Gooby eyes need Flyveils By Design...
She was a beautiful creature. One that would catch your eyes no matter where she was. Her mane was cascading down her shoulders and over her back. Her tail was the same flaxen colour and it was nearly touching the ground. Her chestnut coat had been brushed to perfection. No added feed supplement would be able to replace the hard work that was needed to produce that shine! She had four white socks that rose to cover her fetlocks, they were also clean and dazzled in the sunlight. She lifted her head and turned to check me out. Her face was perfectly shaped with a large white blaze that ran over her eyes and down over her muzzle ending just past her lips on her chin. There was a strip of pink skin that ran over her nostril and covered one side of her lips.
I sighed..not for admiration for such an eye catcher..but for the extra work that white face was going to give me! Yes, my mate had bought a stunner. But as the horse was kept at my place it was going to me that had to tend to the sunburn and the 'gooby eyes'.
Very soon she was known as "Miss Muck." She had a pedigree as long as your arm and a name I couldn’t pronounce, but she loved the dam and her coat had quickly become the same colour as clay. I don’t think I ever saw her the same colour as when she first arrived. I watched her on many occasions hear the horse float rattle up the drive to pick her up to go for a ride, and watch her as she found the most disgusting manure covered area...and roll. She would then gallop up to the gate and wait patiently to show off her newest hair style(!).
As with many horses that have big white blazes, pink skin or sensitive skin, especially around the face, it is a good idea to get a fly veil on them before any damage is done. There are many different type, styles and designs on the market today, and their prices match the variety.
But what you really need is a flyveil that is easy to put on, easy to use and is cost effective. At One Stop Horse Shop we stock FLYVEILS BY DESIGN. They are an Australian company and all their fly veils are handmade. This is a great way to be assured that you are getting a great quality made product. They are made out of a strong mesh that provides 70% UV protection. It’s like putting a pair of sun glasses on. (That your mischievous steed has more trouble rubbing off.) This alone, in the harsh Australian conditions makes great sense. We are told to avoid being unprotected in the midday sun, so what about our mighty steeds?
When you have horses with blazes that cover eyes, there is sometimes a lack of pigment in these sensitive areas. Appaloosas, cremellos and paints are some of the breeds afflicted with this magical pink skin, and this can make the horses more sensitive to light and sunburn.
Flyveils By Design are easy to clean and easy to use; they can be slipped on with or without a halter and they come in a great variety of sizes, including mini, pony, cob, full, extra-large and draft. At One Stop Horse Shop all sizes are priced equally – so you won’t pay any more to fit a draft sized horse. Hooray!
We stock the three main types of Flyveils from Flyveils By Design. The budget model is your basic mask that covers the eyes, or if you have a horse with a sensitive nose; whether it is white or a lovely pink colour, there is the extended nose fly mask. It is shaped around the nose for extra protection and for the horses comfort. There is also the 100% Block Out Nose that has ripstop canvas underneath the mesh nose, for the ultimate in pink-nose protection.
As for the gooby, crusty, weeping, mucky, dirty, icky, half closed swollen like a goldfish eyes...well the mesh will protect them from a lot of the dust and debris that is blown around in the wind. For those of you that have horses that end up with goldfish eyes, you know that you would do anything to help prevent this unsightly and uncomfortable condition.
We only stock the budget, extended and 100% block out flyveils in black, as we feel that this is the easiest colour for horses to see through clearly, and are most effective in cutting down the glare from the sun. We can special order in a variety of other colours however, and Flyveils By Design also produce fly masks with ears, or with fur lining, for extra comfort. Just contact us for details on these.
BUT...
What happens when you have one of those horses? You know the ones...Can’t keep a halter on let alone a fly veil. And when you realise it’s gone, it’s in a hundred pieces all through the paddock(!). So let me tell you what we can do to help - in my next blog...BURNT NOSES.
And before you go - gallop on over to order your flyveils here >
Leanne xoxoxox