Putting on the Sweet Itch Rug
How to Put on a Sweet Itch Rug: Step-by-Step Guide
Sweet Itch Rugs protect horses in summer from mosquitoes, flies, and horseflies. This is especially important for animals suffering from Sweet Itch. To ensure our rug fits optimally and provides the desired protection, proper application is crucial. In this guide, we explain step by step how to correctly put on the Sweet Itch Rug Sweet Relief, what to consider for geldings and mares, and how to securely fasten the straps and closures.
The Sweet Itch Rug SWEET RELIEF is designed as a full-body blanket protecting the entire horse from nose to tail. To achieve this without creating pressure points, the rug is divided into four parts.
Mask, Neck Piece and Body are designed to be slipped on, minimizing gaps for insects and avoiding uncomfortable, potentially breakable fastenings.
Additionally, you can purchase, repair, or replace each part individually.
But don’t worry: The parts are specially designed to make putting the rug on and taking it off smooth and easy. The openings are cut generously, and the lightweight material slides quickly onto the horse. Because the rug is divided into four components, the horse always gets a small break before the next piece is put on.
Our Sweet Itch Rug does not use buckles—we use knots!
With our rug, buckles can’t break because we don’t use any. All closures work with secure Velcro fasteners or straps that are simply tied into knots. The knots stay secure but are easy to untie thanks to the smooth texture of the straps.
You don’t need to use super-secure knots for the entire rug. The flat straps generally stay closed well. Regular double knots are perfectly sufficient. Even if a knot happens to come undone overnight, nothing will happen because the rug has many other backup closures that remain securely fastened.
If you don’t need certain straps, you can cut them off and seal the edges with a lighter.
Part 1: Putting on the Body
The Body is designed based on the cut of our popular rain sheet and features a built-in elastic wedge to relieve pressure on the withers, a stretchable neck opening, and a generous tail flap. The tail flap extends far down, providing optimal protection for the legs and hindquarters.
The Body is secured with a belly flap, which is attached invisibly from the outside under the rug. It covers the skin between the chest and front legs and can be individually adjusted to fit the horse’s girth. By snugly tying the elastic straps, the belly flap stays securely in place, prevents slipping, and reliably protects against mosquitoes.
The Body is the main part of the rug and is put on first.
- Slide the Body over the horse’s head
Let your horse poke its nose through the wide neck opening. Gently pull the rug over the head and back. Align the rug so the seam runs along the top of the back, and adjust it into position. Make sure the rug isn’t pulled too far back, leave enough room for your horse to move its neck freely.
Part 2: The Bellyguard
The Belly Guard is tied snugly under the Body, ensuring reliable protection against slipping. Think of it as fitting as tightly as a saddle girth to keep it securely knotted.
This prevents the horse from stepping on it while rolling and ensures the belly is safely protected from mosquitoes. It also prevents the rug from shifting sideways.
Don’t worry about restricting your horse, the fabric, straps and seams of the Belly Guard are all elastic, allowing for comfortable movement.
- Attach the Belly Guard at the chest
First, secure the Belly Guard at the front of the chest using the Velcro closure. Make sure the Velcro is aligned smoothly, with no rough edges exposed to avoid irritation. - Guide the Belly Guard between the front legs
Carefully pull the Belly Guard between the front legs and toward the back. - Tie the Belly Guard with knots
Start by tying the Belly Guard on the left side, just behind the elbow, with a half loop (a loose loop that can be easily undone). - Adjust the Belly Guard according to gender
You’ve probably noticed the many different tabs on the Belly Guard attachment. These help you customize the mosquito protection on the underside of your horse. You can adjust the length and width of the Belly Guard depending on your horse’s gender, length, and build.
Geldings: Thread the Belly Guard through the loops only up to just behind the middle of the belly to prevent your gelding from urinating into it. How close you can position it to the sheath depends on your horse. Make sure to tie the final knot snugly against the belly to prevent the horse from soiling the guard.
Mares: Thread the Belly Guard through all the loops to the very back tabs to cover the entire belly.
We chose these elastic straps with knots because they offer even more flexibility than Velcro or buckles. With a bit of practice and the right knot, you’ll find that opening the straps is quicker than dealing with Velcro.
Our Knotting Tip:
Half loops have proven to be extremely stable and practical, they can be undone with a single pull. You don’t need to tie the knots with all your strength. Since the attachment is so far under the rug, we’ve never had issues with horses undoing the knots themselves.
Fastening the Tail Straps of the Body
The tail straps ensure that the rug does not slip sideways, flip up, or leave the tailhead exposed. Once the straps are tied, they don’t necessarily need to be undone every time you put the rug on or take it off. You can simply guide the tail through the straps by hand.
Of course, horses occasionally poop on the tail strap—unfortunately, this can’t be avoided. We recommend washing the rug once a week anyway.
- Wrap the tail band around the hindquarters
Guide the tail strap around the horse’s hindquarters and tie a knot underneath the tail. - Tie the second strap around the tail
For extra security, we’ve sewn a second strap to the sides of the tail flap. This strap can be wrapped around the tail and tied in another knot underneath the tail, keeping it neatly enclosed.
Part 3: Putting on the Fly Mask
Horses that need additional protection for the throat, poll, ears, and face can combine our set with a Fly Mask – It is designed to extend far under the neck piece, providing seamless protection for the base of the neck. The mask and neck piece are connected with Velcro.
The mask fits snugly against the horse’s head and is closed at the poll with Velcro.
- Pull the fly mask over the head
Gently pull the mask upward from the nose over the horse’s head. Once the eyes are positioned in the mesh openings, guide one ear at a time through the designated openings. - Pull the forelock forward
Pull the forelock forward through the corresponding opening to prevent it from getting pinched. - Close the Velcro at the poll
Fastening the Velcro at the poll ensures the mask sits securely.
In principle, you can also put on the fly mask last, as long as you tuck it under the neck piece at the poll. Otherwise, the closure options for the forelock and throat won’t work properly.
You can also try using a fly mask from another brand and simply pull the Velcro through the forelock opening. You can always use and close the forehead strap, and the straps at the jaw can also be tied together.
However, we cannot guarantee seamless protection for the throat and poll with a third-party mask, as conventional masks often end at the horse’s cheek and do not extend far enough under the neck piece to ensure complete protection. For a stable neck piece, we strongly recommend our Mask, as the parts fit together perfectly.
Part 4: Attaching the Neck Piece
The separate neck piece extends all the way to the ears and is cut generously to fully cover the horse’s neck, whether stretched out while grazing or raised. It also overlaps with the body of the rug to ensure no gaps are left for mosquitoes to enter.
- Pull the neck piece over the mask
Gather the neck piece like an accordion, compressing it so your horse’s head only needs to pass through a narrow section of fabric. Slide the neck piece over your horse’s head and align it with the seam centered. The long side should be on top, and the short side should rest at the chest. - Connect the neck piece and mask
Attach the mask to the neck piece using the Velcro loop system at the poll. Pull the strap with the soft side of the Velcro through the loop on the mask, tighten it like a pulley, and secure it at the top with the Velcro. - Tie the bands at the forehead and jaw
Tie the two upper straps at the forehead with a knot to prevent the neck piece from slipping downward. Once adjusted to your horse, this knot won’t need to be undone again. At the throat, pull the lower straps of the neck piece through the loop on the mask and tie them as well. This ensures no gaps are left for mosquitoes at the jaw. - Connect the neck piece and body
Attach the neck piece to the body using the Velcro loop system at the withers and chest.
Final Check
- Are all straps and fastenings securely closed?
- For geldings, is the Belly Guard only closed up to the middle?
- Is the Belly Guard fitted snugly enough?
Removing the Rug
To remove the rug, you primarily need to open the two Velcro loop straps on the Body. After that, you can usually pull the mask and neck piece off your horse in one go.
If your horse is particularly skittish about having fabric over its eyes, you can completely separate the parts and remove them individually.
To remove the Body and Belly Guard, first thread the tail back out of the straps. This way, they can remain tied for the next time you put the rug on. For the Belly Guard, quickly undo the loops on one side with a firm pull and open the Velcro closure at the chest. Then, you can slide the Body over your horse’s head.
If your horse is very skittish, we recommend also opening the second knotted side of the Belly Guard and removing it completely.
Sportsfreund Sweet Itch Rug SWEET RELIEF for Icelandic Horses
Do you need assistance or advice?
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Here you’ll find more information about our Sweet Itch Rug.
- Need personal advice? E-Mail us: ekzem@sportsfreund-studios.com
Putting on the Sportsfreund Sweet Itch Rug takes a bit of practice, but with this guide, it should become easy for you. Pay special attention to the correct tension of the straps, adjustments for geldings or mares, and the secure fastening of all parts. With the rug properly fitted, your horse will be optimally protected from insects—for a relaxed summer!
