Taking the lead from their hugely successful Bucas Buzz Off Zebra range, Bucas have developed a fabric with the synonymous Bucas Zebra stripe that prevents the tinier biting mites, culicoides midge population, from getting to the horse. Prevention is the key to the sweet itch problem so ensuring the horse is covered before the midge biting season prevails will help this miserable syndrome.
The first of its kind, this sweet itch/fly rug with zebra-like stripes prevents equines being bitten by the offending small biting flies and repels the bigger, aggressive horse flies by the confusing zebra stripe proven by scientists to keep them away.
This unique Sweet Itch Zebra Rug is made from a specially developed fabric that blocks entry from even the smallest of insects. Particular attention has been paid to the mane and tail areas ensuring that they are protected to prevent the itch – scratch cycle that is synonymous with Sweet Itch.
The design is a full body cover, with a neck that reaches to the ears covering the whole mane area. An elasticated, detachable belly flap covers from the elbow to the sheath, offering protection to the horse’s whole body. Shoulder darts enable freedom of movement and a generous tail flap covers this hugely problematic area, preventing the small biting flies reaching the tail. Leg straps keep it firmly in place during your horse’s time in the field, and an overlapping, padded and lined front ensures it stays comfortable no matter how long your horse needs to wear it.
Bucas Sweet Itch Zebra also offers UV protection for horses preventing sunburn and stopping the coat from getting bleached.
Why the Zebra Print?
Dress your horse up like a zebra this summer and keep him fly-free. Following trials in Hungary and Sweden, researchers have discovered that horse flies hate stripes, which is the reason behind Bucas’ latest fly rug design.
Pallets containing vegetable oil were painted different patterns of black and white stripes or all black or all white. These pallets were then placed in a fly-infested field and results showed that there were far more flies in the black painted pallets, fewer in the white but the fewest flies of all were found in the pallets painted with very thin black and white stripes.
Afterwards, researchers carried out a similar trial on model horses covered in glue. At the end of 59 days, the black horse had caught 562 flies, the brown one 334, the white one 22 and the zebra-patterned horse had just 8! It is thought that the flies find the stripes confusing and as a result, they tend to steer clear.
Based on this research, Bucas has developed a first-of-its-kind range of fly protection for your horse.