Do you use your Fly Bonnets/Veils for looks or protection?

porkpie

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As title suggests - I'm just curious as to whether anyone else has bought one of these for their horse purely because you think they look good on - just like me! I bought my new grey boy last November so I don't know if he has a big problem with flies yet, but I confess I purchased him an Eskadron Fly Veil in a sale because I thought it would great on him, and indeed it does!

I see they are becoming more and more popular, but I can't be on the only one guilty of this!! I'm just curious!
 

NellRosk

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I would get one for protection for my mare if I could find one big enough :( She has sweet itch and suffers so much in summer hacking (also suffers from giant head syndrome)! I think at lower level sj I'd feel a bit pretentious in a fly veil but I know a lot of people that use them :eek:
 

Liane

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Do people use them to stop the fly's going into the ears or the eyes, I am not sure how it protects the eyes?
 

dianchi

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I always had for showjumping to block the sounds a bit more and get her to concentrate, in summer does also help with flies!
 

treacle_beastie

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I use mine as i found it helped reduce headshaking but as a side effect I also found it reduces spooking. I bought a bright purple one for hacking which helped drivers spot me and they slowdown plus lots of walkers comment on how pretty it is..so mines a multifunctional one really. I shpyld try riding without it to see what effect it has but I will probably end up on thefloor so its a bit of a comfort blanket now!
 

wiglet

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I use one all year round - in summer to prevent flies around their ears and in winter to muffle all the scary sounds my spooky horse hears while out hacking :D I also use one because they're sooooo pretty :)
 

Crazy_cat_lady

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don't use and have no intention of using, i don't like the look of them!

This, sorry! I do have one that someone gave me ages ago as a birthday present, have kept it incase it's ever needed.

Love seeing his brown ears with black outline looking all attentive.

Now that he would let me put one of anyway as he is headshy and nearly went through the roof when I so much as try to put a fly mask on him! He hates his ears being touched have to wait til he is sedated for clipping to trim them

Fly mask lay in my wardrobe for a while before being donated to rescue centre! H then looks put out by all the flies!
 

Greylegs

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I have a couple for my highland as he's very sensitive to flies in his ears, but he has a huge forelock so I have to get ones made out of fabric, rather than the crochet type, and make an opening in the front to pull his hair through. They just don't fit otherwise. The last one I bought, I used to make a sewing pattern and now make them myself to fit. His hair helps keep them in place, and he does look sort of cute in them too ...!
 

mynutmeg

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I use one whenever I'm riding in the summer for protection as my girl had really big ears, very little hair in them and gets very badly bitten down inside her ears - to the point she doesn't leave her stable without her ears covered with something
 

starryeyed

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I used to use one occasionally with my old horse as a way of drowning out any noise, and it really helped him. Would like to pop one on my mare in summer as the flies drive her mad but she won't let me near her with one!
 

Fransurrey

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I must confess I'm thinking of buying one for my sweet itch exmoor, for under her bridle on ride and leads or if I ride her again. She does suffer with her ears in the summer with flies.
 

pairciban

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My horse wears them most of the year for fly's, we do get a couple of months off. He knows if there is a fly three fields away and it's game over if we don't have them on! I do match them to his saddlecloths when possible as we like to look smart :) He must be quite a sweet horse as he gets eaten by every bug/fly going.
 

0310Star

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I bought a couple last summer as my mare was suffering with the flies whilst riding and it really helped, I do admit to getting ones which match my saddle cloths though as I think they do look rather smart :)
 

charlie76

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My horse is ultra sensitive to anything touching or suggesting it might touch his ears! He wears one when the flies are bad and when it is raining. It does help him .
He also wears one to travel with cotton wool in his ears as the noise of the lorry upsets him so much he bucks. With this on he travels like a saint.
 
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