Flies Out. Breeze Through. Real Summer Relief.
The Schneiders® Ripstop Nylon Mesh II delivers the best airflow of any fly sheet in our lineup — 300D reflective ripstop nylon, attached neck Euro fit from ears to poll, bellyband closure underneath, and SilverTek® antibacterial lining where it counts most. Your horse stays cool. The flies stay out. Ships free.
Summer Heat Is Your Horse's Hidden Enemy
You want a fly sheet to give your horse some relief, but summer protection is a balancing act. Cover too little and gnats or flies can reach the neckline, underline, shoulders, and dock. Choose a sheet that feels too close or heavy for the weather, and you may worry that your horse is giving up airflow for coverage. A shifting neck, exposed belly, or short tail flap can leave you checking and readjusting instead of trusting the sheet to do its job.
That uncertainty follows you through every turnout. You check beneath the fabric for dampness, inspect the shoulders for friction, straighten straps, and look for places where insects may be getting underneath. If your horse rubs his mane or tail, you start wondering whether the fit moved, the coverage stopped short, or the material simply was not suited to the day. Fly season becomes a string of small decisions that demand your attention every morning and evening.
Your horse needs protection that accounts for heat, movement, and the places insects actually reach. The challenge is not finding any fly sheet. It is finding one that combines breathable construction with dependable neck, belly, and tail coverage without turning daily turnout into another round of adjustments.
A Sheet That Can't Breathe Does More Harm Than Good
Construction makes the difference. A standard neckline may stop at the withers, while a separate neck cover can shift or open a gap as your horse lowers his head. Basic crossed surcingles secure a sheet around the barrel but do not cover the sensitive underside. Seams, folds, and excess material can create additional places for fabric to catch or sit unevenly. If the manufacturer does not publish a UV rating, mesh specification, or coverage details, you are left making decisions from a product photo rather than useful facts.
Then the cycle starts. You add a neck cover, try a different closure, tighten a strap, or replace a sheet that never stayed where you expected. Your horse still stamps at flies beneath his belly or rubs along the fence line after turnout. You bring him in early on the hottest days because you are unsure how the fabric feels underneath. Instead of simplifying summer care, the sheet adds more equipment to manage and more areas to inspect.
The hardest part is that every compromise shows up on your horse. Too little coverage leaves openings. Poorly placed material can interfere with a comfortable fit. Unlisted specifications make honest comparisons difficult. After trying one option after another, you can still end up at the same paddock gate, wondering whether today’s sheet protects enough, breathes enough, and will remain properly positioned until your horse comes in.
- ✗Dense mesh traps heat, leaving your horse sweaty and stressed in summer turnout
- ✗Gaps at the neck and belly invite gnats and small insects where coverage matters most
- ✗Sweet itch and insect-related skin irritation flare without proper full-body protection
- ✗Some fly sheets restrict as much airflow as a stable sheet on a hot afternoon
Best Airflow. Full Coverage. Built for Summer.
Coverage is integrated into the design rather than treated as an afterthought. The nondetachable Attached Neck Euro configuration extends protection from the ears toward the body and connects through a stretchy Lycra section, allowing your horse to lower his head to graze without pulling the sheet forward. Underneath, a snug bellyband helps cover the sensitive underline. An extra-large tail cover extends protection at the rear, and reinforced gussets are positioned higher and farther forward to support freedom of movement.
The contact areas receive their own treatment. Breathable 70D SilverTek® nylon (described by the manufacturer as antibacterial) lines the chest, shoulders, attached neck, and tail-flap areas specified on the product page. Reflective stripes on the flanks and tail improve visibility during low-light turnout checks. The fabric carries a published 40% UV-protection rating and is designed for small- to medium-sized insects such as gnats and flies. Detachable elastic leg straps are included and adjust from 20 to 38 inches, giving you another way to keep the sheet properly positioned as your horse moves.
For your horse, those details add up to broad coverage with a material selected for hot-weather breathability. For you, they mean fewer separate pieces to coordinate and clear, published specifications to guide the purchase. You know where the sheet covers, how the neck connects, which areas are lined, and what UV rating the fabric provides before it reaches your barn. It is a comfort-first answer for summer turnout, backed by equine expertise from a company trusted since 1948.
Best Airflow of Any Schneiders Fly Sheet
300D reflective ripstop nylon moves air freely so your horse stays cool — no trapped heat, no sweat buildup under the sheet.
Full Coverage from Ears to Tail
Attached Neck Euro fit and bellyband closure leave no gap for insects. One integrated sheet covers what your horse needs protected.
SilverTek® Antibacterial Protection
Antibacterial nylon lining on the chest, shoulders, and tail flap helps keep sensitive skin clean through extended turnout.
Low-Light Safety Built In
Reflective stripes help you spot your horse at dusk, dawn, and during early-morning or evening turnout checks.
Is the Ripstop Mesh II the Right Fly Sheet for Your Horse?
What Riders Are Saying
"Sheet has been on pastured horse for about four weeks and held up well in weather. He doesn't seem to be too hot with the light lavender color. Fits well and covers a great deal of body so his sweet itch is much better this year."
"Love this fly sheet for my pony. Fit is good and I especially like how the neck attaches to the sheet with stretchy fabric. Not too hot and does a nice job of keeping the flies from bothering him too much. I actually have two on these as I liked the first one so much I bought a second for pony #2."
"I have tried many, many different brands and types of flysheets and this one is honestly better than most. Made of pretty sturdy material yet breathable. Easy to put on and take off and covers the body well."
How Three Full-Coverage Fly Sheets Compare
These fly sheets take different approaches to warm-weather coverage. The table uses only specifications published on each manufacturer’s product page; where a feature is not published, it is marked “Not listed.”
| Feature | Schneiders Schneiders® Ripstop Nylon Mesh II Attached Neck Euro Bellyband Fly Sheet | WeatherBeeta ComFiTec Zephyr Plus Mesh Combo Neck | Kensington Signature Protective Sheet SureFit® |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main fabric | 300D textured, shiny, reflective nylon mesh with a ripstop weave | 220 gsm polyester soft open-weave mesh | 1000 x 2000 denier Textilene® mesh |
| Published UV protection | 40% UV protection | Over 75% UV block | 73% UV protection |
| Neck coverage included | Nondetachable Attached Neck Euro design with a stretchy Lycra connection | Combo-neck design with an elastic insert at the wither | Neck cover not included; manufacturer recommends pairing the sheet with a matching neck cover |
| Belly coverage | Integrated bellyband closure with elastic inserts | Ultra belly wrap | Removable crisscross surcingles; a full belly band is a separate add-on |
| Side and shoulder construction | No side seams; reinforced gussets extend higher and farther forward | Traditional side gussets with lined shoulders | No gussets; contoured SureFit® cut |
| Tail coverage | Extra-large tail cover with SilverTek® nylon lining | Two-piece full-wrap tail flap | Removable tail flap |
| Leg straps | Detachable elastic leg straps adjustable from 20 to 38 inches | Elasticized, adjustable, removable leg straps | Detachable, adjustable rear leg straps |
| Antibacterial lining | SilverTek® nylon (described by the manufacturer as antibacterial) on the attached neck, chest, shoulders, and tail-flap areas | Not listed on the source page | Not listed on the source page |
| Reflective visibility details | Reflective stripes on the flanks and tail | Not listed on the source page | Not listed on the source page |
Full Coverage. Real Airflow. All Summer Long.
When heat and flies both show up, your horse needs a sheet that picks a side — this one picks airflow.
The Schneiders® Ripstop Nylon Mesh II gives you the best airflow of any fly sheet we offer, with full coverage from the attached neck Euro fit to the bellyband closure, SilverTek® antibacterial protection, and reflective safety stripes. At $149.99 — $50 off list — it ships free on orders over $99.
Ready to Give Your Horse Real Relief This Summer?
The Schneiders® Ripstop Nylon Mesh II Fly Sheet is $149.99 — $50 off the list price of $199.99. Free shipping applies automatically on orders over $99. Backed by our Perfect Fit Guarantee: if the size or fit isn't right for your horse, we'll make it right. Available in 20 sizes across horse, pony, and draft fits.