Fly sheets can be simple mesh blankets that look like a cooler made of mesh type fabric, or they may be more form-fitting, with gussets, leg and belly coverings. The purpose of these blankets is to keep biting insects off your horse. Many offer UV protection to prevent the horse's coat from getting bleached and dry.
Fly sheets that are very open weave may not be effective and you will see horses kick and swish at flies with as much vigour as the horses standing next to them not wearing blankets. Horses wearing a fly sheet in the hot sun may be warmer than those that are not. So, use your discretion about when and where your horse wears a fly sheet. Fly sheets need to be sturdy and well fitted. They tend to rip and shift easily.
As a horse owner, it’s always going to be a compromise between, keeping your horse cool and providing sun and insect and fly protection.
The best rug for your horse on a hot day is no rug at all. When it is 30 deg and humid, your horse will sweat under any rug. Sweating is how a horse maintains and regulates its body temperature as heat increases. Mesh works best if there is a breeze to allow airflow over and through the horse rug.
Our fly mesh range comes in the following sizes: 3'0,3'3,3'6,3'9,4'0,4'3,4'6,4'9,5'0,5'3,5'6,5'9,6'0
6'3,6'6,6'9,7'0
And in the following brands: Saxon and Weatherbeeta.
