UV protection fly rug recommendations please

Gattino

Gattino

Happy Appy
Jul 16, 2012
1,284
599
113
Ireland
Need to get Cyrus a fly rug for summer and want to get one that has uv protection too as he has pink skin and is mostly white.

Are the weatherbeeta fly rugs good?

I have freestyle weatherbeeta turnout and that fits him well in the 6' and I am happy with quality etc

His coolers/travel rugs are weatherbeeta too in 6'

His indoor is an amigo in 6' too which fits him great

He does seem to take care of his rugs and not wreck them :giggle: so I don't mind investing in one that might cost a bit more than others

I know different rugs can have slightly different fits so would be good if was either weatherbeeta or one with similar style/fit

There seems to be a few different weatherbeeta fly rugs so not sure what to go for really.

Any help appreciated :biggrin:
 
I found the Elico ones good quality but on the tight side for Bud, so he trashed it, he trashed a masta one in 2 days as well....

I used a Rambo protector on the big donkey, it is very tough takes abuse, and I currently have a derby house one for bud, which is in early days to see how long it is before he kills it.

The Bucas ones are good quality but narrow at the front.

The old style masta ones were much tougher and lasted better - some of the Australian ones have great uv protection as they were designed for the aussie sun
 
It depends what you want - I can't stand mesh fly rugs as they destroy so easily. I love the Rambo sweet itch hoody, but for something a bit lighter a kool koat combo by weathebeeta - I have a full material version (no mesh panels) and rate it for staying in one piece!!

It depends how serious the sunlight issues are but we also use a snuggy hood head to protect her face (her skin blisters and comes off in sunlight)
 
Thanks I have a fly mask for him the km elite space one so he's sorted for that covering his face so just need to decide on rug. I think the sun will be more of issue than flies to be honest he didn't seem too badly affected by flies once I had some fly spray on him.

I only got him at end of last summer so he was just naked when out for about a month until got him a light turnout. So didn't really have to deal with sun last year.

Want something that will not make him too warm and will protect from sun. Some makes don't seem to specify if protect from uv but kind of look like they do.


How heavy is Rambo protector?

Which Kool koat one did you get is there different versions of it?

He doesn't get sweet itch to the best of my knowledge, is it ok to use a sweet itch rug on a horse that doesn't get this?

Because of his pink skin and being mainly white he's at risk of sun damage so something that covers him up and is light but strongish would be good :biggrin:

Sorry that's all a bit rambly!
 
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I haven't had any issues with sweating under a sweet itch hoody and she is always dry under the rug - even though the rug is wet and it's peeing it down.

I haven't used the kool koat as it has mesh panels, mine is a full cotton ripstop sheet :)
 
popularfurball said:
I haven't had any issues with sweating under a sweet itch hoody and she is always dry under the rug - even though the rug is wet and it's peeing it down.

I haven't used the kool koat as it has mesh panels, mine is a full cotton ripstop sheet :)
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Which would you use most in summer? :biggrin:
 
My appy has two Premier Equine Fly Rugs. I also in the summer use sunblock, the Equus one which is absolutely fab, and a fly mask with a nose on it.

Also remember that Appys suffer from uevitis, so make sure on sunny days you use a fly mask which will help.

If yours is a few spot, dippily can't remember, also make sure that he doesn't move paddocks just before it is dark. Few spots and anything with a base of white, pretty much suffer from Stationary Congenital Night Blindness. They are born with it and don't see as most others in the dark. Mine has tested positive for this - its something to do with the fact that Few Spots will always throw coloured foals and the gene that causes this, means that the eye is made up differently to most horses.

Edited to add, the best fly masks I have found are the Cashel Crusaders. Expensive, but they last. I have cut the ears off because he hates ears and gets the masks off, but without ears, he is happy as larry.

I always make sure that Toby is out in a new field first thing in the morning so that he gets to understand where the boundaries are. It was very stressy for me when he had to be alone and had no-one else to follow at night, but he coped well. They don't know any different because they are born like that.
 
popularfurball said:
I've used both all summer long - I use the hoody now as I can't get the full sheet by weatherbeeta anymore

Here is the wb sheet

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popularfurball said:
(It doesn't come with trousers I hasten to add!!)... Cashel do (or used to do) sun boots too
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Thanks for pics!

I'm loving the trousers aka sun boots :biggrin: Cyrus should wear those all the time just to keep his legs clean :giggle:

sjp1 said:
My appy has two Premier Equine Fly Rugs. I also in the summer use sunblock, the Equus one which is absolutely fab, and a fly mask with a nose on it.

Also remember that Appys suffer from uevitis, so make sure on sunny days you use a fly mask which will help.

If yours is a few spot, dippily can't remember, also make sure that he doesn't move paddocks just before it is dark. Few spots and anything with a base of white, pretty much suffer from Stationary Congenital Night Blindness. They are born with it and don't see as most others in the dark. Mine has tested positive for this - its something to do with the fact that Few Spots will always throw coloured foals and the gene that causes this, means that the eye is made up differently to most horses.

Edited to add, the best fly masks I have found are the Cashel Crusaders. Expensive, but they last. I have cut the ears off because he hates ears and gets the masks off, but without ears, he is happy as larry.

I always make sure that Toby is out in a new field first thing in the morning so that he gets to understand where the boundaries are. It was very stressy for me when he had to be alone and had no-one else to follow at night, but he coped well. They don't know any different because they are born like that.
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That is interesting about the night blindness I think someone had mentioned that to me before. He is in same field so shouldn't be moved and is in at night.

I got him a fly mask with nose which is similiar to the Cashel Crusader and has got UV protection. Got him this one it has ears and Cyrus is a bit funny about his ears so will see if they bother him and cut them off if they do http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/fly-protection/km-fly-mask-large-1 and have a couple tubes of Solar sunscreen for him too http://www.kmeliteproducts.co.uk/fly-protection/solarsport-equine-30-superior will have to check out the Equus one too!

Will have a look at the PE rugs, any particular of their fly rugs you prefer? This is link to their current ones so a recommendation from these would be super

http://www.premierequine.co.uk/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=2015812
 
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We have two of the bug busters. They are tough and stay up well around his neck. We only have two because one required repairing, but he has had that one for four years, which I think is quite good going.
 
I got a cheap weatherbeeta (their genero range I think) fly rug with UV protection a couple of years ago and I didn't like it. It was really light (which is great for warm days) but the material was so flimsy that the rug ripped and snagged on the first or second wear and I have to say that Rubic isn't a rug wrecker at all so that was very unusual! It also just didn't sit right on her but the rest of her weatherbeetas were quite a good fit. I think their more expensive ones (from the freestyle range) might be better quality and a better fit. It was still usable mind you but it just annoyed me! I did like that it had a loop that you could attach a fly mask/grazing muzzle onto so that helped keep that on!
 
Is he stabled at night or out 24/7?
Only ask as a few of the liveries at my yard just swap round and turn out at night then bring in during the day to protect from the sun and flies. Might be another option, obviously not if he's out the whole time though.
 
Just re-read and the PE fly rug I have doesn't have UV protection, so sorry!
 
Kite_Rider said:
Is he stabled at night or out 24/7?
Only ask as a few of the liveries at my yard just swap round and turn out at night then bring in during the day to protect from the sun and flies. Might be another option, obviously not if he's out the whole time though.
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He is stabled at night, swapping to out at night wouldn't be possible as all the liveries are in a mixed herd in same field and they all come in at night so wouldn't like to have him out on his ownio as he is used to being with his friends.

Thankfully I don't work for July and August as work in school so can make sure he has his suncream on and everything before he goes out.



Rubic said:
I got a cheap weatherbeeta (their genero range I think) fly rug with UV protection a couple of years ago and I didn't like it. It was really light (which is great for warm days) but the material was so flimsy that the rug ripped and snagged on the first or second wear and I have to say that Rubic isn't a rug wrecker at all so that was very unusual! It also just didn't sit right on her but the rest of her weatherbeetas were quite a good fit. I think their more expensive ones (from the freestyle range) might be better quality and a better fit. It was still usable mind you but it just annoyed me! I did like that it had a loop that you could attach a fly mask/grazing muzzle onto so that helped keep that on!
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Yeah his other weatherbeetas seem to fit him nice and his turnout is from freestyle range, so maybe one of the freestyle fly rugs might be good. Cyrus is like Rubic as in not a rug wrecker at all so that is good to know about the quality of the Genero.

sjp1 said:
We have two of the bug busters. They are tough and stay up well around his neck. We only have two because one required repairing, but he has had that one for four years, which I think is quite good going.
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sjp1 said:
Just re-read and the PE fly rug I have doesn't have UV protection, so sorry!
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Is Tobes pink skinned too being an Appy? Do you think the rugs provide a certain amount of protection from sun anyway even if they don't have special UV stuff in them?
 
Gattino said:
He is stabled at night, swapping to out at night wouldn't be possible as all the liveries are in a mixed herd in same field and they all come in at night so wouldn't like to have him out on his ownio as he is used to being with his friends.



Thankfully I don't work for July and August as work in school so can make sure he has his suncream on and everything before he goes out.











Yeah his other weatherbeetas seem to fit him nice and his turnout is from freestyle range, so maybe one of the freestyle fly rugs might be good. Cyrus is like Rubic as in not a rug wrecker at all so that is good to know about the quality of the Genero.







Is Tobes pink skinned too being an Appy? Do you think the rugs provide a certain amount of protection from sun anyway even if they don't have special UV stuff in them?
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Not the mesh fly rugs - they don't for us!
 
Tobes is pink skinned, but I find the PE rugs are soft and heavy if that makes any sense? With almost several layers of mesh?

I don't care for the Rambo fly rugs, expensive though they are. I think they are thin, and hard and don't afford much protection. The PE is a cross between a sheet and a fly rug - not much gets through. Shall I try and get a picture of it close up for you, so you can see how soft and close weave it is?
 
sjp1 said:
Tobes is pink skinned, but I find the PE rugs are soft and heavy if that makes any sense? With almost several layers of mesh?

I don't care for the Rambo fly rugs, expensive though they are. I think they are thin, and hard and don't afford much protection. The PE is a cross between a sheet and a fly rug - not much gets through. Shall I try and get a picture of it close up for you, so you can see how soft and close weave it is?
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That would be great, thank you so much :biggrin:

Also how did you find the fit, he is 6' in everything else and his wb is a little roomier than his amigo. I have heard they are deeper cut than some other rugs?
 
They are deeper cut, but I go for the same size. He has another PE turnout rug, and the 6'6 is slightly too big but the 6'3 too small.

I prefer bigger than smaller rug wise, not so bundled up. Shall endeavour to take pic of it for you tomorrow
 
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