets make sense. If the temps get REALLY high, my barn leaves fly sheets off all horses and just does extra fly spray.
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I am in the “she’s more uncomfortably hot with the fly sheet than she is bothered by bugs” school!
Personal preference of the horse for me. My mare gets huge welts the size of my hand from fly bites so she wears a sheet. My other horses is fine with flies so she does not.
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I have a few on my farm that will rub their manes and tails out without a fly sheet. They are the only ones that get a fly sheet.
My horse wears a fly sheet. The bugs make him run like crazy.
When it’s hot as heck, he doesn’t sweat or appear any hotter than horses that aren’t wearing sheets.
When it’s deathly hot, horses need to be inside under fans or they get, well deathly hot, regardless of if they are wearing a fly sheet or not.
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