Fly Mask Recommendation?

[jayne]

Hi Everybody,

I was wondering if you had a recommendation for a supplier/vendor of fly masks that actually FIT miniature horses? I ordered some Kensington Miniature Horse Fly Masks from Horse.com and couldn't believe what I got! The 'eyes' were as far apart as a regular horse mask, yet the strap wasn't long enough to reach around even my tiniest-headed horse. There is no way that these were ever tested on a real miniature horse, I can guarantee you that! I've got three very regular minis, with two at 31" and one at 36", so nothing extraordinary.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions. ~jayne

 

[JMS Miniatures]

http://minitack.com/cafm.htm

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I always buy Kensington masks from Ozark and they fit great. They are adjustable under the muzzle and over the poll. I wonder why yours from Horse did not fit? The Crusader with ears from Ozark works great, too. They only velcro under the muzzle but fit nicely and stay on well.

 

[atotton]

I always get Kensington too. no problems fitting my minis.

 

[jayne]

Thanks for your feedback, guys. I guess I should have tried more than one of them, because maybe the one I did try was faulty, but the others might have been better? I did like the adjustment at the poll, but seriously, I could just not make the darn thing work! I just returned them today, too. Oh well!

 

[AngC]

I’ve only tried one type of fly mask, made by Farnam, called a SuperMask. I bought one to try, and it seemed to do the job so I went back and bought the rest they had on the shelf. They look a lot like photos of the Kensington brand that I just looked at on the internet. I’ve used the Farnam brand for a couple years now and hand-wash, hangar-dry, about once a week. The mesh is still nice and crisp and the purple fake fur is still floofy. They had them at the co-op in Arlington. The box pops open easily so you could have a look-see before you buy.

I don’t know that horse height matters so much (vice the size of the horse head) but to give you an idea, our two adults are about 31 inches. They seem to fit fairly well; the straps are long enough (if anything our adults are on the “big-headed” size.) The other fit factor is the spacing of the darts, which works well for the grown-ups. I have not yet tried one on Baby; she’ll be a year old end of next month, but just from eyeballing it, I’m dubious that they’ll fit her well; her head’s still too small. I’ve been looking at one with the idea of cutting it down and sewing it back together to fit her. I haven’t quite figured out how to sew the mesh and get the darts right, though.

 

[JAX]

Jayne

I ordered 20 of thoses fly masks. Had the same problem as you. I tried all of them. I will be contacting Kensington to see if they will trade them towards their blankets which I LOVE! Good luck. Oh by the way I do have two of the Farnam and they worked great for my minis.

 

[Minimor]

FARNAM! I have two of their masks and they work great. Tried a Crusader for my pony and it is horrible--I do not like the way the ear opening fits around the ears--NOT AT ALL. Besides that--the nose piece is far too long.

FARNAM is the only one I will buy after this.

 

[BSharpRanch]

I gave up and just make my own. Took me a few years to get the pattern just right, but my guys just use one a year on average. A few have masks (usable almost new condition) that are three years old!

 

[targetsmom]

I get mine from Star Lake. I think they come in three sizes and the large and medium fit most of our minis. They have ears and 2 strips of velcro under the chin.

 

[Grace67]

I like the Cashel Crusader fly masks for both my big and little horses, fit well and are comfy for them and seem to stay on better. I did order a couple Kensingtons this year to have as spares because they were on sale but I haven't tried them on my horses yet.

 

[jayne]

Thanks again, friends, for your help. Whew, I KNEW I wasn't going crazy, and it's good to have confirmation I wasn't the only one who had trouble with them. I'll check out Farnam and Crusader, and also see what's at the local Co-op, too! Thanks!

 

[Grace67]

After reading your thread Jayne I went out and tried the Kensingtons on my horses and they don't fit, they are too snug for my boys so I'll definitely be sticking with the Cashels this year and I also have a spare Supermask that fits both.

 

[paintponylvr]

I use several different kinds of masks on ours. I haven't tried the Kensingtons, but have a feeling one would fit some of mine with smaller heads... or maybe foals... With pollen flying around, some of the silver dapples do better with fly masks on.

I LOVE the Cashel Crusader w/ the long nose and no ears. The long nose protects the cremello mare's white nose almost completely. The mesh is heavy enuf to keep it upoff of her lite blue eyes. She seems to appreciate it. This pic is actually of a short nose one that I had before I found a long nose one small enuf.

When I tried less expensive fly masks from our local feed store, they fit OK, but the mesh was light weight and kept laying down on the ponies' eyes. Didn't take long and they'd torn them up rubbing them... Worst $9 (per mask) I've ever spent. The ones that didn't get torn up, I used only for working them in... They still rubbed on the eyes enough to get very dirty!

The mini size Farnam fit all the rest of my Shetlands up to 45" in height - don't fit my smaller ones. This year I've found a supplier that not only has the new size (for A minis), but has them on sale so next payday I'm ordering several. This pic shows a farnam mask on one of our 40" driving Shetland mares - over her open driving brilde... It's not a small mask. She doens't have a tiny, petite head.

 

[MajorClementine]

I use Cashel also. I did have to stitch the ears a little smaller but the overall fit is fantastic. My minis come up every morning in the summer to get their masks on before eating or being turned out. They cost a little more but are well worth it IMO.

 

[MyMiniGal]

I'm looking at a Cashel fly mask, for my mini, and I have no idea what the sizes mean:

C/S, F/S, or an O/S. Would any of those fit an A mini?