Coolest (temperature) fly masks

[Texarkana]

I’ve been acutely aware of how fly masks can raise temperature since I had a severe anhidrosis horse a few years ago.

I’m definitely going to need to replace my entire herd’s masks for next season and I’m already thinking ahead.

I’ve tried most major brand on the market and hoping to find something lighter and more airy. I am thinking something like the old school Absorbine style maybe? The ones that were really fone, baggy mesh…. If I can’t find that, then I’m hoping for something without fleece or heavy fabric panels.

Anything out there?

[greywithchrome]

The professional choice lycra ones are my favourite for “lightweight” but I find myself replacing them often because they stretch. My favourite is Cashel but my horse often sweats under that one.

[sascha]

Shires with ears but without nose have been keeping my horse comfy for afew years now. I’d like an even cooler design with white mesh and ears, but these are tough (she wears one year round outside) and cooler than many others I’ve tried. Note, horse is mare. Ymmv with geldings

[Texarkana]

When I say I have almost every major brand, I’m not kidding.

Right now, half the herd are wearing Shires masks and half are wearing Cashel.

We also have Farnam, Absorbine, Rambo, Lycra masks of an unknown brand, and some no name brands.

I am hoping to find something cooler and lighter than all of those.

I’m looking for something cooler/lighter.

Something like this looks promising:

But the reviews are not encouraging, unsurprisingly for a cheap, foreign, mass produced Amazon product. I don’t think they will fit right or give enough eye clearance.

[luvmyhackney]

I think I own every brand from trial and error of what actually stays on their heads.

My pony prefers Cashel with no ears and will wear it with no issues. The other two like the Weatherbeeta fine mesh ones and don’t seem to sweat as much in the light colored ones.

[Texarkana]

@luvmyhackney

The other two like the Weatherbeeta fine mesh ones and don’t seem to sweat as much in the light colored ones

Thanks for mentioning that. The Weatherbeeta ones look promising!

[Highflyer1]

The Cashel Quiet Ride ones are super light but I’m not sure how they would hold up to everyday use. Chick’s also has a fine mesh one in their Rugged Ride brand that I am thinking to try.

[Texarkana]

@Highflyer1

Chick’s also has a fine mesh one in their Rugged Ride brand that I am thinking to try.

I live local to Chick’s and have about a half dozen different styles of their masks. None of them fit any of my horses right, to the point of being unusable. They run really small and never have enough eye clearance.

But I was wondering the same thing about the Cashel Quiet Ride- will it hold up to turnout?

[beowulf]

Chiming in here to say I have my herd out in the Cashel Quiet Ride with nose. Some of them are going on two years old. Out of all my fly masks Cashel is by far the hardiest.

Cashel is the least likely to make mine sweat underneath. Absorbine, HW, the lycra ones from Dover, and Weatherbeeta do make them sweat. The more clearance the masks have with skin the less likely they are to rub or sweat IME.

I alternate fly masks, though. I like the Cashel but they don’t have the eye clearance that my stiff-as-a-tent Weatherbeeta and Noble Outfitters have - but, I do like how lightweight Cashel is. I usually do 2-3 days in a row of one mask, then swap to prevent hair loss or rubbing.

Mine are on quite literally 24/7 unless it’s raining or cold (no bugs).

[OzarksRider]

My horses wear DuraMask by Durvet. I fasten them loosely so that there is air flow at the bottom, and I’ve never seen any flies get inside. I also have Cashel Quiet Ride for riding, but I’ve never used it for turnout. It might be ok for the short term on the hottest days.

One day last week the heat/humidity combination was so bad (100 degrees, 80% humidity, no breeze) that the horses were sweating so much they looked like they had been swimming. They were even sweating foam through their masks. I took off the masks and their leggings because I would rather deal with conjunctivitis and fly bites than heat stroke. The horses were fine after I hosed them down and confined them to shade, but sure enough, one horse did develop conjunctivitis from the flies. That cleared up with a short course of antibiotic eye ointment that I always keep on hand. Other than that one horrible day I’ve never seen any excessive sweating under the DuraMasks.

[RhythmNCruise]

My guy who has suffered with anhidrosis in the past (*knock wood…been good this summer) and lives where it gets into triple digits with horrible humidity seems to like the regular Farnam Supermask without ears or the Cashel without ears. He’s wearing the Cashel right now (because his two Farnams are in need of a wash if not total replacement). He wears his mask 24/7 when not being ridden or bathed, and when it does come off, he might have a little sweat behind his ears if it’s hot enough, but otherwise seems fine. He’s always ready for me to put it back on…he loves his mask. Weirdo.

[lenapesadie]

@RhythmNCruise

without ears

My anhidrosis horse also prefers masks without ears. He will remove masks that have ears without fail. I like his Kensington mask the best for fit on him though that’s head shape dependent of course.

[MapleFarm]

Horse Riding Fly Protection | Horsehoodies LLC | United States

These ladies made me a custom item quickly and affordably for my mare (teats get bites). Maybe talk to them?
Custom meaning, not something listed on the site, and for a big girl outside the standard size. You could explain your needs and take measurements.

[cnd8]

Curious about the anhidrosis you mention here. Isn’t sweat formation a good thing, especially for a horse that doesn’t always sweat well? I’m asking because I recently acquired a horse who had an anhydrotic episode several years ago. I’m paranoid it will come back randomly…and I happen to have him in a Cashel fly mask (without ears).

[RhythmNCruise]

Haha…yes, it is always a good sign to see a horse that has had anhidrosis sweating. I guess my point with him not sweating much from certain fly masks is that when he IS sweating normally (which thankfully he’s done this summer), the masks don’t seem to make him sweat any worse. As in, he’s not too sweaty around his face, doesn’t seem bothered by the mask, and isn’t too hot.

If there is no sweat anywhere and his respiration is elevated, I start to worry.

He seems to like the simple masks with no ears, no longer nose. He hates the lycra style and will rub until they get twisted around on him and are actually covering up an eye. He did that once and the eye that had the lycra covering it was swollen and runny for the rest of the day, even after removing the mask. He doesn’t rub his other masks off and will hang his head out like, “Put it on, please,” when I approach him with it in hand.

[2tempe]

The “old” Absorbine ones were my favorite ever. One horse is still wearing one - but he is easy on his clothes. Its probably 4 years old. Smart Pak makes one, HiVis Fine Mesh and one called just “Fine Mesh” . I have the latter one in waiting so cant vouch for it, but was as close as I could find. I would cut the ears off as he is not an ear cover fan.

[2tempe]

Also, this one might be worth a look. https://www.sstack.com/mosquito-mesh-fly-mask-with-ears/p/17285/sku/17285%20CB%20GY/?variant=TRUE&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0vWnBhC6ARIsAJpJM6d-bpp_XdynAnZJWl6rlsXRtBNSL0HeJ6ArH0pfUbThdvKp6knvDA0aAjulEALw_wcB&glCountry=us

[GraceLikeRain]

I am a huge proponent of the earless equivisor. No rubbing on the most sensitive horse ever and the visor keeps the mask far off her face. I love the Rambo visor but it has ears and over 85 she will turn herself inside out pulling it off. She has minimal tolerance for face sweat so it’s definitely the coolest option for her by far.

It’s odd looking but one I have is a solid 5 years old and shows zero wear. It’s kind of amazing.

[Texarkana]

@2tempe

The “old” Absorbine ones were my favorite ever.

It blows my mind that there are no knockoffs of these on the market! The only criticisms I remember of them were tearing relatively easily and I guess they didn’t have any support to prevent them from pushing against the eye of a horse rubbed or rolled, but I don’t remember the latter being a problem.