fly masks and vision

[NeverSayNever]

do you think wearing these pretty much 24/7, as my horse does from now til sep -is likely to have a bad effect on their eyes/vision? it cant be good for them

 

[Eaglestone]

I thought the manafacturers say do not leave them on 24/7 and I have never done this, but not sure why ..... possibly due to not being found, if it slips overnight is left for hours?

 

[0ldmare]

I always wonder about this. If you try looking through them its horrible, although I appreciate you/the horse would get used to it in time.

Because I really don't like them I have always sprayed the horses liberally with Power Phaser and wiped it round their eyes and face every morning and again in the evening. Seems to work well but I guess I'm lucky that they are just outside the back door! They both come down to the gate and wait for their spraying (and peppermint) at the appointed hour

I also, if the flies are terrible, put on an old fashioned fly fringe which seem to work very well

 

[splashgirl45]

i was under the impression that they were not to be used at night as it compromised their vision... why not check with the maker of your fly mask to make sure. would be worried that he galloped around at night and ran into something....

 

[Louby]

I dont know how my horse would cope without one as he spends the whole day at the gate if he hasnt got it on when the flys are bad.
I do think some are better than others though for vision and Im the saddo whos in the horse shop trying them myself to see which is the easiest to see through . Although expensive, the best I found was the Equilibrum Field Relief Midi, no daft bits on the face covered in material and all mesh. Mine lasted 3 years until he somehow ate the ears out of it by pulling through the window grill in his stable Not sure Id feel happy leaving one on all night though.

 

[ISHmad]

Ours wear theirs during the day only, take them off late evening. I'm another one who has found the Equilibrium ones to be the best.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

OK. All I will say on FLY MASKS is that 2 weeks ago. I put the rambo one on my horse for the first time and was leading him up to his field and he took off and galloped into a gate. This is the remains of the gate

My horse, thankfully is basically OK, but has cuts and severe bruising. The vet agreed with me that the fly mask must have altered his perception of the gate and he didn't see it in time.

 

[littlemisslauren]

We have several horses at work who wear them all the time when they are out (including overnight) and there have been no accidents (touch wood). There is one daft old mare that will spook at anything when she has hers on!

 

[Louby]

My horse was a nutter when I tried the shires one. Hes fine with the Equilibrum. I looked through it myself and with the sun, there were funny shadows. Luckily I took it off before letting him loose in the field and he immediately returned to normal.

 

[Theresa_F]

Mine wear them 24 x 7 all summer. Cairo had to wear one at all times when out to protect his eye from UV.

None of them have any problems, but they are all sensible types. They can see fine with them - can spot a polo on the ground from 10' away.

I use the Cashel ones and I can see fine through them.