With Oh So living out for the first time this summer and Thomas needing his own fly sheet, I’ve been researching the best kind for fit and price. Oh So has worn a Weatherbeeta fly sheet, similar to this Comfitec one for the past few years at home, but only occasionally since he lived in part of the day and because he’s black and sweated a lot.

Horseware Amigo Mio Fly Sheet

I’d had an Amigo Mio Combo fly sheet for Sam that I brought with me for Oh So when I moved, and it had held up well over a few years, albeit not worn every day.

For the price, I decided to get Oh So his own when it finally kicked the bucket earlier this summer with a few tears in the attached neck and on the trim.

I bought the same model, but within a week of wearing it he’d torn the straps nearly off! I’m really disappointed because it is an affordable fly sheet and is fairly lightweight and soft, so he wasn’t sweating in it except on the hottest of days, at which point I usually don’t bother with a fly sheet anyways.

I’m not a huge fan of the attached neck since it was a little short on his absurdly long neck and I’d rather be able to pick a size, but otherwise it was easy to put on with cross belly straps and two buckles on the front, plus two velcro enclosures on the neck. The tail cover was long enough to give lots of protection.

If your horse is rough on his clothing or lives out 24/7 this might not be the best choice but on the surface it seems like a good value for the money.

 

WeatherBeeta Bug Beeta Fly Sheet

I’ve had decent luck with my older WeatherBeeta fly sheet so I decided to try the Bug Beeta Detach-A-Neck fly sheet, which looked very lightweight online.

I wasn’t looking to spend a lot of money, so this one fit the bill for Thomas. The photo above is the sheet right out of the packaging. It looks a little stiff, but it’s extremely lightweight. The shoulders are lined to prevent rubbing, although after wearing it continuously for a few weeks he did end up getting rubs.

The belly band is nice since he’s been getting eaten alive on his midline. The only complaint Thomas has is that if you go to pull it forward and adjust when it’s already on, like I tend to do when I’m out visiting him in the field, his hair sticks up through the mesh and pulls forward, which is super uncomfortable. I’ve now been bitten in the side for my efforts!

He hasn’t damaged the sheet so far, but he’s the alpha in the field so I’m guessing no one’s going to try to nip at him. Since it is so lightweight I would have expected it to rip faster than the Amigo sheet, but it’s still kicking! I’m not sure I can recommend this one for horses who play rough. Try at your own risk!

Rambo Fly Buster Vamoose Fly Sheet

Of all things, I entered a contest on Equiratings’ Facebook page and won this fly sheet! Thanks Equiratings and Horseware Ireland!

This is a pretty amazing fly sheet. It’s made from an anti-rip material that’s self-healing, so if your horse gets a stick or something in it, it will mold back to form. Very cool!

The Vamoose technology means the sheet is pre-treated with permethrin to help repel flies. It’s good for 35 washings.

The sheet has an extra wide belly band with the three straps, which were a little complicated and time consuming, but it definitely keeps the gnats away.

The neck cover was long enough for Oh So, but was a little loose, but it’s detachable and has a mane liner to prevent rubs. The tail cover was extra long and had a little loop on the underside to pull his tail through.

The front V enclosure will be familiar to those with Rambo blankets, and there are leg arches to help with movement.

Unfortunately after wearing the sheet for about a week continuously, Oh So started getting rubs. I think it’s partly due to his narrow-chested conformation, but he doesn’t get such immediate rubs wearing his Rambo blankets so I was a little surprised. Combined with the material, which seems a bit heavier than the other sheets I’ve tried, and this is an “occasional” sheet for us, despite it being my favorite.

It’s also a bit pricey, but with all the technology put into it and the durability, I think it’s well worth it as an investment.

As much as I would love Oh So and Thomas to live in fly sheets all summer to prevent bleaching and getting bit by horse flies, I think the reality of living out 24/7 is that sometimes it’s just too hot and they’re inevitably going to get rubs! But if I had to recommend one sheet it would be the Rambo. It’s durable and covers all areas, which I think are the two priorities of a fly sheet.