Who Was That Masked Man?

If you were around in the 50’s you’d well remember “The Lone Ranger” and Tonto.  I haven’t seen the new version so I can’t comment on that.  At the end of every episode, as they were galloping out-of-town, someone would always ask “Who was that masked man?”

When I put fly masks on my horses, in the morning, I always say that to Zoey.  She looks at me weird, since that is not part of her vocabulary, but she thinks I’m a little strange anyway.

To mask or not to mask, that is the question.  I don’t think that’s really what Shakespeare was thinking about when he wrote those famous words.  Anyway.  Some people never put a mask on.  Some horses never need them.  But some do.

Living here in Florida there are days (depending on the wind directions) that my horses are looking for a mask first thing in the morning.  And then there are times that they really don’t want them on at all.  Those annoying little bugs like to drink from the fountain of youth (tear duct) of the horses eyes.  However, there are more reasons than that to put a mask on.

The two Mustangs that came in from Tennessee reacted to the different allergens here in Florida.  Eyes got puffy and teary, which in turn attracted flies.  The mask helped keep the pollen out, and the flies away.

On a windy day there is so much “stuff” blowing in the wind (I don’t think that Peter, Paul, and Mary had that in mind when they sang that song either) that a mask is also a good idea.  Eye infections are a lot of work to cure, some more than others.

The UV rays can, over time, create sight problems.  Masks are a good way to cut down on the rays.  They’re easier to keep on than sun glasses.

Then I have Miss Savannah who has a pink nose that gets sun burned.  A fly mask that comes down and covers her nose is just perfect for her.

Before we had fly masks we used Desitin, baby tush ointment.  we made a circle around their eyes.  They all looked like Indian Ponies back then.  That is before we ever heard of Swat.  Then everyone had pink circles around their eyes.  I just always worried that they would rub it into their eyes.  They never did.

I have never seen as many eye problems as I have in Florida.  I don’t know it’s “just a Florida thing” I guess.   I asked the vet why, and that’s what she told me.  There are a lot of “just a Florida things”, but eye problems are something I could live without.  It must have something to do with hot humid weather that fungus and bacteria thrive in.  I don’t know, but it only takes me a couple of seconds to put a mask on, and take it off in the evening.  So why not.

So the next time you put on your sun glasses stop and think – Hey, maybe my horse would like a mask?  They have them now in designer patterns.  My girlfriend got one with sun glasses printed on it.

Even if you don’t live in Florida, and don’t have flies, saving your horses sight is “A Good Thing.”  According to Martha Stewart.  Well I don’t really know if she thinks that, but everything she creates she says is a good thing, so I’ll just borrow that from her too.  Why not.  Shakespeare, Peter, Paul, Mary, and Martha have all contributed to this post.

It’s a cheap insurance, to saving their eyes.

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