I am a firm believer in flymasks or some kind of eye protection for horses...especially Appaloosas. We need protection from flies and other bugs, but what we really need is protection from the harmful UV rays.
The item in the photo is the cancer that was removed from my eye earlier in March. The DOR has always been pretty insistent that we wear our masks. She has made me wear one 24/7 since I came to live with mushboy. This winter I kept taking my mask off. It would get frosty and bothered me a bunch, so I would rub it off. The DOR decided to just leave it off. Now that didn't cause this cancer to grow...that is the result of years of exposure and uveitus. She did catch it right away and got it taken care of. The DOR has decided that she doesn't care if I don't want to wear a mask, she wants to do her best to protect our eyes and avoid any reoccurrence of cancer.
This mask is just a standard, no frill mask. You can get these in all sorts of colors, patterns, or with whimsical designs on them. Some even have bugged out eyes and ear covers.
This mask on Scooby, yep it resembles fly eyes, is a specially designed mask called a Guardian Mask designed to meet the needs of horses who suffer with the eye conditions such as uveitis, headshaking, glaucoma, eye cancer, cataracts and eye injuries. It does a wonderful job.
Life is so good!
Oh and Jack told me to remember to say: Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR
8 comments:
Very intersting, I had no idea these masks were anything other than to stop bothersome flies. You are very fortunate to have found someone who gives you so much care and so much love. Wonderful post!
Your DOR could put one of theose masks with ears!!! How would you like that??? I think you better just leave the one you have now, ON!!!
Flymasks are very important! Keep yours on!
My Arab has to wear one everyday during fly season, she has had eye problems due to flies and I want to make sure it doesn't happen again!
I had no idea they were for anything other than flies either. Poco has already been sunburned once this year -- on his muzzle and the large firebrand on his hip. My concern is, would he keep it on or just hurt himself trying to rip it off? Guess I wouldn't know til I try.
Leah,
Ginger is always rubbing her mask off. Salty got his hooked on a panel scratching his head and the mask just ripped. There are some masks that are easier for a horse to get off than others. I don't know of any horse that got hurt trying to get a mask off. They make some with nose shield attachments, that might help Poco's nose.
Dusty just started wearing his. They are also nice to have when trailering, so things don't get in their eyes.
First of all, Freedom, Silk and Siete want to compliment you on doing an excellent job subbing for Jack. They've always been attracted to older men. And as far as fly masks go, they hated theirs until we got the ones with the ears. Now, with those nasty gnats on the attack, they actually bend their heads down first thing in the morning to get their masks on and wear them until they go to sleep at night. Cashel makes a comfy one.
Jack- can you see through that thing?
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