The Great Battle Between Horses and Fly Masks: Protection or Fashion Faux Pas?

Fly masks: the unsung heroes of the equestrian world—or the sartorial disasters of the century? If you’ve ever tried to put one on a horse, you know the struggle is real. Protection against bugs? Yes. But will your horse tolerate this fashion statement? Probably not.

Emily Carter, our pony enthusiast, says it’s a must. “Fly masks are so important,” she insists while proudly sporting a neon-pink mask on her pony, Biscuit. “They might look ridiculous, but do you want your horse looking like a bug buffet? No thanks.”

However, Sarah “Saz” Mitchell, our no-nonsense yard owner, has seen enough drama to last a lifetime. “Fly masks? Necessary. Fashion statement? Not so much,” she grumbles as she wrestles one onto a particularly uncooperative horse. “I get it, they’re not stylish, but these masks save me from playing human fly swatter all day.”

But the real fun begins when horses decide they’re not having it. Biscuit, for example, doesn’t just resist the mask; she rebels. “She’ll get her best field buddy to chew it off, or she’ll rub her face on a tree or fence post until it’s off. It’s like a full-on partnership in crime,” Emily says with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

And don’t get us started on fly rugs. “They look great, but they’re a one-way ticket to financial destruction,” Saz sighs. “I spend a fortune on them, only to have them shredded after a single day of rolling in the dirt. It’s like the horses are in on some secret competition to see who can ruin them first.”

Emily agrees, adding, “Fly rugs are more about how much money you’ve wasted than anything else. I put Biscuit in a new one, and ten minutes later, it’s a pile of fabric and broken dreams. But hey, at least it works—kind of.”

At the end of the day, fly masks and rugs are here to stay, whether your horse likes them or not. “They may not be Paris Fashion Week material,” Saz says, adjusting a mask that’s already slipping off, “but if they save my horses from bugs, they’re worth it. Even if they’re a bit… fashion challenged.”

Whilst horses may never fully understand the benefits of fly protection, they’ll make sure we never forget, treating every fly mask and rug like a challenge to be destroyed by any means necessary.