Zebra print fly sheets - anyone tried these?

They’re on sale on TOTD, and I keep thinking: “I should get one for my black horse who is besieged by Bombers every August and September!”, but is the jury in on how effective they are?

The theory is that flies are “confused” by Zebra stripes - especially horse flies - which apparently find their “prey” by sight.

Thoughts and testimonials?

The bucas sheet seems to get decent reviews, but that one on TOTD isn’t the bucas version.

It looks to be the TuffRider version, which is available for quite a lot less elsewhere:

https://www.tackroominc.com/tuffride…t-p-22092.html

And is no longer being produced…

Oh, the non stripey Tuff Rider sheet is less than $30…which doesn’t say much about TOTD’s price on the stripey version, or the potential for either to hold up more than a day :-/

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Would love to know as well! I have a solid black Percheron that is apparently the only horse being bothered by flies at the barn this summer. Being a draft, my blanket choices are limited, so feedback is welcome.

FWIW, my vet said a fly sheet wouldn’t cover every square inch, and his previous owner wished me luck with getting him to wear it, hence my hesitation.

One of the boarders at the last barn I was a WS in had one, she swore by it.

I have a Tough1 zebra sheet and mask. Not really sure it works any better, but my white horse looks awesome in it! and its held up very well. He has two sheets, I alternate about weekly all year long (florida) and I’ve had the first zebra for about a year and 1/2. State line and horse.com both carry it. $44.

I have not used one, but I do know that my 50/50 black/white paint does not attract nearly as many flies as my two dark, solid-colored horses.

I had three, I noticed no difference. The Bucas ones didnt last a month. Do not recommend.

Am I the only one who had never heard of this zebra print fly sheet theory?

Nope, I didn’t either.

I bought a zebra fly sheet, neck cover, and mask last summer for my PSSM horse. I heard the “do you know why zebra’s are stripped? striped?” (having alternate black and white colors) and it sounded reasonable to me. :cool: .

But it was so hot, even at night, that I did not use it for more than 2 weeks (it worked great). Then I developed “Goober’s Soon To Be Famous Fly (and noseeum) Spray”. It works incredibly well and I have local people who swear by it. One even calls it “magic juice”.

If you live in the Southern Pines NC area, just contact me to get some.

I plan to patent it and sell it through tack shops next year. :smiley:

Isn’t it supposed to confuse the flies?

Yes, that’s the principle behind it.

Yes I bought the bucas one on Amazon, it was the best deal for it. I love the look of it on my horse but don’t think it makes a difference with reducing the flies. The belly wrap underneath is helpful for my horse since he gets bothered alot under his belly by midges. I would say the only two negatives are that once it gets dirty it is almost impossible to clean and the sizes run a bit small.