Do you leave fly masks on at night?

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katherine1975

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I have a mare who has always had a short forelock (never been trimmed/pulled by me) and she is prone to flies going in her eyes -lives out 24/7 in the summer. I can tell she is annoyed with them as she nods her head in the field and eyes have been watery. Got her a fly mask which she really seems to like - no objections to wearing it. Tonight I took it off at 7pm and flies were immediately back in her eyes and she was following me around and seemed like she wanted mask back on. Is it OK to leave them on overnight?
 
I leave my welshes on overnight as she wont be caught in the morning for it to go back on. Hasnt dont her any harm whatsoever yet, although I'm sure there are probably loads of reasons not to ;)
 
Mine lives out 24/7 in a fly mask and rug. I take it off and re-adjust every day but she's fine. She often has an ear hanging out and I know she could break free if needed so yes I leave it on
 
My girl's mask stays on 24/7 at this time of year; only comes off when I ride. I don't think it causes her any problems having it on at night.
 
At his time of year I tend to leave fly masks on overnight cause I am damned if I am getting up at 5 am to go and put them on.
 
katherine1975 said:
I have a mare who has always had a short forelock (never been trimmed/pulled by me) and she is prone to flies going in her eyes -lives out 24/7 in the summer.
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Sounds just like my boy!! We call it his fringe! It never really gets long enough to be a forelock :P

Anyway on with the actual subject. We have an old pony and we dont like to leave it on him at night however one of our fields has hedges the whole way round and gets quite full of flies so we will leave them on if they are in there.
 
Yup - 24/7. Star's mask keeps the wind off her eyes as well as the flies. She tends to get conrneal ulcers easily, so needs the protection.
Personally, I've found that Cashel are the best for fit and visibility. And there's a hole for the forelock as well :D
 
My two wear their crusaders which are the ones with ears and nose cover just about 24 x 7 from May to September for both fly and UV protection as they have big pink noses. Rarely find them off, no rubs and have had no problems. Have done this on previous large hairies as well, again with no problem.

They are removed twice a day to make sure nothing is going on underneath as a precaution.
 
If I found a fly mask that Lacey would actually keep her eyes open in (any chance for a snooze!) she would be wearing it at night.
There were loads of flies on her face when she came in at 8am this morning.
 
I am lucky in that I live 2 mins from the yard so I do take her mask off about 9pm and put in on before work at 630am. I wouldn't have a problem leaving it on though, except that it has started rubbing her ears. Anyone else found mask that doesn't rub?
 
Mine wears his during the day but not at night and my dad asked me why just last night... I actually dont really have a reason. I suppose I like to give him a break from it and the flies are gone during the night. Plus if it's dark AND they have a mask on , does it impair their vision? i have no basis for any of these things so I suppose it's just my own human emotions coming into play.
 
LMuirEDT said:
Mine wears his during the day but not at night and my dad asked me why just last night... I actually dont really have a reason. I suppose I like to give him a break from it and the flies are gone during the night. Plus if it's dark AND they have a mask on , does it impair their vision? i have no basis for any of these things so I suppose it's just my own human emotions coming into play.
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My thoughts exactly! My pony isnt wearing hers now because I am only able to get down in the afternoon so instead I cover her in Coopers. Leaving her fly mask and rug on would be the cheaper option but I dont think I would sleep at night with worry.
 
Oh goodness - there are much worse things to worry about! Mine have them on 24/7 throughout the summer months. Have never really thought of taking them off TBH...
 
I bought my fly rug last year and have only used it once. Do they keep horses cool in this heat? If so then I think I will take the risk and leave both her rug and mask on. Although I only go down once a day, She is checked atleast twice during the day.
 
I leave mine on 24/7, although I have to rotate the masks as any one left on for too long will rub my sensitive filly. Only time I make an efford to consciously remove it is when persistent and/or heavy rain is forecast. When the rain lands on the mesh of the mask it blinds my filly and she can't see. It really disorientates her.

In the past I'v tried taking her mask off at night but mine is REALLY sensitive to fly bother and I found that no matter how late I removed it nor how early I put it back on again in the morning, the damage is done and her eyes are runny already. My main problem is stopping her from being rubbed too much from the constant wear. It's a real pain the bum.

I bought my fly rug last year and have only used it once. Do they keep horses cool in this heat?
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I think the light or reflective sheets definitely help a darker horse to keep cooler. As in they help to reflect a bit of the heat.

I turn mine out in this http://www.derbyhouse.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=4511&cat=2&scats=48,87 when it's dry. It's fabulous for keeping her cool and the flies off her. She's never sweated under it, no matter how hot.
 
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I leave paddys on 24/7 and it doesnt rub him or irritate him at all.
Occasionaly i have to walk around the field to retrive it if he has taken it off!! but i dont worry about leaving it on at all. It would soon come off if it got caught on anything and tbh the flies are so bad untill late and they are out again so early it would be unfair to leave it off during dawn and dusk.
 
Leave them on day and night come off when i groom etc and check them over but thats it one is boett hood so attaches to rug others normal fly masks, youngster has a habit of taking it off and then sulks about the flys.
 
Thank you for all your replies, I will leave the fly mask on all the time and check it twice a day, she seems very happy with it. Bought an equilibrium one which seems quite good - anyone else use these?
 
katherine1975 said:
Thank you for all your replies, I will leave the fly mask on all the time and check it twice a day, she seems very happy with it. Bought an equilibrium one which seems quite good - anyone else use these?
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i looked at the Equilibrium today but at £32 I couldn't justify the expense. i bought a similiar full face version for £8.95 from Bridleway
 
I wouldn't. I don't even use them during the day - have you tried looking through the mesh yourself? I can barely see anything! No wonder my horses act like their blind, hence why I use the traditional fly fringe type.
 
The one and only time I left Lucy's fly mask on was the other night, I was going out for a meal at 6.30pm and it was still hot. I took it off at about 11.30pm and she appeared to have collided with the fence or something- her neck was scraped, her forehead and muzzle too and she had a bruised puffy eyelid :-( I guess she couldn't see and ran/got bullied into the fence?
 
My boy has his on 24/7 with no problems, unless its raining. When i ride i swop it over for a full face and muzzle one, my boy hates the flies and head shakes.
 
My girl has one on 24/7 but everyday at some point I have to go and search for it, she hangs them on posts, trees I have even found them on the wrong side of the fence where she must of tossed it over.
The flies bother her more on her neck and she will rub herself sore there so has a full fly sheet on, my vet told me to mask her eyes as she has a large pink third eyelid which he said would be sensitive to the sun.
 
I dont know how true it is but i have heard that leaving fly masks on at night can impair their vision. Dont have any evidence for this but mine doesnt have his on at night.
 
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