Question for people who use fly masks - are they safe?

[MinskiKaii]

I have one that wears one and one that doesn't. The one that doesn't trained one of the geldings in the next field to grab it between the ears and lift it off!!!

The other one has worn one for a few years now. She is a 29 year old Appy with vertually no mane and tail. Her eyes get that swollen with the flies, she has got to the stage where she couldn't open them, que visit from the vet. So for her it is an essential bit of kit as far as I'm concerned.

 

[abbieandfiona]

One has a boett hood which is attached to rug and no way anything can get under it and the other has a normal shires fly mask with no problems its a cob size and fits really well hwever if she wants to get it off she can.

 

[potty_4_piebalds]

My old boy used to wear a mask all the time in summer that covered he's ears and went right down past he's nosstrels as he had a pollen allergy so he would be in during the day and out at night with he's hat on, he never had a problem getting it off at our old yard there was a shettie x in the field next door mo would put he's head over the fence and shettie x would bite the strap and undo it mo would shake he's head and it would be off!

then at the yard im at now he didn't have a partner in crime to help get it off so it stayed on and we never had a problem with flies getting trapped inside. Im with you on leaving head collars on in the field.

 

[Hullabaloo]

You are quite right - I have never used a fly mask before. To me they seem totally unecessary and a new fad with the ability to cause more distress than good!

My horse hates flies so spends most of the summer in a fly mask and I've never had a problem with it.
If you want to see distress, try bringing him into his stable during the day! He's far more at risk of injury trying to climb out than he is from wearing a fly mask.
He spends enough time stuck in a stable in winter - I'd much rather see him out being a horse with his mates in summer, even if it does mean he needs to wear a fly mask (and a fly rug too, dare I say ).