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Liz & her horse - 06-01-2001
Dear Sid,
Here is the copy from the article which we ran in Equestrian Trade News, May
issue. Please feel free to use it on the website. I would add that, since my
horse appears to have gained confidence in the Guardian Mask and in his
new-found state of comfort and security, he has stopped head-shaking
altogether. Even the nose twitching has practically disappeared. This has
taken about three weeks - and the difference in the horse is unbelievable.
He wears his Mask throughout the hours of daylight, even on three/four hour
rides it has not once rubbed him or made him sore - it really helps keep the
flies off too!
Thanks for such a wonderful invention.
With best regards,
Liz Benwell.
COPY FOLLOWS
Seeing the
light over head-shaking
No-one really knows what causes head-shaking, a very specific problem some
unfortunate horses develop as soon as the Spring/summer comes. The main
symptom is a violent jerking of the head, so severe in some cases
that it becomes dangerous to ride the horse. Others continually try to rub
their noses on the ground.
The chances are some of your customers will own head-shakers. Sadly, writes
Liz Benwell, I have such a horse. On a cloudy, drizzly day, he's a joy to
ride; but when the sun shines in summer, we both suffer. Last year, I tried
various herbal remedies with some slight improvement from NAF D-Tox but no
firm solutions. This year, I have been exploring a theory that head-shaking
could be triggered by the sun's UV rays. Having found some amazing case
histories at
www.guardianmask.com , I contacted the inventor and distributor
of the original Guardian Multi-Purpose Horse Mask, Californian based Sid
Eby.
I grew up by the ocean, Sid explained. And we had to wear sunglasses,
or we got terrible headaches. Some people think head-shaking is a behavioral
problem, but horses which are sensitive to UV rays are actually in
unbelievable pain - a pain which travels down the nerves of the face right
into the muzzle. Sid came up with the Guardian Mask partly to address this
problem, and also to tackle America's enormous fly problem.
I've seen horses
with their faces eaten raw by insects in the summer. Now many vets and
veterinary hospitals have caught onto the Guardian Mask too, using it to
help horses with Uveitis, cataracts, glaucoma or cancer. With its
interchangeable eye covers, it can offer 80 percent UV eye protection, 95
percent "sunshade" protection, or blackout patches for injured or
diseased eyes.
The eye covers neatly slot into "sockets" secured
with Velcro, the mask being held in place with adjustable Velcro straps over
the headpiece and under the throat. Nose covers are also available.
Safe to be worn either loose in the field, or over a head collar or bridle,
the mask takes seconds to put on, is easy to rinse clean and very well
finished.
Did it work?
I first tried the Guardian Mask on a bright, still, unseasonably warm April
afternoon when my horse would normally have been left in the field or shade
of his stable. And, yes, it worked! The violent jerking of the head
completely disappeared. There was a slight nose irritation still (probably
due to pollens, head-shaking almost
certainly being due to a combination of factors) but my un-rideable horse
was suddenly rideable again.
Now he wears it in the field on bright days, and always for riding unless
it's overcast and/or raining. We have even jumped in the Guardian Mask - so
he must be able to see! - and not once has it slipped or moved.
Most amazing of all, especially for a horse who was very suspicious of the
thing when he first saw it, he now practically dives into his Guardian Mask.
Makes you wonder....
Email
guardianmaskrep@aol.com. The Guardian Mask is not generally available in the UK, but Mr. Eby is
interested to talk to potential distributors.
**Note: The Guardian Mask
Products are now sold worldwide. We have several distributors
in the UK. For more information, contact Guardian Mask.
Thank you Liz for sharing your
personal experience as well as the article that was very well written.
We truly appreciate your review and update. Many thanks to you as
well Liz, you began spreading the word in Europe which has helped educate
thousands upon thousands more. Your article drew an incredible
amount of attention which has opened the eyes of Veterinarians and
Universities in the far reaches of the globe and now the benefits of these
products are being more seriously looked at.
Guardian Mask
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