The Great Flysheet Debate

[MNick]

*** DISCLAIMER-This is not a vanity post

I am needing to decide to fly sheet or not. My boy is jet BLACK and although I love that, I don’t care if he bleaches. Not the end of the world. What I am concerned about is him drawing in tooo much heat.

I’ve always used fly sheets in Hawaii but it’s a lot different than Texas so my question is does anyone have experience with fly sheets making it feel a little “less hot”! for their horses? If so, which fly sheet? Love Kensington but my mind is overthinking temps

Also, I want to avoid bringing him in during the day because he’s gained much mental clarity in pasture after retiring from the track in July
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[NaturallyHappy]

He’s very pretty. I’ve had Rambo fly sheets that I did not like-stiff and hot. Last year, I bought a Lemieux Armor Tek. I sort of like it. It is softer and cooler than the Rambo (and I usually love their products).

[SimonSays]

I just wanted to say- he’s beautiful! I’m in CT not sure I can offer a good suggest for a fly sheet for TX though.

[MNick]

@NaturallyHappy thanks for the suggestion! I’ll check their fly sheets out

@SimonSays thank you! I’m totally biased and think he’s soooo cute. Can’t wait for him to build his topline back up and continue to build muscle. Fresh off the track he was THICK. The girl who got him off the track turned him out and he just kinda fell apart for a second. So it’s been fun to get him fat and sassy again

[Bonnie2]

No help with good fly sheet for Texas - but I had a black OTTB that evented. He lived covered in very light weight white fly sheets. Turnout, horse shows, cooling out. It made a noticeable difference in his comfort/body temperature.

[TXnGA]

@MNick

*** DISCLAIMER-This is not a vanity post

I am needing to decide to fly sheet or not. My boy is jet BLACK and although I love that, I don’t care if he bleaches. Not the end of the world. What I am concerned about is him drawing in tooo much heat.

I’ve always used fly sheets in Hawaii but it’s a lot different than Texas so my question is does anyone have experience with fly sheets making it feel a little “less hot”! for their horses? If so, which fly sheet? Love Kensington but my mind is overthinking temps

Also, I want to avoid bringing him in during the day because he’s gained much mental clarity in pasture after retiring from the track in July
IMG_1301|338x500

Texas would be way too hot for a fly sheet in summer and into fall. Your horse would just sweat underneath it which does just as much damage as direct sunlight. The only way to prevent real bleaching in the summer and most hot and humid places in the south is leaving them inside during the day under a fan in the shade

There’s not one fly sheet on the market that is going to keep a horse From sweating in 100+ degree weather or even 90° weather. Most horses are just miserable and sweating under fly sheets at that point.

I do recommend a great fly spray fly mask, and fly boots

[Inimitable]

He’s lovely! I need to know his breeding! I have a black mare that’s nearly identical, except her white anklet is on the right hind. Sorry, no help on fly sheets - mine get too hot under them even in the northeast, so they just come into the barn/runs during the day.

[MNick]

@Inimitable I would love to see photos of your horse! His reg. name is Jake The Band Man.

[MNick]

That is what I’m thinking I’m fully aware heat is inevitable but the black coat definitely doesn’t help. Thank you for your input!

[MNick]

Thank you for your input I’m just putting feelers out and value all opinions. I’m not worried about bleaching as there’s no shows in my immediate future as I am just focusing on restarting my boy. He lives in his fly mask and boots during bug season but I was just more so curious if there was a way to repel some of the heat with a light sheet vs his black coat. Texas is not desirable temps I understand this might be a dream

[Inimitable]

Don’t need to ask me twice Her JC is Nickerdoodle.

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[NaturallyHappy]

@MNick, I love In Reality horses. And Alydar horses can jump.

[MNick]

Stop it! They look VERY similar… has anyone told you how gorgeous your mare is also…your pastures make me want to move hahah! Beautiful setting, beautiful horse…dreamy.

[MNick]

He is a little twinkle toes I don’t doubt the boy could jump. I haven’t jumped since my early twenties but the amount of people commenting about Alydar being great jumpers is making me question my dressage path with him!

[RedHorses]

IME the stiffer, flymask-like mesh material type fly sheets stand away from the body a bit and allow the breeze through the mesh leaving the horse cooler than the soft, jersey like mesh material type that clings to the body. Neither beats a dark run in with good airflow (dark inside the shelter means fewer flies).

Not in Texas, nor in Texas like heats, but it does get too hot here.

[gradytb]

I’m in south-central TX (Hill Country) and agree with other posts—in the summer it’s too hot for fly sheets. A lot also depends on the kind of weather. If it has been wet, it’s going to be a hellacious fly season. If it’s been drought, not as bad. I rotate fly sprays, and when it’s really hot—like upper 90s into the low 100s—I rinse them off in the late afternoon before bringing them into their stalls for dinner and I have fans on them. They get sprayed in the morning after breakfast (they’re out 24x7 THEIR CHOICE) and I also spray the stalls with barn fly spray. I have loads of huge trees, so that helps but they need shade here. I HATE flies!!! Oh – mine are both OTTBs too, and a little sensitive but not crazy.

[Jo]

DFW here - we use the mosquito sheets from Schneiders during this time of year. These seem like the lightest weight with a bit of stiffness.

When temps reach above 90s I re-evaluate. In the hottest months - no fly sheets.

[Demerara_Stables]

I’ve never used these, but they are very common out here in California. I see people using them at shows while the horses are in their stalls when the temps are approaching triple digits, so I assume they have some sort of cooling effect.

Classic With Surcingles III Standard Neck

[CHT]

I agree with trying the Kool Coat, they have another version that has mesh on the side but solid fabric on top. We use both versions on a white horse for sunburn prevention, and it is definitely cooler than a flysheet. it also dries very quickly if it gets rained on.

[MapleFarm]

I like turtle neck’s fly sheet - it is stiffer and stays off the skin and the shoulder doesn’t have fabric to sweat. Like others have said, if it’s 90+ they’re going to sweat under it, but they will sweat no matter what if they aren’t inside. Or at least mine will