I did a search but did not come up with much on this subject that was recent. What’s everybody found to be the best fly mask that actually stays on? My horse clearly likes to take his off, but the flies are really irritiating his eyes so he needs to keep it on. Help!
I don’t have an answer 
but I have another question. What is the best fly mask to make sure the mesh eye pockets don’t rub the eyes? What happens if a horse rubs his face on his leg, will the mesh eye pockets collapse inwards and scrape the eye or will they pop back to regular shape after? there was a thread that discussed this a few years back …
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Mine wear either Farnam or Kensington 24/7 and very rarely get one off unless I don’t put it on well enough. Both have the double velcro fasteners so they can’t “undress” each other.
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I tried the new Professionals Choice Lyrca fly masks for my gelding that is REALLY bothered by the dumb ear gnats, and knock on wood he has not lost it or gotten it off in the month he’s been wearing it!
Nag Horse Ranch masks stay clear of the eyes, have industrial velcro that keeps it on and gives UV protection. only caution about being clear with size requirements. Maybe they changed their sizing but it took three tries to get the right size, paying shipping back each time.
OP, have you tried leaving a halter over top of the mask?
I think any style without ears stays on infinitely better than styles with ears. Fly mask houdinis tend to get a plain Farnam Supermask with no ears and occasionally a breakaway halter over top.
When Farnam Supermasks fit properly, the mesh doesn’t seem to collapse. Although sometimes the style doesn’t offer enough eye room for certain head types.
Rambo Fly masks have a plastic frame that prevents them from collapsing. Plenty of people love them. However, that frame would haunt me in my nightmares, as I was constantly worried it would poke through the fabric. It never happened. I used the mask long enough to make me feel like I got my money’s worth.
I find Cashel fly masks tend to collapse in on themselves. However, I have never had a problem with them scraping the eye and it doesn’t deter me from using them. Same goes for my Absorbine masks (the new style).
My new favorite are the Shires masks, though. They have fleece on the stitching of the eye darts to help keep the mask off the eyes. They also have fleece padding around the brow to help it stay off the face. It never seems to collapse enough to encroach on the eye.
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Texarkana – We don’t leave halters on as our horses are turned out overnight and I would worry about them getting caught on something, especially my boy who is always rubbing his head on things - hence the fly mask coming off. I’ve tried several, none with ears, and they still 90% of the time are in the dirt in the morning. I was looking at the Shires and think I might give that one a try. Thank you for your helpful reply.
Eh… I’m not sure Shires is a good recommendation for your purposes. That’s why I didn’t recommend it for staying on, just with regard to eye area collapsing. I’ve only used the style with ears; my horses take them off occasionally.
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The one your horse is most comfortable in is the one he will leave on the longest. IME the harder you try to strap it on, the more uncomfortable it gets. I don’t know if they were scratchy, or hot or hard to see through or what (he didn’t tell), but he would usually get them off within 1-6 h of putting them on. After going through all sorts of different fly masks getting more and more “durable” trying to keep it on, and each one ending up shredded to greater or lesser extent during removal, I tried a Shires mask. It was like my horse said - “Finally, you found something to keep the flies away that isn’t uncomfortable for me”. He leaves it on. ALL.THE.TIME.
I’m not saying the Shires mask is the answer, although it might be. I’m saying keep trying different types/styles until you find one that works.
The same happened with fly boots - he would destroy them, but he loves the loose fit of the ShooFly leggins. He looks like a complete goober, but the flies aren’t chewing him up anymore and he isn’t stamping on the ground constantly.
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I have been putting the Pro Force ones on mine for several years now and never had the eyes collapse in or have them come off. I think it has 100% to do with the horse that is wearing it:)
Depends on the particular horse’s build, antics, and his pasture mates’ antics.
My 15.1 QH with average sized head fits beautifully in the Pro Force fly mask (and it kept it’s shape forever,) and he fits okay in Cashel Crusader (but the eyes collapse after a few months.) When we boarded, his annoying pasture neighbor would take it off him every.single.day but stays on now that he’s at my place. I haven’t found anything to fit my dainty Arab well - the Cashel Crusader Arab/Cob size is massive, and the type of mask that is lycra w/netting over the eyes rubbed badly.
I haven’t found anything my pony leaves on yet. Cashel no ears mask stays on the longest. I’ve tried two different type of Shires, Rambo, and Farnam. If it’s available in pony size I probably own it. His ears are just to small and he likes to scratch his face or the donkeys de-cloth him.
I second this. With or without ears, these are the only masks I’ve ever been able to reliably keep on any horse. I haven’t tried the new ones that look kind of like sleazies with cups over the eyes, but I am intrigued by them.
We got those lycra ones this year. They have a strap on the back you can attach to just the neck cover part of a fly sheet, if you don’t feel like putting a fly sheet on the entire horse. They stay on.
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Cynical - try the yearling size in the Cashel for your dainty arab. That’s what we tried this year and it fits our dainty arab perfectly. we spent years trying to make the arab size work for her, and this year my DD said lets get a yearling one, and voila! it fits.
I have found the masks that stay on my herd are from Shires. I have been using them for 2 1/2 years and have not had one come off. They seem to be well made, and fit my horses beautifully. I have tried most brands in the past, and these have been by far the best for us. I have one mare with a badly damaged eye that needs constant protection, and these masks provide good clearance as well.
I just got some Durvet brand masks to try–bought the large horse because reviewers said they ran small, and my gelding wears a WB bridle. Fit is good, mesh is STURDY with no collapsing by the eyes. Lined with polar fleece on all edges. I paid $15 each, and am very happy with them. Like the standard Kensingtons, they do not come extremely far down on the face, but for where I live, that’s great when all the pasture grass (and weeds) go to seed–less gets caught on the binding. The only time I have an issue with masks coming off is when my spotted mini donk goes around and pulls them off if he’s not wearing his grazing muzzle.
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My horse is out 24/7 in his own pasture and has neighbors on either side that he can interact with. For him, I find that the Cashel earless and the Farnum Supermasks earless work the best. He lowers his head to have them put on in the morning. I tried the Cashel with ears and we often found it in the middle of his pasture. His neighbor wears the cashel with ears and a long nose (she has a blaze) and likes it.
I’m a big fan of the Rambo beekeeper masks. My horse has a buddy who is gentleman enough to help the ladies to doff their hats if they so much as bat their eyes at him, and he has only gotten the Rambo off once in 2+ years. Mine can scratch many styles off with a hind hoof and is not shy about scratching her face on any convenient object at the slightest sensation of itch, so resisting both her efforts and her buddy’s is a win for me. I guess she’s gotten one ear out a couple of times (probably with the help of her accomplice), but it’s only been parted from her body once.
I was initially concerned about the plastic “rib” that keeps it away from the eyes. But the webbing that holds that rib in place wears faster on the outer layer than the inner layer (i.e. weak side points away from the eyes, should it snap and be looking for a place to penetrate), and the shape of it makes it most likely to collapse in a way that directs ends away from the face if it were to crack. I lost more sleep over the frayed mesh that would show up right at the tips of the eye darts without fail after a couple months of use on the Cashels than I have over the beekeeper hat’s plastic element.
I guess this is the third season for the first one I bought. No fraying or other serious wear. I’ll retire it after this season – 3 years is plenty to get my money’s worth, and I’d rather swap in a new one before that plastic band weakens from age than try to keep an old one going forever. But I suspect it would last a while longer if I were willing to risk it.
I keep hearing about lycra masks, but given how easily the insects are biting through my breeches this season I can’t imagine that lycra material offers meaningful fly or mosquito bite protection on the parts that are spandexy. I also wouldn’t trust my horse not to get it twisted by rubbing her face enthusiastically, nor would I put it past her buddy to just rip the fabric trying to help her off with it. I’m sure it’s fine for some horses in some conditions, but it wouldn’t be something I could imagine working for all or even most horses.
I’ve had wonderful luck with the Rambo Plus (beekeeper) ://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/ra…-flymask-10224
It stays on and stays away from the eyes. The only thing I wish it had was an opening for the forelock. This might be stupid, but when I take the mask off he’s got “mask hair” and I also worry about his forelock getting in his eyes but don’t want to cut it Other than that it’s perfect for my Boy who with all his eye problems, needs a mask that stays away from his eyes. This is his 3rd summer with it and he’s only gotten it off once.
