Field Relief Fly Rug

Made with your horse’s comfort in mind, the Field Relief Fly Rug will keep your horse protected from the flies while remaining cool and able to move freely in the field. With a unique hexagonal pattern tested to reduce fly landings by 51% on average when compared to other fly rugs*.

Featuring:

●        Anti-rub lining.

●        Wither pressure relief panel.

●        Shoulder relief shaping

●        90% UVB protection.

●        Elasticated surcingles with belly flap.

●        Extra-large tail flap.

●        Contoured back shaping.

The inspiration behind the Field Relief Horse Fly Rug

We had a few requirements we wanted to address with the Field Relief Fly Rug. First and foremost was comfort. As a rug your horse wears for long periods of time and moves around in all day (and potentially all night), we wanted a rug that would fit from ears to tail for full protection, allow your horse to move and keep them cool. Features like our unique shoulder shaping, as well as our wither relief panel and anti-rub lining, offers space and allows your horse to move with ease.

Secondly, we tested several colours and patterns to see which one flies liked landing on the least! The monochrome hexagonal print had less than half the amount of fly landings when compared to other plain and coloured rugs*, and therefore influenced our design.

What is it made of?

The rug is made up of different panels to allow relief and ease of movement through the high movement areas, as well as those at risk of rubbing.

A quick dry, silky panel lines the top of the neck allows a snug fit for protection against flies while preventing against rubbing. The use of a separate Lycra panel also eliminates the need for a silky satin lining inside the fly rug mesh, offering a more breathable option with less material.

This neck panel then feeds down to the wither relief panel which is designed so there are no seems on the sensitive and prominent wither area.

Going down from this is our unique shoulder relief shaping, made with extra material to allow your horses shoulder to move without restriction.

The mesh of the rug is designed to be closed enough to restrict biting insects, but open enough to keep the horse cool when the temperatures are warmer. Finally, the material protects against the sun’s harmful rays, offering 77% UVA and 90% UVB protection.

Who is this UV protective fly rug for?

●        Horses with a UV sensitivity.

●        Horses sensitive to fly irritation​.

●        Horses who bleach in the sun.

●        Horses prone to sweet itch​.

●        Horses who get warm easily.

●        Sensitive horses prone to rubbing.

*Field Relief Fly Rug Testing Results

Our aim was to determine which fabric print or colour choice had the least amount of fly landings. While this testing was conducted by ourselves in the development stage of the fly rug product, our test method was based on a combination of the methods used by the professors from the University of Bristol and other previous studies that investigated fly landings on cattle.

We tested a total of 6 different fabrics of identical size and created baited ‘landing zones’ for flies. We recorded these zones for a total of 6 hours, before repeating this on 3 separate occasions and an average was taken from this. 

 The results showed that our monochrome hexagonal design had significantly fewer landings than most other compared prints and colours.

The perfect solution to cool the temperature of your horse. This advanced rug utilises water-activated conduction technology to draw heat away from your horses’ body, promoting optimal comfort and cooling during warm weather.

Ideal for:

• Cooling your horse down without the need to get them soaking wet (when used for up to 10 minutes).
• Providing cooling relief in the stable at rest for at least 2 hours*
• Providing instant cooling up to 5.9℃ in the stable* or after exercise**
• Warm competition days to gently cool your horse before, in between or after classes.
• Horses who get hot when/after travelling.
• Horses who don’t like the hose, or the feeling of running water.
• Yards or remote locations where running water may be limited.
• Training sessions, competitions, or arena hires where access to running water is limited.

*Based on horses in the stable in temperatures ranging between 28-30℃. ** Based on horses exercised for 20 minutes and cooled directly afterwards.

How the Quick Chill Rug works:

Designed with your horses’ wellbeing in mind, the Quick Chill rug provides a refreshing cooling effect without the need for traditional soaking.

Here’s a breakdown of how the Quick Chill rug works:

1. Specialised Material

The rug is made from a high tech, breathable open cell structure material, which is designed to effectively absorb and store water. This material has been chosen for its ability to retain water, but also to allow the water molecules to move through the fabric easily.

The rug should be fully submerged in a bucket of water, or thoroughly soaked. Once removed from the bucket, wring out the excess water and place onto the horse. The water stored within the fabric is essential for the cooling process, but due to it being held within the fabric, it will stop your horse from getting soaking wet when used for up to 10 minutes.

2. Heat transfer, evaporative cooling and breathability.

Your horse will be warmer than the rug, and so the thermal energy will move via conduction from the hottest place (the horse) to the cooler place (the rug) to equalise temperatures. The water from the rug also evaporates into the atmosphere to further aid cooling, similar to what happens when your horse sweats to naturally attempt to cool themselves down.

The cooling area of the rug is contoured and shaped so that it covers the large muscle groups across the back and hindquarters with direct contact, and the remainder of the rug is mesh to allow it to remain lightweight for use in the summer, but also to remain well-ventilated to facilitate breathability and evaporation to further aid the cooling process.  

3. Reusability

This process helps regulate the horses body temperature while providing a cooling sensation without soaking the horse. The rug can be reactivated as many times as it is needed by re-soaking it in water, making it an environmentally friendly solution to keep horses cool in warm conditions.