Fly Mask Choices

Fly Mask Choices
The field is smaller but more competitive for
top pick and Best Buy.
W
hen it comes to fly masks,
consider first what your
priority is and what environment your horse will be in:
• Will he be turned out in a herd?
• Will he wear it in his stall or
standing in a stall?
• Will he wear it when being ridden?
• Does he need protection for an
eye condition or injury?
• Is he thin skinned and/or prone
to skin irritation?
• Does he need protection of the
lower nose due to sunburn or
insect irritation?
Answers to these important questions can eliminate some masks
from your consideration.
What’s New?
The continued refinement of fly
masks offers consumers more for
their money. We’re seeing:
• Shaped construction;
• Increased durability;
• Double eye darts;
• The use of more than one material in a mask.
We remember when Cashel Company first released their Crusader
fly mask, almost two decades ago,
and revolutionized what we saw
on the market with their shaped,
multi-fabric and multi-length
choices. Since that time, the Crusader has been a perennial favorite
in our test barns.
But Shires and Centaur are challenging their reign with additional
interior padding on all the seams
and zip off nose extension pieces.
We found these masks are luxuriant, and we appreciated their fineweave mesh to make things more
difficult for mosquitoes. Both companies have sizing charts and sizes
ranging from mini to extra large.
However if you prefer a less-tailored mask – and some of us do
– you’ll be interested in the choices
from Bucas, Weatherbeeta and
Absorbine. These are good choices
Weatherbeeta offers a mask with insect
repellent in the material.
for horses that may resent the more
fitted masks.
Of course, the Absorbine UltraShield was one of the first “shapeless” masks. In the initial years,
they tended to snag more easily
than other masks, but that problem
has long been fixed with a superior,
stronger weave. It is a strong choice.
Both the Bucas and Weatherbeeta
masks are also well made. Our
horses seemed to keep them on,
even in turnout groups. We found
that less fleece and padding meant
the masks were less messy, mucky
and wet.
Another trend is toward extremely
plush heavily padded masks. If
your horse has sensitive skin and
needs the protection consider
Intrepid’s Charlie Bug-Off fly mask,
Farnam’s Super Mask or Schneider
Saddlery’s Mosquito Mesh fly
mask. They all use heavy padding
on the edging.
Intrepid’s mask uses a short nap
fleece that does not hold dirt. Kensington also has the option of masks
with padding. However, the more
padding the more opportunity to
hold moisture and dirt, which may
ultimately irritate the sensitive skin
you’re trying to protect.
Tough as Nails Masks
If your horse will wear his fly mask
in a playful herd you will need
solid heavy-duty construction and
good fit. This is a double-edged
sword as heavier materials can
cause rubs if not applied and fitted
properly. Turnout horses get dirty
and stay dirty longer. Fleece will
hold dirt and moisture against the
skin which could lead to issues.
Safety is important as a fly mask
can get hung up on a fence or shed.
Multiple hook-and-loop fasteners – single and double - increase
the likelihood the mask may not
release. No, it’s not fun to search for
lost masks but it’s worse to think
about what can happen if a horse
gets hung up and cannot free himself. A little elastic on the straps
might give the horse a little give if
he gets stuck. It doesn’t guarantee
safety, but it might help.
We felt the most durable masks
were from Kensington and Durvet.
These masks proved extremely
sturdy and held up under the
toughest turnout conditions.
Medium and Lightweight
Masks
Most of the masks in our trial
wouldn’t hold up for the determined fly mask destroyer in your
herd but are fine for “normal”
horses.
Our favorites here were from
Cashel, Shires and Centaur. We
know some folks shy away from
Cashel Crusader masks because of
the higher price, but we’ve found
they usually last for many seasons
(Farnam masks are also traditionally long-lasters).
Absorbine’s UltraShield fly mask
improves each year. We like the
catch loop and soft fleecy material
on the mask underside. Because
they use two single fasteners, we
would consider the Absorbine mask
one of the safer choices for horses
who tend to get hung up on things.
However, the downside is that their
turnout buddies can pull open the
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Turnout Fly Masks
Horse Journal Editor’s Choice $ Horse Journal Best Buy
Mask
Price
Comments
Cashel Crusader
www.cashelcompany.com
$27.95-$31.95.Avail foal to draft
and donkey and mini.
Perennial favorite. Heavy duty nylon. Double Velcro with elastic in strap. Fleececovered binding. Eye darts. Soft mesh ears. Forelock hole in upper of mask. No center
seam. Padding on interior seams. Some masks have reflective strips or bright patterns..
Also gives 5% of proceeds to support breast cancer awareness and animal rescue with
certain masks in their line. Cashel also makes a riding fly mask.
Centaur Got Flies Dura Lite
www.englishridingsupply.com
$23.95. Size chart avail. Mini-XL
horse
Tailored and well designed. Fine black mosquito mesh. Generous eye darts. Double
Velcro closure with elastic. Soft mesh ears. Padding on all interior seams. Zip off lower
nose protector. Fleece binding. Company provides measurement chart for fit.
Shires Fine Mesh Fly Mask
www.shiresequestrian.com
$21.99. Avail size chart from
Shires, small pony to extra full
Very well made mask. Fine mosquito nylon mesh over eyes. Eye darts. Two Velcro
closures. Light fleece padding on binding. Close fit to help prevent flies from getting
under mask. Shires provides measurement chart. Also available as mask with longer
zip-off nose panel and a no-ears model (black only).
Bucas Buzz Off Fly Mask/ Regular
and Zebra Print
Toklat Originals
www.toklat.com
$25/$28 in Zebra. Avail XS-XL
Floppy soft material. Fine tight weave mesh. Single strong Velcro with elastic. No eye
darts. Web binding. Center seam. Ears same material as body of mask. Stayed on very
well in the turnout herds. Runs a little large.
Professional’s Choice Fly Mask
www.profchoice.com
$21.95 w/ ears. $18.95 without.
Avail small horse/ cob or horse.
Very well made mask. Nylon metallic rip stop material. Single Velcro. No elastic.
Eye darts. Soft mesh upper and ears. Fleece binding. Some interior seam padding.
Performed well despite being light and flexible material. One of our favorites in hot
weather testing.
Farnam SuperMask II
www.farnamhorse.com
$15-$18 w/ears or w/out. Avail.
Horse, Arabian, XLarge, Yearling,
Foal and Mini.
Very durable. Perennial Horse Journal Favorite and former Best Buy. Double-latch
closure. Eye darts. Fairly herd proof. Fleece trim. UV protection. Coverage of mask
ends about mid face.
Absorbine UltraShield Fly Mask
www.absorbine.com
$14.99- $24.99. Avail small horse
and horse
Fine black mosquito mesh Rip-Shield material. Two single Velcro straps that run long.
Fleece lining on entire underside of jaw. Eye darts. Ears same material as body. Fleece
binding. Padding on interior seams. No center seam. Catch loop for leading horse from
mask without halter.
Kensington Fly Mask
www.kensingtonproducts.com
$21.95-26.95 Avail in mini to
draft sizes with fleece or web
edging.
Heavy-duty Texiline material. Double strong Velcro with elastic. Generous double eye
darts and tailoring to fit head. Center seam. Available in fleece or web lined. 73% UV
protection. Virtually indestructible. Perfect for rough-housing herds.
Intrepid Charlie BugOff Fly Mask
www.intrepidintl.com
$23.39. Avail horse/ large horse
/ cob. Can also purchase mini
version
Well designed and constructed. Double Velcro. Soft elastic throat strap. Eye darts/
stays sewn into the mask to keep mask front away from face and eyes. No center seam.
Extremely plush padding. Very fine mosquito mesh/screen material. Back of ears in
soft mesh. Ran a little small.
Farnam Super Mask
www.farnam.com
$22.47. Avail Arab/ Horse/
XL with ears. Avail mini/ foal/
yearling/ horse/ XL without ears
Heavy-duty nylon mesh. Strong double Velcro. Generous cut with eye darts. No center
seam. Soft mesh ears. Plush mesh padding on edges. No interior padding on seams.
SmartPak Classic Fly Mask
www.smartpak.com
$19.95/ Avail. cob and horse
Heavy duty nylon mesh. Very wide strong single Velcro strap with pull tab to aid in
opening. Eye darts. No center seam. Light fleece binding. Sort breathable mesh ears.
Ran slightly large.
Weatherbeeta Insect Shield Fly
Mask
www.weatherbeeta.com
$39.99. Cob, full
Single strong and large touch-tape strap. No elastic. Floppy insect repellent-infused
polyester mesh with eye darts and ear covers. No center seam. No padding. Web
binding. Stayed on well in turnout. Repellent lasts through 25 washings.
$ 10.50. Avail mini to draft.
Heavy duty Nylon mesh. Generous eye darts and very full fit. Soft mesh ears. Single
Velcro closure with elastic. Center seam. No interior padding. Web binding. Low priced
budget choice.
$12.95-$18.95. Avail pony/
yearling/Arabian/horse/ XL/ XXL
or draft.
Double Velcro/ strong. No elastic. Light fleece around edge. Heavy duty mesh. Ears
finer mesh. Eye darts. No center seam. Name tag label. Ran slightly large. Excellent
choice for horses that are tough on their fly masks. Sizing worked; the draft size fit our
draft horse well.
SYR Vet Horse Sense Fly Mask
www.syrvet.com
$ DurVet Equine Fly Mask
www.durvet.com
SS Tack Mosquito Mesh
www.sstack.com
$19.95. Avail cob/ full.
Cavallo Simple Ride Mask
www.cavallo-inc.com
$19.95 Avail sm/md/lg
Fine blue mosquito mesh. 60% UV protection. Full fit with generous fleece padding.
Single Velcro. Center seam Eye darts. Soft mesh ears. Fleece over headstall. Well
constructed mask at a good price.
Nylon mesh mask that Velcroes to front of bridle while riding. Available with and
without ears. Easy to apply and remove. UV protection and good vision through mask.
May be good choice for uveitis cases where eye protection is needed all the time.
Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014
Fly Mask Usage Tips
Introduction: When introducing a fly mask to a young or unsure
horse leave mask hanging above their feed tub for a day or two.
The contact with the mask and having to put their head beneath
it will make life easier when you apply mask.
If they’re especially ear shy, choose a product without ears. Most
horses will initially accept a mask while eating grain. Sometimes
a wide single ear hole across the pole can decrease the chance of
you bending an ear, which is upsetting to them.
Placement: Fly masks stay on best when used UNDER the halter.
We use leather halters or breakaway halters, so turning out in
them isn’t a problem with the day turnout horses.
Style: Horses on 24-7 turnout seem to do best in the floppy less
fitted masks, like the Absorbine UltraShield. Carefully check
straps to ensure they don’t come into contact with underside
of chin or jowl. The action of chewing while grazing will cause a
tight or poor fitting mask to leave a raw hairless mark. Heavily
padded masks tend to get soiled quickly and contribute to rubs.
Eyesight: When leading horses into a barn with a fly mask allow
them a moment to acclimate or else remove mask as you enter
aisle. A horse’s eyes take time to adjust to large shifts in sunlight
and going from bright light to semi lit barn aisle. The horse is
nearly blind that first step. Help him out and pull the mask off.
Fly mask fit and eye clearance is important! Look at the mask on
the horse’s head. How much room is there between the eye, the
lashes and the mask? Because the masks are a weave a horse’s
lashes will stick right through and it can cause significant irritation, which can lead to bigger problems.
Rubs and Rubbing: Watch your horse’s behavior. If he spends all
his time rubbing it on anything in sight, try a different mask. If
this behavior continues, it might be wise to skip the fly mask all
together before he gets injured trying to evade the mask.
Keep the fly masks clean, especially in mud season. We do multiple masks by placing them in a muck tub full of hot water and
mild detergent (check mask tag for info) after hosing the mud off.
Slosh them around with a broom to agitate away any tough dirt
and then dump muck tub and rinse. Hang to dry.
Riding in Fly Masks: The Cavallo Simple Ride Mask is a good
choice for riding. It is a nylon mesh fly mask made specifically for
use over a bridle. Hook-and-loop tabs attach the mask to cheek
pieces and to the headstall.
We found it a perfect choice for light trail riding over non technical terrain and for ring work. We loved the mask for our uveitis
patient as it allowed us to leave the mask right on the bridle so it
would never be forgotten. It’s about $20, with or without ears.
Cashel also makes a regular fly mask in a lighter mesh for riding,
if you prefer a mask with full-face coverage when you ride. The
mesh is lighter and the fit is conformed to the horse’s head, and it
looks nice. We’ve used them for years without any difficulties.
straps easily and remove the mask.
One other note on these: They
ship in plastic tubes. We found it
can affect fit initially. We just hose
them down and let them hang dry
before using them. All the creases
just disappear.
Fly masks and visibility
All masks obscure a horse’s vision
to some degree and, depending on
the weave and material, that may be
significant. Add in dirt from turnout and/or rain and it may become
even worse.
One of our biggest frustrations is
that few manufacturers give UV
protection or visibility percentages.
When you hold up different masks
and look directly through them the
variability is startling. It would be
much easier if they were labeled by
the makers. (Note: If you’re choosing a mask for a uveitis case you
want the highest degree of UV protection and decreased light getting
to the eyes. The Guardian Horse
Mask is your choice for uveitis. Go
to www.horsemask.com.)
Many people worry about vision
impairment when you ride with a
fly mask on. This is why we would
avoid riding in anything except
a mask specifically designed for
riding. Even then, jumping and
other activities that depend on the
horse’s ability to determine depth
may be seriously impaired by the
use of any mask. Caution should be
exercised.
Lots of TLC
Don’t leave fly masks on your horse
24/7. We know it’s easier, but the
risk is too great. For one thing,
impaired night vision can lead to
accidents if a horse is startled and
runs into a solid object or building.
Some cases sadly ended in death.
And, when the horses live in fly
masks, you may miss seeing an eye
or head injury. One of the worst
things that can happen with an eye
injury is a delay in treatment.
In addition – and this is no small
matter – flies and bees have been
found inside fly masks, unable to
find their way out.
If you see your horse acting unusual, get out there and pull off that
fly mask! Sometimes insects make
Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014
their ways to the ear tips, annoying
the horse like crazy. Other times,
they just crawl around, sometimes
stinging. Some horse owners have
actually given up fly masks for this
reason.
We strongly recommend a horse
be checked minimum once a day by
removing the mask and looking at
both eyes, ears and the head. It will
save a lot of trouble and time if you
do catch an injury early.
Bottom Line
Most masks, like these from Professional’s
Choice, can be chosen with ears (bottom)
or without ears. We prefer ears.
It was a tough choice for top pick, as
this is a strong group of products. It
was neck to neck between Centaur’s
Got Flies mask and Cashel’s Crusader masks. But, ultimately, the
durability of the Cashel product
along with their commitment to
helping charities like horse rescues
and Breast Cancer Awareness gave
them our top spot. (Well, we also
like that they make a donkey fly
mask as well.)
Cashel has continued to improve
the product each year and added
great patterns and colors into the
line.
That said, Centaur, which is from
powerhouse manufacturer English
Riding Supply, set the bar high for
innovative use of materials and
the tailoring of their product. The
luxurious feel and soft weave made
the product one we look forward to
using again.
For a Best Buy, it’s Durvet, narrowly knocking Farnam out of that
slot. Durvet produces a heavy-duty
turnout fly mask at an almost unbeatable price.
For 24/7 turnout, we choose Absorbine UltraShield mask, which is
a loose, durable mask that we think
is best for horses who are constantly wearing a fly mask.
Article by Contributing Writer Beth
Hyman.
Article from Horse Journal Online - www. horse-journal.com - Copyright ©2014