I have hauled horses to more jackpots than I can count, and there is one piece of gear I never load without. It is not the fancy saddle or the quick-release breast collar. It is a good fly mask. The Cashel Crusader Fly Mask with the long nose and ears has been on my horses for years, and it earns its spot in the trailer every single weekend.
If you have ever watched a barrel horse toss his head through the warm-up pen while a dozen flies work on his face, you already know the problem. A horse that cannot see clearly and cannot stand still is not ready to run. Here are ten reasons a good fly mask matters for your rodeo horse, and why the Cashel Crusader is the one I reach for.
Keep Your Horse's Eyes on the Pattern, Not on the Flies
The Cashel Crusader Fly Mask with long nose and ears is the mask I trust from the trailer to the arena. Check today's price on Amazon and see why it belongs in your tack room.
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Flies buzzing around the eyes make a horse flinch, and a flinch at the wrong moment costs you tenths. The Cashel Crusader's mesh is fine enough to keep flies off but clear enough that my horses see the barrels and the ground exactly as they should. When Biscuit can see the pattern, he runs it the way I asked him to. At a jackpot last June, he clocked a 16.8 after a full afternoon of flies in the warm-up pen, and the only difference from the run before was that he could see the whole pattern without blinking.
It Cuts Down on Head Tossing in the Warm-Up Pen
A horse fighting flies is a horse not paying attention to you. The long nose and ears on the Cashel Crusader cover the spots where flies land the most, so my horses stand quiet while I saddle and warm them up. That quiet saves energy, and energy saved in the warm-up is energy left for the run. I have watched Biscuit stand tied to the trailer for an hour at a hot August jackpot while other horses stomped and threw their heads, and he just stood there with his eyes half closed, saving it all for the pattern.
Fewer Eye Infections Means Fewer Missed Runs
Flies carry all kinds of junk, and a horse that rubs his eyes against a fence post can end up with an infection that benches him for weeks. The Cashel Crusader keeps the flies off the eye itself, which means less rubbing and fewer vet calls. I have missed too many runs to a sore eye to ever haul without a mask again. A few years back I left the mask at home for one weekend, and Biscuit came home with a swollen, weeping eye that cost me two weeks of training and a vet bill I still remember. That was the last time I loaded without it.
It Holds Up to the Trailer Ride
A fly mask that slides off on the highway is useless. The Cashel Crusader stays put on the trailer ride, even with a horse that likes to rub his head on the divider. I have pulled into a jackpot after a two-hour haul and found the mask exactly where I left it, which is more than I can say for cheaper masks I have tried. The adjustable straps and the way the ears anchor it mean I do not have to climb into the trailer at every fuel stop to straighten it.
The Long Nose Keeps Flies Off the Muzzle and Face
Flies do not just bother the eyes. They land on the muzzle, the cheeks, and the corners of the mouth, and a horse that is constantly twitching his lips is not relaxed. The long nose on the Cashel Crusader covers that whole area, so my horses can stand in the sun and actually rest instead of fighting flies. On a long day at the fairgrounds, that means Biscuit drinks better and eats better between runs, and a horse that stays hydrated runs stronger in the evening go-round.
Ear Coverage Stops the Head Shake Before It Starts
Flies in the ears are one of the fastest ways to make a horse throw his head. The Cashel Crusader covers the ears without pressing on them, so my horses can keep their ears forward and their attention on me. A horse with his ears up is a horse that is listening, and that is the horse I want in the arena. The first time I put this mask on Biscuit, the head shaking stopped before we even left the barn aisle, and it has not come back since.
It Doubles as Sun Protection for Light-Sensitive Horses
A horse with a light-colored face can get sunburned just like a person, and the sun makes a horse squint and duck his head. The Cashel Crusader blocks a good share of that glare, which keeps my horses more comfortable on bright summer afternoons. Comfortable horses are calmer horses, and calmer horses run better. I have a friend whose paint mare will not stand still in the sun without a mask, and the Crusader is the only one she has found that stays put while the mare grazes.
It Saves You Money on Fly Spray
I still use fly spray on the body, but I use a lot less of it on the face because the mask is doing that job. A bottle of fly spray lasts me noticeably longer when my horses wear the Cashel Crusader in the trailer and the warm-up pen. Over a long summer, that adds up to real savings. I used to go through a big bottle every three weeks from May to September; now one bottle covers me for most of the season, and I do not have to worry about spray running into a horse's eyes right before a run.
It Keeps the Peace at the Rodeo Grounds
Rodeo grounds are crowded, dusty, and full of strange horses. A horse that is miserable from flies is a horse that is more likely to kick out or spook at something he would normally ignore. The Cashel Crusader keeps my horses comfortable and settled, which keeps me and everyone around me safer in the warm-up pen. When Biscuit is comfortable, he stands quiet while the other horses crowd past, and a quiet horse in a crowded pen is a safer horse for everybody.
It Lasts Season After Season
I have had Cashel Crusader masks last through multiple summers of hauling, washing, and hard use. The stitching holds, the mesh stays tight, and the straps keep their adjustment. When a piece of gear lasts that long, the price per use gets small fast, and that is the kind of math I understand. I have one that has been through three full seasons, countless washings in the utility sink, and more trailer miles than I can count, and it still fits like it did the day it arrived.
What I'd Skip
I would skip the cheap masks that promise the world and fall apart in a month. I have bought them, and they slide off, tear at the seams, or let flies in around the edges. I would also skip any mask that does not cover the ears if your horse is sensitive there. The Cashel Crusader is not the cheapest mask on the shelf, but it is the one that actually does the job, and that is what matters when you are hauling to a jackpot.
A horse that cannot see clearly and cannot stand still is not ready to run. The Cashel Crusader keeps my horses comfortable from the trailer to the arena, and that comfort shows up in the pattern.
Give Your Rodeo Horse the Comfort He Deserves
From the trailer to the warm-up pen to the arena, the Cashel Crusader Fly Mask with long nose and ears keeps flies off and your horse's head in the game. Check today's price on Amazon and add it to your tack room.
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