A fly mask or fly cap is a mask used on

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million ...

s to cover the eyes, jaw, and sometimes the ears and muzzle to protect from

flies Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwing ...

. The mask is semi- transparent and made from a

mesh A mesh is a barrier made of connected strands of metal, fiber, or other flexible or ductile materials. A mesh is similar to a web or a net in that it has many attached or woven strands. Types * A plastic mesh may be extruded, oriented, e ...

allowing the horse to see and hear while wearing it. The mask may also provide some protection from UV-light and some are treated with insect repellent. Fly and mosquito protection is an important part of overall horse care, as biting insects are both a source of irritation and also may transmit disease. Blackstorm Basloir at Guillac

Most masks are made of black or white mesh, though some are colored, plaid or have

silkscreen Screen printing is a printing technique where a mesh is used to transfer ink (or dye) onto a substrate, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open mesh ...

ed designs on them that do not interfere with vision. Fly masks are adjusted to cover the upper head and stop about halfway down the face, but the placement of stitched darts prevents the mask from rubbing on the eyes. Most have fleece padding around the muzzle and other sensitive areas. Masks come both with and without covers for the ears. Some designs have an extended flap that covers the muzzle but does not go around the lower jaw or interfere with grazing. Most attach with

velcro Velcro, officially known as Velcro IP Holdings LLC and trading as Velcro Companies, is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fast ...

, but a few high-end designs made with mesh and stretch lycra need to incorporate zippers instead. A standard fly mask is not generally used while riding, as the stiff mesh interferes with the

bridle A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit. Headgear ...

and the minimal visual impairment of the mesh still presents a safety issue. Other styles of insect protection gear are designed for use with a bridle. One design is a crochet-like "bonnet" for the ears only, designed to be worn under a bridle without rubbing. The other is a soft, very fine mesh face and nose-covering mask designed to be worn with a bridle and not impair vision, but not sturdy enough to withstand turnout. It is generally recommended that the mask be removed and inspected daily and washed frequently. Some individuals remove the mask at night. The appearance of fly masks often raises concerns among non-horse owners, as it appears that the horse has been blindfolded. However even a durable mesh is fine enough for the horse to see through. Some masks have sunglasses or cartoon eyeballs silkscreened on them to help passers-by understand their purpose.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fly Mask Horse protective equipment Functional masks

See also

References