# Fly Rugs in the rain



## maxapple (16 July 2009)

What do people do about fly rugs when its raining?

My pony lives out and wears a fly rug all the time for his sweet itch. I worry that when it chucks it down, he'll spend the night in a soggy rug and get cold??

But I also worry that if I take it off he'll itch himself to death as there are loads more flies after rain ...

What to do ,,


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## kateknights (16 July 2009)

My old horse had sweetitch, i had her for 3 years and kept her out in the summer, the fly rugs are pretty thin material so dry very quickly, i wouldn't worry my mare never got cold.
Kate x


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## floradora09 (16 July 2009)

I leave my pony out in his all the time (mainly because during the week I don't have time to keep taking it off and putting it back on again every time the sun comes out after a shower!), they dry very quickly and the only downside is that it gets quite dirty! =D


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## Honeypots (16 July 2009)

Welcome to my world!!!

I suppose it depends on your horse...My boy rarely feels the cold even in winter so as long as the temps aren't too low I'll leave it on.
I'd rather he was a little uncomfotable due to being wet than stressed and miserable due to sweet itch.


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## maxapple (16 July 2009)

Thanks - I'll leave it on then!

He's a hardy welsh x so I think he'll survive


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## kayb (16 July 2009)

Yea same here. My sweet itchy girl gets cold easily even though she is native. I just put a summer rain sheet on over the top. It has no lining so it just keeps her dry. I have a neck cover to with no fill so i tend to put that on as well as the rain tends to use leach in as the fly sheet soaks it up. Getting damp in the rain make her itch to so she feels better for it. I dont worry so much in the day when the sun will come out after  a shower as getting hot make her itch also!!


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## Fransurrey (16 July 2009)

I was also leaving the fly rug on. Over the last few days, though, I've been smearing vaseline on her rump and neck (rubbing between my hands first) and I've found that she hasn't needed the fly rug at all! Not sure if I've hit on a miracle cure, yet, but I tried it due to having the same quandry as you. I get itchy when I have wet clothes on and was wondering if she'd be the same, hence my experiment!


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## natzsaunders (16 July 2009)

I have a pony that suffers from sweet itch and i have recently brought her a fly rug that has a waterproof layer on the top part. I got it from shires. Ive found it really good because she doesnt get wet...also the neck is strong so she doesn't rub a hole in it.
Natz


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## ribena73 (16 July 2009)

I brought my boy in yesterday morning with his in after an almighty downpour and expected him to be soaking and freezing. But he was neither, just a bit of dampness in the rug around his shoulders where it is lined. So I feel a lot happier about leaving him in his now. Although he's just gone out in his raincoat as the weather tonight for us is horrendous right through till tomorrow evening so he wouldn't even get chance to dry out in that!


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## Donkeymad (16 July 2009)

Ours wears his rug come rain or shine, it really doesn't have any adverse effect.


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