To fly sheet or not to fly sheet? This is my constant dilemma during summer in Florida.
The bugs are out in full force during the rainy, humid season. But I’m constantly struggling to find a fly sheet that will last all summer long and isn’t too thick and heavy for my gelding who struggles to sweat.
I’ve had some luck with SmartPak’s line of fly sheets in the past. I find them to be true to size and generally speaking, light enough not to add too much more bulk on my horse in the stifling heat. But the new SmartMesh Ultimate Fly Sheet has got to be the lightest sheet I’ve ever used.
The thin mesh material drapes lightly over his entire body, covering him from his neck (with the attachment), offers a hefty belly band, and runs all the way to his rump. It fits so great I haven’t had to worry about rubs on his chest or shoulders.
The material seems durable enough to withstand a hard night of play with the geldings in his pasture. But I have peace of mind knowing SmartPak backs up this product with a three-year durability guarantee.
And you can’t beat a fly sheet that comes with 40 percent UV protection.
I was truly impressed by the generous amount of air flow that passes through the light fabric. My gelding hardly seems to notice he’s wearing a sheet at all. But he comes in from the pasture without a welt or itch spot on his coat, thank goodness.
I ordered the sheet in white with the hunter check and hunter trim, which I think looks quite sharp on my chestnut horse. The sheet also comes in white with navy.