Poor One Eye Sally

[leigha]

You think kids are mean when another kid looks different. Poor One Eye Sally well obviously only has one eye. With the lovely wind and them liking to hang "play" on the dirt lot her missing eye was all runny so I went and bought eye cleanser and a fly mask. With a bit of grain in the bucket went out and luckly she was a friendly one so I put the halter on and rinsed that lost eye out and put the mini fly mask on. Well the rest of the crew FREAKED out and she was running after them since she didn't know they were afraid of her. Anyways now no one wants to hang out with her and one of the mares (Crystal) actually chases her off. It's so sad but she's better off with the fly mask. We shall see how it pan's out.

 

[chandab]

usually, the newness of a fly mask wears off, and they go back to interacting like they did before someone had to get wear one. If it takes longer than you like, perhaps you could put Sally and a horse she got along with before the fly mask into a small paddock so they can get to know one another again, then put them both back out with the herd after a day or two. The herd probably think you added someone new, and she looks odd to them with the fly mask. Just an idea.

 

[ThreeCFarm]

LOL. Something similar happened to us not long after we got our first mini. I clipped him, then put a sheet on him and turned him out on a windy day. The neighboring 16H QH mare ran through a fence, she was so terrified of him. He thought she (and the other horses) were running for the fun of it, so he zoomed around the pasture, which just freaked them out even more.

 

[Candice]

Poor Girl! We actually had something similar happen here this past winter. It was quite funny actually. We clipped one of our geldings to show so he was blanketed. When I turned everyone out he was one of the last to be turned out. He came flying out of the barn at mach one straight into the herd. They all took one look at this purple thing flying at them and took off in every different direction. Poor Buck had no idea they were afraid of him and he just ran along after them which added to the frenzy. After about 10 min. everyone settled down. As the winter progressed and the up and down weather we had here in Fl this year just about everyone ended up blanketed so "that novelty" isn't so new here anymore.

Interesting about the fly masks though. I've considered getting them and never once thought they might frighten each other. Food for thought.

 

[jayne]

ALL my horses wear fly masks (from the draft to the donkeys and the minis) all summer, so I say get a few more fly masks and put them on some or everyone, that way poor One Eyed Sally will not be the only one! My horses love their fly masks and stand at their gates in the morning waiting for me to come and put them on. It also helps that they get a little peppermint or berry-good treat after they're on!

Don't forget to take them off at night. They can't see as well with them in the dark!

Jayne

 

[shorthorsemom]

yup, I agree, everybody should get fly masks. My guys love theirs. After a couple of weeks of my younger boy pulling it off the older boy and teasing him with it they mostly leave them alone now. They LOVE them and wait patiently for me to put them on. It is a really good idea to put them on the appys especially for sun shade on those eyes. I love the "one eye sally story" and the blanket story, had me cracking up with thinking how funny horses can be. Good tip on the off at night for the masks Jayne, I found that out by accident after watching my one boy walk in very slowly one night.