Fly mask help! I'm losing my mind!

[awelshandawarmblood]

One of my horses without fail, gets his fly mask off EVERY day!

Any ideas or any obscure ones I can dry that won't come off?

I have spent a small fortune the last two years & he has all kinds from the Rambo bee keeper, Weatherbeeta, Equilibrium, Woof, Premier Equine & Le mieux, through to the lycra ones. You name it! He even gets a fly fringe off!

It doesn't matter how tight they're on, whether they're looped through the top of his fly rug, plaited into his mane or even with a headcollar over, he gets them off! He snaps his breakaway headcollar & it dangles around his neck, I literally don't know what he's doing & he has nothing to rub on bar the ground & no field buddy at the moment!

I wouldn't mind so much if he didn't come in with swollen midgy eyes from having it off.

Help!!!

 

[ycbm]

Can you swap to a systemic pour on fly repellent? I find it particularly effective against flies around the eyes. It's not licensed for use in horses in the UK, though it is in other European countries and lots of us use it. The one I use is caked Spotinor, about £30 for 25 doses (once every 4 weeks) from online chemists, no prescription needed. Remember to spot test.
.

 

[paddy555]

only ONCE a day? a couple of mine are around about 4 times a day. Complete utter nightmare, I am fed up with flyey running eyes. I can put one on, horse goes out and rolls and it hasn't lasted 5 mins before I am back out to put it back.

I have tried all makes on their own, with a headcollar and without. Mine don't break the headcollar they just get that off as well. For me it is a father and son who do it in exactly the same way and always by rolling. The twisting and rolling of the top of the head/poll and behind the ears. They are total masters of the technique.

The lycra ones were next on my list so if you have tested them for me then thanks cos you've saved me the money. Equivizors are as bad as the rest.

Strangely enough they like their fly masks, when they get them off they wait for me to replace them, come up to me, lower their heads. They clearly appreciate them. So why not keep the bliddy things on.

ETA I want them on not only for flies for their part but for UV light for their eyes.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Ours isn't a regular mask-remover but has had most of his off at some stage (as wears them all day to avoid uveitis). He has never removed his Kensington Uviator though!

 

[Barton Bounty]

Yip, BB is a mask remover, really not sure how ?

 

[honetpot]

I bought what I would call a cheap one from Ruggles, its double the Velcro than most. Yes it can come off, but not as much, and its not torn alt all.
Mine like to play at removing the mask, like tag, I think it must be the only time they are not scared of the sound of velcro being ripped apart. So it could be not your horse but a field mate. They also chew head collars, nose bands, head pieces, and any bit of strap that may stick out. Looking at my lot, it's a boy thing.

 

[Auslander]

My lot remove masks with ears multiple times a day - I find the masks hanging by the tip of the ears in the hedges. The one without ears (and the ones I cut the ears off) seem to stay on much better

 

[Palindrome]

Yes, I was going to ask if you tried without ears.
I use the Horseware Mio because it doesn't have ears as my gelding finds it scratchy with ears.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

Oh oh, I have one of these...my local tack shop had a fly mask sale so I bought a few....the one that my serial fly mask remover has not been able to get off is an amigo one with ears but without a nose and is edged with fleece. The other one has not managed to remove his bridleway with ears and nose (it's white with turquoise).

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

It could be other horses removing it one of mine does it to the other horses especially the ones next door to us, they probably hate me as I find there masks in my field almost every day whoops ?

 

[LouisCat]

Not sure what style you've got but mine removes anything with that has a nose. He's not quite as bad if it just has ears but currently the one he wears has no nose or ears and it has a much better success rate!

 

[saddlesore]

Can you pop a field safe headcollar on over it?

 

[Fieldlife]

Can you swap to a systemic pour on fly repellent? I find it particularly effective against flies around the eyes. It's not licensed for use in horses in the UK, though it is in other European countries and lots of us use it. The one I use is caked Spotinor, about £30 for 25 doses (once every 4 weeks) from online chemists, no prescription needed. Remember to spot test.
.

I must be unlucky as I’m on my 4th application of this, and have yet to notice any benefit from it.

 

[Armchair Eventer]

I figured out that my mare (only had her 8 weeks) hates things on her ears. I got her an earless Bucas one which also has a magnetic strip fastening where a noseband would go and it's brilliant.

 

[ponynutz]

Yep - mine gets hers off all the time. I got her a fringe instead and she hasn't had that off yet. I don't think she likes the feel of the mask when she's eating so the fringe doesn't give her that problem.