How important Is UV protection fly mask

[Fharoah]

I was going to order a fly mask this morning I realized that one out chose was 60% UV protection. I then noticed that the absorbine fly mask is 80% UV protection. How important it is it to protect a horse from UV rays? I am also going to order a fly sheet but trying to choose between Integrated neck, detachable neck or standard neck fly sheet. We don’t have a lot of flies so far but as it gets warmer next week I anticipate some will start come out. He will only wear a fly sheet if the flies become bothersome which I anticipate they will.

Any thoughts or options greatly appreciated !

[Red_Barn]

First, fly masks: UV ratings will matter to people looking to address specific problems - sunburn, for example, or uveitis. For an ordinary horse in good health and with access to shade, I wouldn’t worry about small differences.

Fly sheets: this really depends your horse’s sensitivity. If you’re dealing with a gnat allergy, say, or a horse that can’t tolerate bugs at all, you’ll want maximum protection. For other horses, it probably doesn’t much matter.

Are you new to horses by any chance? Or maybe just new to living in a buggy area?

[RedHorses]

My QH had a very fine summer haircoat. It was so fine that his blaze would burn right up to the bottom of his flymask. I dealt with sunblock and zinc ointment for years before I got him a long nose, regular flymask (probably like that 60% one). That was enough protection to completely stop the sunburned blaze.

Unless you have a specific reason for extra UV protection (like uveitis or pink skin around the eyes) the regular one is likely enough.

What’s going to be more important is the fit and comfort on your specific horse. They tend to rub, scrape, inveigle a pasture mate to pull off an uncomfortable mask.

[JB]

If you’re just looking for fly protection it doesn’t matter

it only matters if you’re dealing with something like uveitis, or to help prevent some eye cancers (ie all the pink skin around an eye), etc

[Fharoah]

Thank you all for the replies!

I’ve had horses for over 30 years. I have had this particular horse for sixteenth years but rarely used a fly sheet. We don’t live in an extremely buggy area but there are some bugs and when he gets bit he tends to react and he does he gets itchy. I have seriously considered putting a fly sheet on him overnight for cover dawn and dusk when the evil midgets come out. I want the softest and coolest fly sheet that’s least likely to rub.