Flysheets 2019- I opted for a cheaper option- Do you get what you pay for?

[Mukluk]

I have two horses (thoroughbreds) to buy for- I was considering the Rambo Protector $169, Kensington $169.95
but thought I would cry if a flysheet for that price got destroyed. And paying $300+ for two fly sheets seems mighty expensive at this point in life (divorce not in my favor).

Smartpak makes one with a three year guarantee but the reviews indicate the fit is odd- and that one is also pretty pricey as well.

So I got two of these for about $50.00 each.

https://www.statelinetack.com/item/amigo-mio-combo-fly-sheet-78-brnz/E004817%2078%20BRZ/

I won’t cry if get’s destroyed (though they better last at least for the summer) and could buy two more before I am up to cost of Rambo or Kensington.

I’ll see how these things last (or don’t) and report back.
My area is dry, usually not hotter than 90 degrees, and usually have a breeze.

[cayuse]

I have the Amigo Mio fly sheet and fly mask. It has held up well, I think this will by my fourth summer with it. The sheet has one tiny hole that I fixed last fall but the mask looks almost new. Hopefully you will have good luck with your sheets, too.

[Mukluk]

Cayuse- If you got 4 summers out of it that is pretty impressive!!!

[Dutchmare433]

I got 2 amigos on clearance from Smart Pak for less than $30 each. I have one on my gentle on clothing horse, and so far it’s pk, but I would be pleasantly surprised if it lasted the whole season and I’m not bothering to put the other horse in one, it will be promptly destroyed.

Im trying to decide whether to try to find a nicer one or if the gelding just has to stay naked. (If he destroys a $175 flysheet in a day I will be pretty bummed.)

[cayuse]

@Mukluk

Cayuse- If you got 4 summers out of it that is pretty impressive!!!

I have been happy with it. I think I might be able to eek out this summer with it, too. What really surprised me though was the fly mask (it is like the one in the link that you posted).
That thing has been indestructible.

[x-halt-salute]

I had that fly sheet. It fit very narrow in the shoulders and rubbed the heck out of my not–particularly-broad-shouldered horse. And got snagged so much that it was more like fuzzy felt than mesh in many places after a season. My horse has individual dry lot turnout and is generally very easy on blankets/fly sheets, but a neighbor put a few holes in it reaching over the fence to use his teeth to scratch mine’s itches. I think I used it two total seasons, in rotation about 50% of the time with another fly sheet (I tend to wash fly sheets every few weeks), before it bit the dust.

I found a crazy deal on a couple of the Rambos ($30 from a going-out-of-business sale – pays to have an odd-sized horse sometimes) and am pretty sure I’ll never have to buy another fly sheet in my horse’s lifetime. I hope the Amigo works better for you than it did for me!

[CanteringCarrot]

Some Amigo stuff is great, some not so much. The Mio line usually is not so impressive, but it’s cheap, so you get what you pay for. You may luck out, who knows.

I bought a Rambo Fly Buster and love the material. I usually buy Rambo because it lasts and I don’t have to worry about finding a replacement when it fails.

I’ve also bought various second hand Rambo items from eBay or other sites over the years because they really do last.

I’m also not a lucky person, so you may have better luck than I do LOL it would be great if the cheaper option lasted for you!

[Mukluk]

Well I will see how it goes. If these fall apart I guess I may need to consider a pricier sheet. For the most part the Rambo protectors are rated pretty well. Except on Amazon I think they only got three stars.

https://www.amazon.com/Rambo-Horseware-Protector-Sheet-Oatmeal/dp/B003HD80RM/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1DIR17VZATVV0&keywords=rambo+protector+fly+sheet&qid=1560182882&s=gateway&sprefix=rambo+p%2Caps%2C253&sr=8-3

[Simkie]

Oh, I had that sheet. I have a pic around here somewhere…

That was after TWO DAYS, on a horse that is kind to clothes but was living in a herd.

Thankfully, I’d bought from Smartpak and they had me run them (I’d bought two, they both did this on different horses) through the washer and return for a refund. I bought the rambo protector for both…and those are still going strong, five years later.

[Mukluk]

Oh my. That is very scary!!! I hope that doesn’t happen to me. My two live together and play nice. But one never knows what they might do on their own. Per the reviews on Stateline, folks seemed to like this sheet. I can only hope your’s was an uncommon experience. I will see how I fare (or don’t) with these.

[SnicklefritzG]

I think that’s my sheet !!! 😂😂😂

@Simkie

Oh, I had that sheet. I have a pic around here somewhere…

That was after TWO DAYS, on a horse that is kind to clothes but was living in a herd.

Thankfully, I’d bought from Smartpak and they had me run them (I’d bought two, they both did this on different horses) through the washer and return for a refund. I bought the rambo protector for both…and those are still going strong, five years later.

[Simkie]

Good luck, Mukluk! I really hope you have a better outcome than I did!

These horses have never even torn any other piece of clothing… That’s how flimsy those sheets were 😮

[x-halt-salute]

@SnicklefritzG

I think that’s my sheet !!! 😂😂😂

I was pretty sure it was my sheet, but closer inspection revealed it wasn’t nearly as snagged and fuzzy as mine.

@Simkie

These horses have never even torn any other piece of clothing… That’s how flimsy those sheets were 😮

Same. Other than a one-off incident getting tangled up in a poorly secured cooler, mine has never put so much as a snag in another piece of clothing. The Amigo didn’t look that much flimsier than the Weatherbeeta fly sheets my horse had been wearing for the prior ~5 years, but looks can obviously be deceiving!

Good luck, @Mukluk ! Hoping you have a different experience!

[Samantha37]

I bought the SmartPak one with the 3 year warranty and so did another owner in my barn and they fit our horses really well. Both of our horses have big, wide shoulders (both TBs with huge builds) and some blankets and fly sheets can be too tight. I’ve been super happy with it so far.

My all time favorite fly sheet is the expensive Rambo one, but I had to buy my big horse a new sheet this year because the tiny repair in his Rambo was rubbing his fur off SMDH! So I ended up giving the Rambo to my other horse’s paddock mate because my other horse is hell on clothes. Despite my other horse trying to use his friend as a chew toy, the Rambo has held up. Hands down it is the heaviest duty fly sheet I have ever encountered, but it is just expensive.

My horse destroyed the blue Amigo that his paddock mate’s parents bought for him in about 2 days. They went back to using the Rambo and no problems since.

[Mukluk]

Hmm maybe when they arrive I should send them back

[Mukluk]

Well they arrived and put them on the horses. It’s been 30 minutes and so far no issues. I hope my good luck will continue for at least a few hours.

[Mukluk]

It’ been over an hour!!! Astounding!!!

[KBC]

@Mukluk

It’ been over an hour!!! Astounding!!!

I’m impressed, I bought a cheap fly sheet, used, online. Put it on mare at back of barn, I walked through the barn to the yard, she went round the barn, met me at the gate, and she had ripped the thing. Can only think she accidentally on purpose rubbed on the gate latch as she left the pen behind the barn…2 minutes, she wore it 2 minutes…

[Mukluk]

Holy Cow folks! I think it’s been 4.5 hours!!! Absolutely amazing!

[Simkie]

Sheet watch 2019 :lol: