Riding a horse wearing a fly mask...

Queenbee

Queenbee

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Would you or wouldn't you? I'm considering popping a fly mask on him for hacking as the flies are awful at the moment, and am flitting between thinking its a good idea and thinking its a bad idea and will compromise his visibility. I realise they wear them in the field but that's different.

Do any of you ride a horse in a fly mask? How much does it compromise a horses visibility?

Any thoughts on this as I simply can't make my mind up whether or not its a good idea?
 
Yeah i have ridden in a fly mask and never had any problems tried it on my 5 year old but it doesnt make any difference to him he still has a break down if a fly so much as goes near his face!
 
I had a Section D on loan over last summer and he got antsy as soon as he heard a fly near his head so I rode him out in his turnout fly mask. He was fine with it, I think if you're hacking somewhere dark such as in forestry etc then visibility might be an issue, but he managed fine with it, and we managed a few jumps with it on so I think you should be fine :) Worst comes to worst hop off and take it off! :)
 
I always ride in a fly fringe in this weather, its not quite as "dark" as a mask, yet my mare seems much happier with it on as she can flick flies away.. It just velcros onto her bridle.
 
Mine hacks and schools in the equilibrium riding mask. Only thing that stops her headshaking in bright sunlight, and she is perfectly at ease in it. I don't jump with it on just in case, but for anything else it seems fine. 3rd year using it with no issues.
 
Triskar said:
Yes I do. I don't think it compromises their visibility, and it makes it a lot more pleasant for them!
Click to expand...

I think it does a little bit. When my gelding has had his on overnight, and I bring him in in the morning from sunlight to his stable, he can't find his food bucket for a few moments (black rubber bucket on black rubber mats), as if it takes him a few seconds longer to adjust. A lot of our rides are steep hilly tracks, with tree coverage and open spaces, and I wouldn't ride in his mask on such ground as he needs to be able to see properly. On smoother roads I may chance it.
 
I have been riding in one for the last couple weeks and it has improved everything. When the flies came out, our dressage went pear shaped as my horse decided she could not possibly maintain an outline or impulsion if a fly buzzed anywhere near her face. It has all gone back to normal since riding in a fly mask.

This is what I've been using:
IMAG0419_zpsf8783d97.jpg


(the other bits of that get-up is for hacking out. I school her in the fly mask only!)
 
Yes I would use one, my late mare had a guardian mask on for hacking and jumping I had too.

I would also use one now with her son, just an ordinary ride on one or if I had none a field one.
 
I think though, that we all have an adjustment and a sense of blindness when we go from light to dark, mask or no mask.

I will try riding in our fly mask from tomorrow onwards and get a riding veil next week :)
 
I don't see why not really, I've got a proper face net for riding as had a horse that shook his head a lot and it did help, they're not very expensive but are basically a rectangle of mesh with velcro on two corners and strings on the bottom. My girl has a massive forelock though so I just put lots of fly repellent in it and we're good to go!
 
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