my horse seems to want to put his right eye out by rubbing it. Got a text with a picture this morning of a cut below his right eye. Nothing that needed a vet, but it did need treating. He is not the easiest to deal with when it concerns his face. He is in during the day, so he can wear a regular fly mask. Is it possible to wear one of the sheer masks at night so he may not be prone to rubbing the eye area? I have noticed small scratches above the eye, but no issues with the eye itself. The eye is clear and never runs. This is a paint who has a white face. He only rubs the right side. Besides bubble wrapping, I am open to any suggestions. He has been on TRI-Hist in the past for itchy eyes.
We leave fly masks on at night here. I have not had an issue.
Done it for years with NO issues. 
Leave the mask on overnight. He should be fine.
My horse has frequently worn a mask at night with no issues.
Ditto. I’ve used the cashel and other heavy masks for years with multiple horses.
Yup, leave them on all the time out of pure laziness on my part. I just don’t want to hike over 5 acres to take masks off at 9 pm. So they stay on. I’ve never had a problem and the horses don’t have watery eyes in the morning, it’s a win-win.
My horse wears one 24/7 during fly season. No problems at all.
My boarded horse wears his all night just because that’s the easiest thing to do. It keeps him happy before the sunsets and after it comes up. I do take my retired guy’s off at bedtime, but he lives RIGHT outside my door, and is usually hanging out near the house about then. So, I can run out in my pajamas, grab it, stuff cookies into him, and go back in.
My mini mule wears hers for days at a time as she’s difficult to handle - never had an issue.
I’d want to know why he continues to rub his right eye. This is not normal and could be a sign of ERU. A fly mask (24-7) will not stop the urge to rub which is caused by pain. Time to get a vet, preferably an ophthalmologist, out to examine the horse.
[QUOTE=rcloisonne;7651843]
I’d want to know why he continues to rub his right eye. This is not normal and could be a sign of ERU. A fly mask (24-7) will not stop the urge to rub which is caused by pain. Time to get a vet, preferably an ophthalmologist, out to examine the horse.[/QUOTE]
I was just gonna post a version of this. You wanna rule out uveitis as early as possible. They can go blind from it.
As far as fly masks, don’t leave’em on for days at a time without at least checking under there a couple times a day. A mask won’t keep’em from rubbing or poking their eyes out on sticks, but unless you look you’d never know.
I agree that you should have the eye checked to see why the horse wants to rub.
I keep fly masks on my two 24/7 with no problems.
I want to mention the Rambo fly masks will keep them from rubbing the eyes.
Makes them look like something from outer space but they can’t rub.
Should’ve mentioned vet checked horse when he had a fat eye from rubbing. No ulcers or other issues.This vet is an eye specialist also. May go back to Tri Hist and see if that works. This horse is known for skin allergies from pasture irritants. Thanks to all who freely recommend fly masks at night. I will keep a check on him.
Here’s what my vet suggested: a hood with a racing blinker on it. My mare has a spot of SCC that’s managed with a combination of medicine and doubled-up flymasks, but she still tends to rub it in the summer months. He suggested a half-blinker of some kind both to shield from sun exposure and keep her from rubbing while it’s at its worst. I haven’t ordered my blinker yet, but the BO uses a full one on her horses frequently with no trouble. You can get individual ones that lace on, so you can switch sides if needed.
I also keep fly masks on overnight. The only problem I ever had was when I didn’t get home to take off the doubled-up mask before it got dark, and the poor thing ran through an electric bungee that she didn’t see was up. :o Now I get someone to take the second mask off, and she stops at the fence to check and make sure the bungees are down.
As long as the horse is familiar with his enclosure there shouldn’t be a problem leaving the mask on overnight. One caution though, if you go out there in the dark to catch him he might be jumpy. My guy is fine with his on, but if I approach him in the dark when he’s wearing it, he freaks out a bit.
Mine also has her mask on almost all the time and has had no problems. So far I have not had to catch her in the darkness, since she moved to 24/7 TO at the end of May.
I am using a Cashel Quiet Ride mask, which is not quite as durable as their regular masks, but kinder to her skin and leaves her vision basically unimpaired.
My horse rubs his face a lot during allergy season. He ended up with several cuts and a couple of ulcers. I now put him on Benadryl in the spring and summer months and he has been much better since I started this. I also leave a fly mask on him 24/7.
How much Benadryl do you givevyour horse?
I’ve also left fly masks on at night as the mosquito’s can be bad at dawn and dusk around here
A new product on the market are the Recovery Visors that are available in clear, light and dark tints for overall eye protection as well as for shade applications if you are dealing with something like uveitis
http://www.truecoloursproducts.com/collections/frontpage/products/equivizor-recovery-visors
Good luck!
