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
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