Fly Rugs to keep the heat off?

[Kirstie Reynolds]

I have a Cleveland Bay x Warmblood mare. She is obviously Bay in colour and I am getting in a fluster with regard to the up and coming hot weather. I keep her at a livery yard and she is in a field with no shelter with two other horses. The owners of the yard all put fly rugs on their horses. Only one horse suffers with the flies, they have said that the fly rugs are great at keeping the heat off the horses.
I have never used one before. My previous mare was a dark bay thoroughbred and she didn't suffer with the flies. I just used to keep her in just an old fashioned fly fringe. She did however go down with colic on a really hot day and that is my biggest concern (she was fine after a trip to Newmarket). My current mare is 21yrs young and I can't bare the idea of her going down in the heat. I have been to some equine shops and asked advice about keeping her in a fly rug and get mixed answers.
Surely any rug at all will make her hotter? Or when it is really hot is it better to have something that will reflect the UV???
I just want to do the best thing for her!
There is no stabling and I don't think she would come in if all the other horses are out. I could move her to a different field but she would be with an aggressive mare and a gelding that has bullied her previously. The gelding from that field (a thoroughbred) has already gone down with colic this year.
Any advice with regard to fly rugs would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks,
K

 

[Jessey]

I find on the normal hot days fly rugs being white/light do keep them a bit cooler, if its exceptionally hot I either remove it so the breeze can get to their body better or hose the flys rug whilst on them a couple of times a day, a wet rug does help cool them fast and for longer. We had a couple of elderly dark bays/blacks on previous yard who would get heat stroke and the rugs really helped prevent it, you need the more mesh ones than the thicker cotton like sweet itch ones tho

 

[Trewsers]

It is an interesting one. Mine get their fly rugs on when it's horse fly weather (usually around Wimbledon week here) and though they do a great job, they do still get quite sweaty under them. I am lucky in that I can generally keep an eye on them all day and fetch them in for some shade. If I was to go out for the day I'd probably fly rug them tho as I think at least it saves them from the majority of nasty bites. I have no shelter in their paddocks either, so understand about not wanting them to get too hot. Chloe our older one can bring herself in, but Storm can't as she's in the fatty club paddock next door to her friend and I have to shut the gate.

 

[Trewsers]

@Jessey that's a super idea hosing them with their rugs on! I might try that.