After seeing the ringing endorsement of the shoo fly boots in the other thread, I bought some and love them.
I thought I’d see if you all can steer me in the direction of a fly mask. I typically do night turnout, but after the morning dew was wreaking havok on hooves, I am doing more day turnout.
I bought a cashel with ears mask and I feel like the mesh is too close to his eyes. He is a modern warmblood - so long head but kinda narrow.
Recommendations?
I mostly use the Cashel’s because you can pull the forelock through to keep them in place. The Rambos have a lot more eye room, but they are so big that you can’t put a halter over them, and I’m not convinced the visibility is as good. My PRE does best in something harder to remove - the stretchy lycra ones with the mesh bug eyes.
I’ve always preferred Cashel with Ears. I’ve used those for many, many years with no issues.
I’ve become a big fan of the Shires masks with the ridiculous fringe! I’ve used most every brand and I really think these are top notch.
My PRE is between sizes in the Cashel, so those don’t quite work. I currently have a Shires fine mesh with ears and fringe. I quite like the masks with the nose fringe. He has a few others from a local place in that design.
Horze also has a flymask that had a hole for the forelock, as well as Lemieux and a few others I’ve seen out there.
@joiedevie99 do you find the lycra style to any hotter?
I can’t say enough about the Rambo “Bee Keeper” mask. It stays on and I love the design to keep the mask away from the eyes. The only thing I wish it had was a hole for the forelock to come through because he ends up with “mask hair” 
Mine wore cashel with ears for several years until this year, he has decided that ears are the devil’s handiwork and does everything in his power to get them off. He succeeds 99 percent of the time and grinds them in a pee spot or poop for good measure.
He’s now in a Shires earless with his forelock pulled the ear holes. It looks ridiculous but he’s a Fjord and is blessed/cursed with a generous forelock and it works. Lol
I got one last year and yes…fringe-a-licious. They work well. We have had a strange weather year so far and the flies are just now getting problematic so I haven’t gotten it out yet but it is washed and ready to go. It has held up better than others.
Susan
All my guys were the Pro Force masks. I don’t have huge warmblood heads though. It is big enough to give plenty of room for the eyes and I can get it on over my mares halter when she is wearing her gazing muzzle. I’ve tried others but they hang down too low on the face and just don’t fit right. The Pro Force are durable and so far my youngster hasn’t pulled them off the mares and except for one time of finding his in the water trough, it has stayed put.
I like the Cashel, no ears. So far it’s the only fly mask my one gelding will keep on without a fuss.
Rambo stays away from eyelashes
The Noble Outfitters Guardsman mask has a stiff “bridge” that holds the mask away from the eyes. I really liked the one I had, and it stayed on well. The velcro finally died and then it was coming off daily so I ended up getting the Shires (with ears but no fringe 
). I do really like the Shires as well, but it’s the only fly mask he’s ever had that rubs the hair off his nose. I think it’s because it fits quite snugly around the nose, which is great to keep the bugs out but not great for thin-coated chestnut TBs.
Another vote for the Rambo fly mask. Keeps the mask away from the eyes and I don’t have a problem putting the halter over it.
I’ve used Cashel long nose fly masks since they came out years ago. My gelding had it off within about an hour every time i put it on him… I called Cashel and they told me to cut off he fringe at the seam where the long nose was attached. It was there because people thought flies could walk up the face. It made no difference. They told me to cut the ears off. That worked. I also use their riding mask but he can live with the ears when I ride. If you have those deer flies with the yellow see-through wings soak the poll and ears with Flicks fly repellent. Totally solves the problem.
My mare won’t tolerate any fly mask with ears. She destroyed two before I had this particular epiphany, and since I started buying fly masks sans ears I’ve had no problems.
She has three different masks: A Cashel, a Kensington, and a mask from a small, home-based manufacturer in Montana: https://snowymountainhorseshop.com/collections/fly-masks
The Kensington is the lightest weight and is best for the hottest days. The Snowy Mountain one has an open area across the brow and so doesn’t rub the forelock at all; it also provides the best UV protection. The Cashel is the second choice on any given day.
I have a pretty “modern” warmblood with wide eyes and a narrower muzzle. I currently use Cashel earless and have used…the pretty common brand you’d find in, say, Tractor Supply with the fleece around the edges. I tried the Cashel with ears, but he more frequently gets it off. He never ditches the earless fly masks. His shed-mate uses I think the Rambo. She gets it off occasionally, though (it has ears and a long nose to protect her blaze). Last weekend I found it in her water-trough! How did she manage THAT!! Of note, we’re in NC and it gets really hot and humid here. This might be why the eared masks don’t go over as well.
Why do they hate the ones with ears so much? My mare has never lost any of her earless masks, but I got her a new one with ears last year and it was gone (never to be seen again) the first night.
On horses who hate the ears: I don’t know why they hate them so much. My previous horse actually preferred the masks with ears and she needed them, too. She was a thin-skinned TB and without the ears on her masks, her ears would be bitten bloody.
But I couldn’t convince my current horse that the ears on the mask were a benefit. Fortunately for her, she has very hairy ears, and I suspect more than a few flies have starved to death trying to get through to bite-able flesh!
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
