FLY PROTECTION.
NO flies ON US
WITH MYRIAD FLY RUGS AND MASKS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET, STEPHANIE BATEMAN DISCOVERS THE LATEST TRENDS IN DESIGNS AND MATERIALS TO ENSURE THEY NOT ONLY FIT WELL BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY REDUCE FLY IRRITATION.
W
arm sunny days bring about an abundance of annoying ying insects and they love nothing more than to irritate our horses. We’ve all witnessed the joy (or sheer frustration) of turning our horses out in full y-defending regalia, only to fi nd them either totally naked from shimmying out of the gear, or with rubs galore once the items are removed. So, what are the best materials, colours and designs to go for and how can we ensure they stay in place and don’t rub? “Studies have shown that insects are attracted to low re ectance wavelengths, in other words the brightness of an object created by light being re ected, absorbed or emitted. This means that -re ecting surfaces such as glossy or bright colours repel ies better than dark, matte fabrics,” e plains Sally hodes of remier E uine. “ hile traditional mesh y protection is still highly effective in keeping your horse cool and comfortable in summer months, we have seen an increase in more technical, tighter woven fabrics to the market of late.”
This type of fabric features in products such as the Super ite ly ug, designed to offer a more lightweight and breathable alternative to the traditional mesh rug. “The re ective properties of the lightweight nylon construction also provides protection, which means the fabric will re ect the sun’s energy and keep the horse’s coat cool,” adds Sally. “Its 1 nylon construction also gives this rug superior strength and durability, engineered to last for many seasons. air this with the uster ly Mask tra to give you total head to tail protection.” ABOVE: FLIES CAN CAUSE MISERY TO HORSES IN SUMMER, WITH FINE SKINNED AREAS SUCH AS THE FACE PRONE TO PARTICULAR IRRITATION. RIGHT: MODERN FLY RUGS OFFER A MORE LIGHTWEIGHT AND BREATHABLE ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL MESH MATERIALS.
BRITISH DRESSAGE // Issue 4 2021 // 21
