I wish you would design a new fly sheet Midlife! I have tried so many brands and they all rub, or fall apart, or leave sensitive areas uncovered.
I might try the hug kind next - any experiences?
I like the Hug because it gives when the horseās head is down while grazing. Otherwise, I donāt like the coverage because the belly and armpits are exposed. Last year, on Tack of the Day, they had a Hug with a belly band. Iām kicking myself for not ordering it and I havenāt seen it anywhere else. I was really hoping the ABOU would work. EOUS makes a decent fly sheet but the area between the front legs is still exposed
https://www.amazon.com/EOUS-Guard-Sheet-Blanket-Black/dp/B00D8GZTT0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1527561220&sr=8-4&keywords=eous+fly+sheet
I have the proverbial brick sh** house QH so need something doesnāt bind in the shoulders and then covers the maximum amount of belly. Maybe, sewing on the ABOU belly band onto the HUG? Ughhhā¦ why did I end up with the high maintenance horse?
I have been buying replacement textiline belly bands on Amazon for $20 and seeing them into fly sheets that done have them. Works great. Iāll have to shop for hug ones nowā¦
Thatās the one that fell apart in 1 month on my easy going gelding. I agree, best designed fly sheet except for durability.
Link please?
Kensington Belly Band For Horse Under Belly ā Protects Under Belly When Attached to Traditional Cut Protective Sheet ā Offers Maximum Protection Year Round https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072F7BD0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DIndBbBCSHSJP
With my super sensitive skinned chestnut mare, I tried all the fly sheets available at Dover (Horseware, Amigo, etc.) - started with the Rambo with No Fly Zone ($200+). All of them rubbed her shoulders, tail, and mane and did little to keep bugs off. She was miserable in them because they were so hot and thick. I finally tried the Schniederās Soft Mesh and absolutely love it - lightweight, protective, and doesnāt rub.
I had the same problem (and others) with the Amigo Bug Buster. I am currently using the Weatherbeeta Breeze āsummer sheet.ā My bigger problem was fit around the shoulders/chest and it fixed that, but Iām also not having any issues with tail rubs. It is solid fabric on the top so may end up being too warm though. Todayās our first day in the 80s where sheāll have it on, so Iāll have to see how warm she gets. But we did have a couple of warmish days already and it seemed like she was cooler under the sheet than elsewhere.
Downsides of the sheet are no belly band, so weāve upped fly spray application on the tummy. Also, the chest pieces are attached with a single, completely detachable belt-like thing. I guess itās good because itās super adjustable, but seems like it inevitably will get lost.
OK someone design this sheet:
- Material thatās cool, breathable, rugged but soft. Not so rugged it rubs the hair off shoulders and hips (textiline) or so soft it falls apart with one bite. UV protectant would be great!
- Belly band that is wide, made of finer mesh for gnats, and fastens BOTH sides with velcro (x3) so thereās no hardware to break, easy on/off, and easy to replace.
- Chest fasteners - NO giant heavy metal clips digging into the chest and trashing the washing machine (Rambo), and no fiddly buckles. Wide velcro straps will work if they are designed correctly.
- Removable neck with mane lining.
- Wither lining!
- Shoulder lining!
- Leg straps
- Tail flap that doesnāt rub - who donāt they have the pleated sides attached to the rug like some waterproof turnouts used to have? Less chance for bugs to fly underneath.
- Option of belly cover to extend between front legs to protect entire midline.
FWIW, I really like the belly bands that are on the Weatherbeetas. They are replaceable too. But, those sheets do not fit in the chest/shoulders/withers for my horse. Maybe if they put their padded withers thing in the flysheetsā¦? The front buckles also kind of suck with velcro underneath that is no good, so the chest winds up being open to bugs.
Okay, I finally unpacked the premiere sheet and put it on Dove. Sheās a 75 in Rambo and this is generous in a 75. The fabric isnāt mesh at all but reminds me of the weatherbeeta cool coat. Itās lined at the mane, shoulder and tail. The neck is not detachable. The seams where the neck and tail come into the blanket are covered with fleece. It has a wide belly band that goes from elbows to sheath, fastened with three straps with velcro and t locks. Tail flap hits at the hocks. It came with a tail cord and leg straps. All velcro is double lock.
It looks like it may wear warm, so weāll see about that. But sheās sweating in a Rambo, and the naked horses are sweating, soā¦it may not matter here. Sheās having a terrible time with the bugs, and this does look like it might help.
@IPEsq, biggest concern I noted for your dinosaur and looking at this sheet on Dovie is the length of the belly straps. She wears Rambo as small as possible. These are mid way on her. There might not be enough length for your giant beastie.
Hmm thanks @Simkie good to know. The Rambo Protector fly sheet fits a little big in the belly straps on this guy compared to the winter clothes, but I did have to let it out some this year. Heās gotten fitter generally in the barrel, but heās also gone up another couple inches in the girth since last summer. :o
I have a clientās horse who needs more belly protection than the one Rambo with the extra belly flap. The flap hangs loose on that oneālike the velcro is in the wrong place. But, even though that horse is a TB, his barrel is even bigger than my dinosaur! The TB is about to move to the mid-Atlantic and is pretty much allergic to all things that bite.The mosquito sheet might be what he needs.
Observations on the Amigo Bug Buster ā
The mesh is like the Summer sheet, so I do not expect it to rub his tail or hips (hip rubbing was just starting with a couple days in the Protector). It seems to fit a little extra snug out of the bag especially in the shoulders, but I expect the mesh to stretch some. I donāt think he could go to an 84 in this one. To that end, the belly band is better fitted than the Rambo version and has better velcro. Like his other Amigos, there is less bum coverage in this size, but that means so far the tail flap is lining up appropriately, which is good because after a few hot days in the Protector plus some nightly likely mosquito induced butt rubbing in the stall, the tail is already in sad shape.
Bumping this up. I was gone for 2 weeks and left my gelding in the Schneiders Mosquito Mesh. Today I found multiple rub marks that had taken the skin off and left weeping sores. So back into the Hug for now. This year I started the worming for neck threadworms early in the spring and have been diligent with the 2 week Spot-On treatments. As a result, his sweet itch has been the best itās ever been. Or the gnat population has died off 
Iāll take either.
My guyās midline is almost completely free of bald, crusty areas right now: the best itās ever been!
I achieve this for my horse by ALWAYS using fly sheets with belly bands, keeping them on 24/7 and rotating them every few days so they donāt rub.
Also key is applying EquiShield IBH, plus a roll on fly product on the inner thighs, and copious sprays of Farnam Repel-X. Basically every fly repellent known to man. Daily. I think itās the IBH that really works best.
Last year I did the spray, intermittent fly sheets without belly bands, and 6 months of allergy shots, with oral antihistamines if it got bad, and he was very itchy all year. For fox ache.
I wish I could do daily fly spray but I only see him max once a week. So I rely on TriTech and EcoVet and copious amounts of Belly Balm and diaper cream. Preceded with a bath with chlorhexidine shampoo for the armpits and IBH hydrocortisone lotion for the itchy areas. And yep, only one spot on his midline today!!!
Iāve had really good success with the Turtleneck FlyTurtle sheet! It doesnāt have a belly band, but the material is super soft. My guy wears it daily and hasnāt gotten any rubs on his skin or tail. The straps are elastic, so it fits a bit more snugly than other fly sheets, which I think helps.
Iām amazed that your climate allows this, although when I think back to Colorado, I used fly sheets all summer there, too! :lol:
Now that itās 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity, thereās just no way. Sad 
I cut the tail flaps off my Rambo Protectors for this very reason.
Well, Iām in coastal N California so we never get over 80 degrees, usually more like 70s in the summer. And honestly, this barn is relatively fly free for whatever reason - its great! But my horse is allergic to cullicoides and susceptible to sweet itch as a result, only on his midline. So belly coverage is everything.
I have been buying cheap Kensington fly sheet belly attachments for $20 on amazon and sewing them onto my other fly sheets with no belly coverage. Looks janky, but works! Much prefer an integrated one though - and as long as possible so it covers more midline. I have read that the Cashel belly guard is low quality, and the fancy Belly Dickey someone posted is $260 in WB size which is a bit muchā¦
