Looking for fly masks that keep the flies out. My current masks close with velcro and I can’t seem to get tight enough to keep the flies from crawling up under the mask. Currently using the Shires brand since one of my horses has a broad forehead and this brand works the best to keep the mesh out of his eyes.
I use the Cashel masks and have never had that issue. However, we don’t have aggressive flies here, so that might make a difference. I’d think any with the fleece would help block them out, like the Super Masks?
Have you tried the lycra version?
Are the stretch ones hard to get on/off? I need to get my horse a new one soon. She is kind of a ‘corse’ between cob size and horse. Last year, the Cashel I bought her (Arab/small horse) was smaller than the one the year before. The horse size just falls off.
Susan
I have a couple of the lycra masks and really like them. I have that same Shires one, actually. I find that they stay on just fine and are very easy to put on and take off. They fit under my pony’s grazing muzzle much better than the velcro style, too.
(Just make sure you get the all lycra style - the zippered ones fit fine too, but doing up the zipper is more of a pain.)
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The only problem I have with the lycra ones is here in the Gulf South, they get a little sweaty under the lycra part.
Yaya, thanks. We are in the high desert. It’s a dry heat 
. I think I may try one. At the current barn, she has nothing to snag it on.
Susan
My old sensitive TB really likes his Lycra mask. He rarely gets it off.
My Friesian cross will take a Lycra mask off every day quick like. He gets his Cashel off regularly too. A Kensington mask with no ears stays on him the best.
If your masks have fleecy parts, try a couple spots of Equi-Spot or other concentrated fly repellent
I used a Lycra mask when my horse scratched his cornea. IIRC, it was the Cashel, w/ears - came in a canister.
It also had a loop at the top to slip over the halter so it wouldn’t get pulled off.
My only complaint was the net ears were shoddy, horse rubbed them loose in a couple weeks. But the mask itself fit well, wasn’t sweaty (used in Midwest July) & kept flies out.
My Professional Choice ones where very stretchy and not at all close to my mares eyes. I had two so I could wash or drip dry if rained on. They lasted two seasons. Loved them, the only mask my mare wouldn’t take off. I replaced them with the Weatha-Beeta version and they are not really as stretchy and seem too close to the eyes. My mare has a pretty standard “horse” size head. I’m now on a search for the PC ones.
Try Chick’s - that’s where I found mine (which is cob sized and hot pink so I figure it’ll be impossible to lose!)
https://www.chicksaddlery.com/search-results?Search=Professional’s+choice+lycra+fly+mask
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