# Do you leave fly masks on at night?



## katherine1975 (25 June 2010)

I have a mare who has always had a short forelock (never been trimmed/pulled by me) and she is prone to flies going in her eyes -lives out 24/7 in the summer. I can tell she is annoyed with them as she nods her head in the field and eyes have been watery. Got her a fly mask which she really seems to like - no objections to wearing it. Tonight I took it off at 7pm and flies were immediately back in her eyes and she was following me around and seemed like she wanted mask back on. Is it OK to leave them on overnight?


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## berry (25 June 2010)

Yes I do and have no probs.


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## rlhnlk (25 June 2010)

I leave my welshes on overnight as she wont be caught in the morning for it to go back on. Hasnt dont her any harm whatsoever yet, although I'm sure there are probably loads of reasons not to


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## Ella19 (25 June 2010)

Mine lives out 24/7 in a fly mask and rug. I take it off and re-adjust every day but she's fine. She often has an ear hanging out and I know she could break free if needed so yes I leave it on


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## Malibu_Stacy (25 June 2010)

My girl's mask stays on 24/7 at this time of year; only comes off when I ride.  I don't think it causes her any problems having it on at night.


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## daydreambeliever (25 June 2010)

Several at our yard keep them on all night, all seem to get by ok


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## Collytown (25 June 2010)

At his time of year I tend to leave fly masks on overnight cause I am damned if I am getting up at 5 am to go and put them on.


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## OneInAMillion (26 June 2010)

katherine1975 said:



			I have a mare who has always had a short forelock (never been trimmed/pulled by me) and she is prone to flies going in her eyes -lives out 24/7 in the summer.
		
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Sounds just like my boy!! We call it his fringe! It never really gets long enough to be a forelock  

Anyway on with the actual subject. We have an old pony and we dont like to leave it on him at night however one of our fields has hedges the whole way round and gets quite full of flies so we will leave them on if they are in there.


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## Janette (26 June 2010)

Yup - 24/7.  Star's mask keeps the wind off her eyes as well as the flies.  She tends to get conrneal ulcers easily, so needs the protection.
Personally, I've found that Cashel are the best for fit and visibility.  And there's a hole for the forelock as well


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## Theresa_F (26 June 2010)

My two wear their crusaders which are the ones with ears and nose cover just about 24 x 7 from May to September for both fly and UV protection as they have big pink noses.  Rarely find them off, no rubs and have had no problems.  Have done this on previous large hairies as well, again with no problem.

They are removed twice a day to make sure nothing is going on underneath as a precaution.


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## monkeybum13 (26 June 2010)

If I found a fly mask that Lacey would actually keep her eyes open in (any chance for a snooze!) she would be wearing it at night.
There were loads of flies on her face when she came in at 8am this morning.


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## Mabel98 (26 June 2010)

I am lucky in that I live 2 mins from the yard so I do take her mask off about 9pm and put in on before work at 630am. I wouldn't have a problem leaving it on though, except that it has started rubbing her ears. Anyone else found mask that doesn't rub?


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## ISHmad (26 June 2010)

We take the fly masks off each night and put them back on in the morning.


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## LMuirEDT (26 June 2010)

Mine wears his during the day but not at night and my dad asked me why just last night... I actually dont really have a reason.  I suppose I like to give him a break from it and the flies are gone during the night.  Plus if it's dark AND they have a mask on , does it impair their vision?   i have no basis for any of these things so I suppose it's just my own human emotions coming into play.


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## SmartieBean09 (26 June 2010)

LMuirEDT said:



			Mine wears his during the day but not at night and my dad asked me why just last night... I actually dont really have a reason.  I suppose I like to give him a break from it and the flies are gone during the night.  Plus if it's dark AND they have a mask on , does it impair their vision?   i have no basis for any of these things so I suppose it's just my own human emotions coming into play.
		
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My thoughts exactly!  My pony isnt wearing hers now because I am only able to get down in the afternoon so instead I cover her in Coopers.  Leaving her fly mask and rug on would be the cheaper option but I dont think I would sleep at night with worry.


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## Little_Miss_1 (26 June 2010)

Oh goodness - there are much worse things to worry about! Mine have them on 24/7 throughout the summer months. Have never really thought of taking them off TBH...


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## SmartieBean09 (26 June 2010)

I bought my fly rug last year and have only used it once.  Do they keep horses cool in this heat?  If so then I think I will take the risk and leave both her rug and mask on.  Although I only go down once a day, She is checked atleast twice during the day.


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## Spyda (26 June 2010)

I leave mine on 24/7, although I have to rotate the masks as any one left on for too long will rub my sensitive filly. Only time I make an efford to consciously remove it is when persistent and/or heavy rain is forecast. When the rain lands on the mesh of the mask it blinds my filly and she can't see. It really disorientates her. 

In the past I'v tried taking her mask off at night but mine is REALLY sensitive to fly bother and I found that no matter how late I removed it nor how early I put it back on again in the morning, the damage is done and her eyes are runny already. My main problem is stopping her from being rubbed too much from the constant wear. It's a real pain the bum.




			I bought my fly rug last year and have only used it once. Do they keep horses cool in this heat?
		
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I think the light or reflective sheets definitely help a darker horse to keep cooler. As in they help to reflect a bit of the heat.

I turn mine out in this http://www.derbyhouse.co.uk/prodshow.asp?id=4511&cat=2&scats=48,87 when it's dry. It's fabulous for keeping her cool and the flies off her. She's never sweated under it, no matter how hot.


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## skychick (26 June 2010)

I leave paddys on 24/7 and it doesnt rub him or irritate him at all. 
Occasionaly i have to walk around the field to retrive it if he has taken it off!! but i dont worry about leaving it on at all. It would soon come off if it got caught on anything and tbh the flies are so bad untill late and they are out again so early it would be unfair to leave it off during dawn and dusk.


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## abbieandfiona (26 June 2010)

Leave them on day and night come off when i groom etc and check them over but thats it one is boett hood so attaches to rug others normal fly masks, youngster has a habit of taking it off and then sulks about the flys.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (26 June 2010)

I felt sorry for mine one night and left it off (he has sweet itch) - big mistake!  He got bitten all round his face and ears, looked awful, so shan't do that again, ever.


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## katherine1975 (26 June 2010)

Thank you for all your replies, I will leave the fly mask on all the time and check it twice a day, she seems very happy with it. Bought an equilibrium one which seems quite good - anyone else use these?


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## Mabel98 (26 June 2010)

katherine1975 said:



			Thank you for all your replies, I will leave the fly mask on all the time and check it twice a day, she seems very happy with it. Bought an equilibrium one which seems quite good - anyone else use these?
		
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i looked at the Equilibrium today but at £32 I couldn't justify the expense. i bought a similiar full face version for £8.95 from Bridleway


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## MagicMelon (26 June 2010)

I wouldn't.  I don't even use them during the day - have you tried looking through the mesh yourself?  I can barely see anything!  No wonder my horses act like their blind, hence why I use the traditional fly fringe type.


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## Dogstar (26 June 2010)

The one and only time I left Lucy's fly mask on was the other night, I was going out for a meal at 6.30pm and it was still hot. I took it off at about 11.30pm and she appeared to have collided with the fence or something- her neck was scraped, her forehead and muzzle too and she had a bruised puffy eyelid :-( I guess she couldn't see and ran/got bullied into the fence?


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## Dteccytiv (26 June 2010)

My boy has his on 24/7 with no problems, unless its raining. When i ride i swop it over for a full face and muzzle one, my boy hates the flies and head shakes.


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## The_snoopster (26 June 2010)

My girl has one on 24/7 but everyday at some point I have to go and search for it, she hangs them on posts, trees I have even found them on the wrong side of the fence where she must of tossed it over.
The flies bother her more on her neck and she will rub herself sore there so has a full fly sheet on, my vet told me to mask her eyes as she has a large pink third eyelid which he said would be sensitive to the sun.


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## wilsha (27 June 2010)

yep my pony sometimes wears an old one as he sometimes rips them


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## Moon Dancer (27 June 2010)

I dont know how true it is but i have heard that leaving fly masks on at night can impair their vision. Dont have any evidence for this but mine doesnt have his on at night.


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## AnyChance (4 August 2015)

flies have been really bad so my 2 have them left on overnight.


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## JudyS (4 August 2015)

My boy keeps his on 24/7, just removed to check on it usually twice a day and obviously for riding.  I think vision is slightly reduced but not much and this probably depends what sort you have, I have a Prem Equine from a few years back and with the standard "how well can I see through it test", it's fine.  If my boy has removed it during the night as does happen occasionally he's always bothered by the flies with watery eyes by 7 in the morning.  With it on he's fine and dandy.


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## eggs (4 August 2015)

Have left them on at night for years with no problem.  They come into the stables during the day and have the masks off.

If you hold them up close to your face (as they would be on the horse) you can easily see through them.


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## Kezzabell2 (4 August 2015)

I do leave it on but it's always off by the morning.


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## 9tails (4 August 2015)

I leave them on overnight, unless it's grey before I leave that evening.  I prefer her to not wear masks if it's raining but want them on for sun and flies.  So far so good, but I use a thin black mesh one overnight rather than the thicker grey stuff.  My horse has 4 masks, I don't like her wearing dirty ones.


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## PollyP99 (4 August 2015)

Moon Dancer said:



			I dont know how true it is but i have heard that leaving fly masks on at night can impair their vision. Dont have any evidence for this but mine doesnt have his on at night.
		
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Lol, once it's dark a piece of fine mesh is not going to make a bit of difference.


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## Floxie (4 August 2015)

I put mine on when I turn out, and collect it from the floor when I catch to ride the next day. I'm not sure how long he wears it for


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## lamlyn2012 (4 August 2015)

katherine1975 said:



			Thank you for all your replies, I will leave the fly mask on all the time and check it twice a day, she seems very happy with it. Bought an equilibrium one which seems quite good - anyone else use these?
		
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Yes, I've bought one recently and really like it. Nice soft padding which doesn't seem to rub. However, if you read the useage instructions I'm pretty sure it says not to be left on all day and night.


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## xgemmax (4 August 2015)

Yes mine has his on 24/7 and I just take off to ride or groom, he can still manage to get around in the dark


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