Fly sheets tend to come in two varieties-"soft" and "hard." The soft sheets are usually made of cotton or a polyester fabric weaved to form a soft mesh. They are lightweight and airy, tending to fit closer to the body. We find the softer fabrics are kinder to a horse's coat and skin, but they also can get snagged and tear more easily.
The hard sheets are made of stiff PVC-coated fabric, such as Textilene. It's reminiscent of lawn furniture covers, but a bit more flexible.
This fabric is tougher and more long-wearing than the soft weaves. Some of the Textilene-type sheets fit closer to the body, like a softer material, while others seem to sit farther away from the horse, creating a stiff-shaped barrier.
There is almost every configuration imaginable of fly sheet-detachable leg straps, non-detachable leg straps, single surcingles, double surcingles, belly bands, and every type of front closure you can imagine. Many sheets have attached or detachable neck covers, with Velcro closures, plastic snap-in buckles, or other buckle closures.
Fit is a huge issue with fly sheets, as with any blanket. Proper fit is your best defense against rubs. In our trial, we found every blanket eventually rubbed, despite our efforts to match test horses to blanket size and design. That's why we especially liked the Adjusta-Fit closure on the Schneiders sheets, as they made for easy fitting on a wide variety of horse body types.
