Hi, Oliva the Mini Horse’s Mom here. We are teaming up with Tough1 to share a bit about how fly gear has helped my horses, and how it can help yours, too!
Our pony family is made up of two mares: Olivia, a 30-inch miniature appaloosa, and Sierra, a 14-hand, half Arabian/half Quarter Horse Pony. Both of our girls use fly gear to help protect them in various ways!
Keeping Flies Out of Your Horse's Eyes
It's the worst when spring rolls around, and you get to the barn only to find flies gathered around the corners of your horse’s eyes. Thankfully, there's an easy fix: a fly mask! There are so many styles of fly masks on the market, it's just a matter of finding the right fit for your horse so that he is comfortable and the mask doesn't fall off.
Olivia's favorite is Tough1's Bug Barrier Fly Mask for minis because literally nothing fits this mini right. The Bug Barrier is the only mask we've found that has an adjustable strap behind the ears, so we can fit it perfectly to Oliva's tiny head.
How Ears on Fly Masks Can Help
Speaking of ears, a few years back we started noticing the inside of Sierra's ears becoming covered in itchy, oozy scabs in the spring. Our vet suspected this was caused by allergies and/or bugs, so we switched to a fly mask with ears for added coverage--everything dried and cleared up almost right away!
Ear covers also help keep ticks and other bugs from crawling into your horse's ears. I’ll never forget the time I had to pull a tick from the inside of Sierra's ear! Thankfully, it hasn't happened again since she's been wearing her fly mask with ears.
Protection for Eye Injuries
Last weekend, when I got to the barn, Sierra's left eye was swollen shut. I immediately flushed it, put her fly mask on, and called the vet. He came out to examine her, and thankfully there were no scratches or ulcerations. All it took was some eye medication to clear it up in less than 24 hours.
We will never know for sure what caused it, but it's likely that she was stung by a bee or wasp. Since then, Sierra has been wearing her Tough1 Bug Barrier Fly Mask to bed at night. She's able to see completely fine to eat her hay, drink her water and curl up in her corner to sleep. We can now rest easy knowing she will wake up happy, comfy and able to see!
UV Coverage
Imagine being outside all day long, the sun shining in your eyes, with no sunglasses or visor. For horses turned out during the day, even when flies aren't that bad, a fly mask acts like sunglasses. They can be especially beneficial for horses with unpigmented skin (or pink skin) around their eyes that sunburns easily, or for breeds like Miniatures and Appaloosas who may be prone to light sensitivity or certain eye conditions. With your veterinarian's guidance, a fly mask can help these horses stay more comfortable while spending time outdoors.
Horses with white fur and unpigmented skin are not only susceptible to sunburn around their eyes, but in other sensitive areas of their body. Of course, a horse's haircoat acts as a barrier, but with a lack of melanin in their skin, these horses can be at risk for sunburn, sun damage, or other long-term risks. Sierra, for example, has a white sock with pink skin that is extra sensitive to the sun, and Olivia's mottled (spotted) skin is always very susceptible to skin issues and sunburn. Of course, there is always sun lotion (Olivia gets a bit on her nose each day!), but a much more practical layer of full-body UV protection is a fly sheet or fly boots on white socks!
Allergy Barrier
Sierra also has pretty significant seasonal allergies. She takes daily allergy medication and wears what we call her "suit of armor" every day to protect her skin not only from bug bites, but from allergens like pollen. Her eyes get very watery and goopy, and a fly mask really helps keep this under control. However, every May, like clockwork, her hives will return. She breaks out all over her neck, chest and shoulders. To stay ahead of this, we started her on allergy medication in March, and in addition to her fly mask, she now wears a fly sheet every day during turnout.
Before she had a fly sheet, I typically hosed her off twice a day and covered her with fly spray. We went through so much spray, yet she still came in with large, itchy welts from bug bites, leading her to scratch herself raw. But now, the fly sheet does its job--Sierra’s itchiness is under control, and she’s a much comfier pony. To maintain that comfort, we actually have two sheets: a standard sheet for cooler spring temperatures and an extra-thin mesh sheet for hotter summer days.
Fly Boots
Fly boots have been a great addition to Sierra’s turnout wardrobe this summer because they help protect the lower leg from annoying bugs. The bugs drive her crazy, and she is constantly stomping. At our last farrier visit, she noticed some bruising in Sierra's hooves. We talked to our vet, ran some bloodwork to make sure everything was okay, and when it came back clear, the vet recommended fly boots in case the stomping was contributing to the bruising. While we don’t know for sure, yet that stomping is the cause, what's certain is that fly boots put an immediate stop to the constant stomping! Either way, we know Sierra is much more comfortable.
All in all, our family has found fly protection to be an absolute lifesaver for our horses. If you're in need of solutions to help your horse feel more comfortable, we definitely recommend looking into these options!
From our pony family to yours, we wish you the best luck as the bug season kicks into full swing!
