Warm Weather (Show Quality) Bonnets?

[MustangTwist]

Can anyone recommend a good bonnet that is (1) nice enough for a show; (2) fairly breathable/suitable for warm days; and (3) won’t flap around when I’m moving?

The ones I ride in at home are great, but they are a crocheted cotton-type material I feel would be too hot for the summer. My friend has a very lightweight fly veil, but it seems to flap a lot when she canters which I feel like would be distracting while riding a test.

My horse is very irritated by flies/bugs around his ears, shakes his head a bit already, and hates having his forelock braided, so I’m hoping to be able to use it at horse shows!

I’ve heard good things about the Equifit bonnet, but I wanted to see if there were any good options before dropping ~$100 on it. Thank you in advance!

[piedmontfields]

I love the LeMieux fly bonnets. I think they are quite stable and the colors are beautiful. And they come in a true XL which my mare requires! Sometimes you can get end of season colors on sale, too. I buy from Horse Health in the UK: https://www.horsehealth.co.uk/horsewear/lemieux-fly-hoods-masks

(yes, they have matching pads and polos, too)

[CanteringCarrot]

I also recommend LeMieux.

[Riker12]

I recommend Fun Bonnets a Canadian company, custom bonnets pretty much limitless choices. Mine seems to be very well made.

https://www.facebook.com/455924447832098/posts/2270445116380013/

[MustangTwist]

@Riker12

I recommend Fun Bonnets a Canadian company, custom bonnets pretty much limitless choices. Mine seems to be very well made.

https://www.facebook.com/455924447832098/posts/2270445116380013/

Thanks! Which model do you usually order? Would one option be better for warm weather showing than another?

[MustangTwist]

@piedmontfields

I love the LeMieux fly bonnets. I think they are quite stable and the colors are beautiful. And they come in a true XL which my mare requires! Sometimes you can get end of season colors on sale, too. I buy from Horse Health in the UK: https://www.horsehealth.co.uk/horsewear/lemieux-fly-hoods-masks

(yes, they have matching pads and polos, too)

Thank you! Are you in the U.S.? If so, what’s the shipping typically like?

[piedmontfields]

I am in the US. I usually buy several things at a time. I want to say that shipping is around $30 and delivery is usually pretty quick (~5 days).

[MustangTwist]

@emipou

The Rock House makes some gorgeous show quality bonnets with tons of breathability. My guy I was leasing before my current guy, loved his. It fit great over his ears and head and was very light and pretty!

She’ll make custom colors and styles too!!

** You cannot attach facebook pages as links apparently. Or delete them while editing. You can follow link above.

Thank you!

[PNWjumper]

I do not find that my horses care one way or another about material in regard to heat. The regular crochet ones work the same as the Le Mieux and the Equifit and every other type. I have maybe a dozen or so ear nets and typically the only thought that goes into picking one (regardless of weather and heat) is the color.

[MustangTwist]

@PNWjumper

I do not find that my horses care one way or another about material in regard to heat. The regular crochet ones work the same as the Le Mieux and the Equifit and every other type. I have maybe a dozen or so ear nets and typically the only thought that goes into picking one (regardless of weather and heat) is the color.

Good to know! Which do you think is the best value?

[PNWjumper]

@MustangTwist

Good to know! Which do you think is the best value?

Whichever ones I paid the least for

I have a bunch of custom ear bonnets made by a gal in Canada (wish I could remember what her business name is!) that are my favorites. They were relatively inexpensive (25ish apiece, IIRC) and beautiful.

I think of them a little bit like saddle pads. I want them to be pretty, but I really don’t want people to notice when my horses have one on. And different shapes look better on different horses, so I have different favorites on a few of my horses.

[MustangTwist]

@PNWjumper

Whichever ones I paid the least for

I have a bunch of custom ear bonnets made by a gal in Canada (wish I could remember what her business name is!) that are my favorites. They were relatively inexpensive (25ish apiece, IIRC) and beautiful.

I think of them a little bit like saddle pads. I want them to be pretty, but I really don’t want people to notice when my horses have one on. And different shapes look better on different horses, so I have different favorites on a few of my horses.

Thank you, I’d love to know the name of the Canadian business if you remember it later on!

[scruffy_the_cat]

Dover carries LeMieux.