# Fly sheets in the hot, humid southern summers



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I see a lot of horses wearing fly sheets in Lake, Marion, Sumter and Hernando County when I am out doing errands.
Can't see under them for sweat factor, but none of those horses is hiding in the shade either but out in blazing sun grazing...
Not sure how much different it is further north than what I listed...
In fact, a lot of horses are already in the sheets.
Flies at my house are nasty tough right now again.

Only caution I will give is make sure if they get wet, you remove them to allow the coat to fully dry and sheet too for that matter.
_I would remove nightly for the coat to get a good airing out and good roll-time done to it too.._
Watch for fungus as it is unfortunately a by-product of hot & humid Florida sunshine weather.
:runninghorse2:...


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Where I keep my horses, it's pretty flat cropland, not a lot of forest, and about 15 miles as the crow flies from the coast so there is a pretty decent breeze most of the time. Still blazing hot and humid though. I lived in Ocala for a couple of years and it seems to get a little colder in the winter and a little hotter in the summer than where I'm at now.

My mares are outside most of the time. The filly comes in at night so she can eat what she needs to without the other two pigging out on her food. The filly is actually eating almost twice the amount that the other two get as she's growing. I think that when it gets really hot I will just reverse when she comes in. The fans in the stall keep the flies away for the most part. The other two need some protection from the bugs as they start looking a little rough by the end of the summer. I was hoping that sheets would help them but worry about the heat.

My mare Starr came with some nice rain rot when I got her. I treated her and haven't seen it since. That was five years ago. But then, I don't cover them much at all.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I don't know how hot it gets where you are, but we get over 100 some days and have gawd awful humidity (though I've had folks from LA say it'd DRY here) at between 60-80% most of the time. Heard a weather guesser say it was Desert Dry at 42% the other day, wanted to call him up and tell him the only time I ever saw it that humid was during monsoon when I lived in the desert. It was more like 5% most of the time. If you don't bring them inside a fly sheet is a good idea. There are a couple of different kinds, I like these: https://www.sstack.com/horse-blankets-and-sheets_fly-sheets-sun-protection_dura-mesh-fly-sheets/, but they're heavy duty, for the destroyers. If your mares aren't destructive, then there are these that are much lighter weight : https://www.sstack.com/horse-blankets-and-sheets_fly-sheets-sun-protection_soft-mesh-fly-sheets/. I've used both and haven't noticed anybody sweating any more, or less, than without. Since I've got a couple of destroyers, I use the Dura Tech ones more than the other kind now or I bring them in to the barn during the worst heat of the day and turn out again about 9 pm when it's cooler.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Someone here posted rain-rot was a result of a decreased Vitamin A I think...._*not* positive _
I don't remember who it was sadly...
You can google it though and get that information then maybe supplement that so lessening chances of a occurrence if sheets left on 24/7 as many do do I also see.

My neighbor left her fly-sheet on her horse, he was wet from daily showers and heavy coated, never fully dried and he had a heck of a case of rain-rot...gross!
He also has a immune system problem contributing to many issues of his health...

You though do brush your horses often so will be watching for issues...
So I don't see a issue happening and would get them.
There are many kinds and fabrics too.
Some with UVA/UVB built in, rain and water resistance and many with different fabric and what kind of pests they are good against...no see-ums for instance versus just black flies.
Good luck.
:runninghorse2:....


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@Dreamcatcher Arabians The average humidity in the summer is 90% in the morning and about 60% in the afternoon where I live. Top heat can get over 100F but usually in the mid nineties. 

@horselovinguy We don't get no see-ums here, thank God. That seems to be mostly a west coast thing I think. We have common black flies, yellow biting flies (depending on time of year), gnats, and mosquitoes mostly.

I imagine, to have neck protection, I would have to leave a halter on them.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LoriF said:


> @Dreamcatcher Arabians The average humidity in the summer is 90% in the morning and about 60% in the afternoon where I live. Top heat can get over 100F but usually in the mid nineties.
> 
> @horselovinguy We don't get no see-ums here, thank God. That seems to be mostly a west coast thing I think. We have common black flies, yellow biting flies (depending on time of year), gnats, and mosquitoes mostly.
> 
> I imagine, to have neck protection, I would have to leave a halter on them.


Lori, your humidity is the exact opposite of ours. We start out in the 60% range and as the gulf moisture streams northward, our humidity rises to 90-100% in the late afternoons, about 3-4 pm and our heat of the day is about 5-7 pm. When we get our summer Tstorms, it's usually about 4-5 pm that they start. So, it gets hotter and 'humid-er', yes I just made that one up, as the day goes on. Another reason I put them up in the daytime. UGH! And our flies......the cremellos get blood streaks down their sides they get attacked so badly. 

Another thing I do, and it does work though I was skeptical at first, is feed them DMG & Smart Bug Off supplements. I knew DMG was good for immune boosting and helped keep allergic reactions down, so for the ones who get huge fly bumps it's a God send, but wasn't sure about the Smart Bug Off. Well, it's coming 3 years now and Skippy has not had those huge bumps in the last 2 years, and instead of having 50 flies on him, he generally only has a few that I can take care of with Eco Vet Fly Spray and putting him in a stall with a fan.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@Dreamcatcher ArabiansWe get afternoon thunderstorms as well, but I think the coastal breeze helps a lot because we are so close.

I have not heard of DMG so I'll check it out. Laela really was miserable last summer and was rubbing her neck on things a lot and causing sores. I'm pretty sure it was because of bugs.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@Dreamcatcher Arabians I just took a quick look at DMG and am going to read more about it when I have a little more time to just read. So far what came up was for humans. 

How much do you give to one horse? What's the dosage? Do you buy it as a horse supplement or do you get the kind meant for humans?


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LoriF said:


> @Dreamcatcher Arabians I just took a quick look at DMG and am going to read more about it when I have a little more time to just read. So far what came up was for humans.
> 
> How much do you give to one horse? What's the dosage? Do you buy it as a horse supplement or do you get the kind meant for humans?


https://www.smartpakequine.com/ps/dmg-by-smartpak-7177 Here's what I use. I just give 1 scoop per horse per day, as a preventative. If I have one who gets fly bumps or, in one horse's case, hives, I double it. I go through about 16 lbs/month for all of my horses.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I have Schneider's mosquito mesh sheets and so far they're the lightest I've been able to find but my horses will still get sweaty under them when it goes up into the mid 80's and above with high humidity
When its like that they prefer to stand in the barn with the fans on


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@jaydee Getting sweaty is inevitable here. Fly sheet or no fly sheet. I'm just wondering if there are any that breath well enough to let the breeze keep them cooler and if there are some that are just a no go (just too hot).


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

LoriF said:


> @*jaydee* Getting sweaty is inevitable here. Fly sheet or no fly sheet. I'm just wondering if there are any that breath well enough to let the breeze keep them cooler and if there are some that are just a no go (just too hot).


That I don't know.
I did find that mine got sweatier wearing the mosquito mesh than when not wearing it.
The weatherbeeta, amigo and Rambo all made them hotter than the Schneider one - though one of the Schneider one's also made them too hot.
The problem you have when you start going lighter with them is that they just don't stand up to general wear and tear very well
This is the Schneider style we have - I also use the neck covers. They've lasted without any damage for several years now. They're particularly good in blackfly season
https://www.sstack.com/horse-blanke...ted-v-free-bellyband-fly-sheet--closed-front/


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## Patrick (Mar 19, 2009)

We in the UK don't get the same humidity but we do get lots of midges and flies - especially in Scotland. The mesh fly sheets and head covers are excellent for ventilation. Might they work for you - for the non destructive horse especially?

https://www.equus.co.uk/blogs/community/how-to-protect-your-horse-from-flies


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

jaydee said:


> That I don't know.
> I did find that mine got sweatier wearing the mosquito mesh than when not wearing it.
> The weatherbeeta, amigo and Rambo all made them hotter than the Schneider one - though one of the Schneider one's also made them too hot.
> The problem you have when you start going lighter with them is that they just don't stand up to general wear and tear very well
> ...


Those are the ones that I was just looking at. Maybe they will help except on the hottest days.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

LoriF said:


> Those are the ones that I was just looking at. Maybe they will help except on the hottest days.


I haven't ever used the ones Jaydee was talking about. For one, I use them for sun protection too, and the mosquito mesh isn't any good for that. For 2, they'd be ok for a couple of the non-destructo horses, but most of mine would have them in shreds in less than an hour. They're just TOO light for my crew. 

Horses sweat. In heat in humidity they sweat a lot. It's just a fact of life. Mine go stand next to the stock tank to give me the hint to hose them off when I'm filling waters.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

It would kill me to spend over 300 bucks for the three of them only to have them tore up before the week is out. If it could hold out for a season, I would be ok with that. Longer would be better, but not at the expense of them suffocating under it.

The B/O uses that really soft fly sheet on her pony, the ones that are white. He hasn't ripped it up but it just seems like it clings all over his body and that it would be hot.


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

Does the horse have access to shade? I'm in North Texas and when I boarded, the turnout paddocks had no shade or shelter - I spent literally thousands trying every fly sheet on the market for my fly-allergic horse, to no avail. He would be dripping in sweat under even the lightest weight mesh sheets if it was over 90F or humid (basically every day May thru Oct, lol.) We just stick with summer night turnout/inside days, SmartPak Bug-Off , Endure fly spray and SWAT ointment. Also a preventative Depo-Medrol shot in March.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

^^^^ Is my point about hot & humid. Even in the barn with fans on, they sweat. When it's 90+F and 90% humidity, they're gonna sweat. It's just plumb ugly out at that point. For my cremellos and others with light coloring (why that attracts the most flies is beyond me) I use sunscreen, fly sheets, Bug Off, and bring them inside from about 11 a.m. to about 8 or 9 p.m.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

In this area it's not usually so hot and humid at the same time (and I hate it when it is!). I can tell you that we DO occasionally have extremely hot and humid days and when those days do happen is when we take any fly sheets OFF, any extra layer is just going to hurt them at that point. I would just try to get them out of the sun if possible. Fly sheet are for hot, or humid, not an extreme of both. They make sheet designed for sun protection. That may be better than a fly sheet.There are also heavier and lighter fly sheets depending on the type of bugs that are the problem. The heavier ones are done in a way that allows more air flow so I wouldn't necessarily say they are hotter.


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## ChieTheRider (May 3, 2017)

I have one I've used on my gelding (brand was Saxon I think) and I left it on during the day, and off at night. I put it on hopefully around ten and take it off as soon as the sun starts setting. At night the bugs got stuck underneath it and it was gross. I'd just spray them at night because they wouldn't sweat it off. The main reason I had it was to keep him from getting sunburned. The bugs weren't that bad, it was the sun that hurt him. (Dang the light skinned horses) He'd get burned to the point of blistering and bleeding if it wasn't watched, then if he merely lost hair the bugs attacked on the exposed skin. He looks like he's wearing a bee suit because the flysheet has a neck and he also had full nose flymask. It doesn't seem to make him hot, and I don't leave it on him if it rains. He's sensitive to skin issues but I haven't had him get fungus or bacterial skin infections because of the prolonged wet, at least when I was using the flysheet. The last time he had a mild case of rain rot was when it was cold already but just rained for weeks. The one I have is very breathable and made with a material similar to pool netting. I mean, that's what it feels and looks like. It's heavier and he doesn't seem to have any problems with it. We live in Florida, where in the summer it's not uncommon for the temps to hit 100 (Fahrenheit) and feel like 120 because of the humidity. On those days the horses lay down in the dirt in the shade and we don't ride. 

So actually I'd think the sheets with the larger holes are more breathable than the ones with almost smooth material.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

ChieTheRider said:


> I have one I've used on my gelding (brand was Saxon I think) and I left it on during the day, and off at night. I put it on hopefully around ten and take it off as soon as the sun starts setting. At night the bugs got stuck underneath it and it was gross. I'd just spray them at night because they wouldn't sweat it off. The main reason I had it was to keep him from getting sunburned. The bugs weren't that bad, it was the sun that hurt him. (Dang the light skinned horses) He'd get burned to the point of blistering and bleeding if it wasn't watched, then if he merely lost hair the bugs attacked on the exposed skin. He looks like he's wearing a bee suit because the flysheet has a neck and he also had full nose flymask. It doesn't seem to make him hot, and I don't leave it on him if it rains. He's sensitive to skin issues but I haven't had him get fungus or bacterial skin infections because of the prolonged wet, at least when I was using the flysheet. The last time he had a mild case of rain rot was when it was cold already but just rained for weeks. The one I have is very breathable and made with a material similar to pool netting. I mean, that's what it feels and looks like. It's heavier and he doesn't seem to have any problems with it. We live in Florida, where in the summer it's not uncommon for the temps to hit 100 (Fahrenheit) and feel like 120 because of the humidity. On those days the horses lay down in the dirt in the shade and we don't ride.
> 
> So actually I'd think the sheets with the larger holes are more breathable than the ones with almost smooth material.



What is the name of the fly sheets that you use?


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## ChieTheRider (May 3, 2017)

@LoriF https://www.jefferspet.com/products/softmesh-combo-fly-sheet <- this one. mine was a different color but I don't think that matters to the bugs haha.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

ChieTheRider said:


> @LoriF https://www.jefferspet.com/products/softmesh-combo-fly-sheet <- this one. mine was a different color but I don't think that matters to the bugs haha.


Do you use that one? Gah, it looks hot, but looks can be deceiving.

I think that is the one that the B/O uses and swears that the pony doesn't get too hot in it.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@ChieTheRider It says that it's currently unavailable.


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## ChieTheRider (May 3, 2017)

Dunno. Jeffers might be out of stock, but you could check horseloverz.com or statelinetack and see if they've got it. Actually Amazon tends to have those things too.

this looks ok? https://www.statelinetack.com/item/kool-coat-airstream-detach-a-neck-uv-fly-sheet/SLT900006/supposed to be cool.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

The Saxon one is good. I have the same one. It's a very light/fine mesh so big flies can bite right through it but great for smaller bugs and sun protection. Definitely a good model if getting too hot is a concern. My complaint is the neck doesn't detach (not a bad thing but would be nice to have the option) and slides down as I don't use it with a halter (you can attach it to the halter and hold it up) and the fit is a little "off" but a lot of this is specific to my one horse, so not saying it's good or bad. But definitely a good buy for the price and is not too hot. I clip my MFT (Cushings) so he wears this at least the first half of the summer pretty much 24/7 so he's not completely naked. Would like leg straps but again, something more specific to THIS horse rather than the blanket.

The Arab has a heavier mesh, plenty breathable and good for big flies but not much else lol (which is all he needs).

The Icelandic has sweet itch and wears a dark head to toe cover 24/7 anytime there MIGHT be bugs around (will be putting it on soon despite the 2 feet of snow at the moment). While she doesn't get too hot in that I wouldn't recommend it for a horse that doesn't need it.... she reminds me of this:


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