Fly Rug Has Rubbed

david1

david1

New Member
Oct 25, 2010
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West Yorkshire
I bought a new fly rug, 6ft 3ins as usual. Given the grass is lush my mare has put on a little weight, but nothing too much. The fly rug was from a newish company who sell on line only direct to the public. I have not used them before, and at £25 I thought I had a bargain. It looked the part. Given the heat and flies yesterday I got out early and fly rugged her. The neck and front seemed a good fit. Leg straps looped through each other to prevent rubbing. So far so good.

As the day got warmer I put her in the barn which had a through draft that was kinder. So she was not moving about a great deal.

I turned her out and decided to leave the fly rug on since everything seemed OK. This morning I found the front had dropped and the straps were rubbing on her lower chest so much the coat has been removed just above her forelegs. The two areas affected are about two inches in circumference.

I need to check what happened with the rug, but in the meantime would appreciate advice about what you do to treat the bald/rubbed areas. (She's mostly TB so rather thin skinned). I have left the rubbed areas to get air to them since she was sweaty where she had been rubbed. Needless to say, the trusty fly spray has been applied and the rug is in a heap in the tack room!

I'd value your comments.
 
Never use fly rugs since I discovere Global Herbs Fly Free and dont even use one for our two with sweet itch they just have Skratch + they are brilliant and then you dont get into the ripped fly rugs or loss of hair from rubbing.
Would recomend Wondergel for the hair loss that brill too :biggrin:
 
Tis so annoying isnt it - I have 4 fly rugs for Dolly and they are 3 different makes. Every single one of them rubs her shoulders and one also rubs across her chest where the straps are. Although I am sure they are the correct size, she too is a tad thin skinned.

I have started using a chest expander on them all now and seems to have stopped anymore rubbing - but wont know until the hair grows back (if??) if I have the problem solved. But it certainly has stopped the rubbing across her chest - this is already growing back in.

They are only a few pounds and think most tack shops do them. My be worth a try?
 
A couple of way's to go...

1) get something like a bossy bib - though this just masks a badly fitting rug

2) Buy a fly rug in a brand of turnout or other rug is a reasonable fit as you have better chance of it fitting

3) Take in the neck - I have pulled in about 2" of the neck of silvers so they dont slip back as they sit higher up on her neck, instead of pulling on withers

4) Fleece line the problem areas

I have done all four of these, but I ave to second DW on this one - global herbs are AMAZING. My poor girly suffers terribly with the flies - put her on skratch plus and you wouldnt know she had sweet itch... difficult to get them to eat, but once you crack it its fantastic stuff :D
 
Anyone else use Flyfree?

Dizzy Woo said:
Never use fly rugs since I discovered Global Herbs Fly Free
Click to expand...

It's interesting, the replies seems divided into two camps. Using fly rugs with various other bibs etc. and using herbal supplements.

I have to admit I like the sound of Global's Flyfree. It offers the bonus of being something of an overall skin and membrane treatment/conditioner in addition to keeping flies away. Its no more expensive for a kilo than the one litre Bot spray which Carrie hates. She'll stand for anything but even if I spray onto a brush or a sponge she gets uptight and I have to mind my toes! She's happy enough with coat sprays etc. But one whiff of flyspray and she trots on the spot! I have to admit, I can taste it for ages after using the spray so I don't blame her. That's why I switched to the dreaded fly rug and started my problem.

Has anyone else used Flyfree to good effect?
 
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For those who use supplements (ESP horses with sweetitch) - do u still use rugs? Am very tempted to use supplements only on Rosie with a view to stopping use the sweetitch rug, but would be nervous about taking off the rug and her starting the itching process...? Mind u, she has been really good this year with no signs of itching at all, maybe if it's not broke don't fix it! Lol! Although she does get hot in the summer so I feel bad for her in the rugs.
 
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