Saturday encore ~ George and Alan, fashion trendsetters

Because the face flies this year are driving us all stark. raving. mad! ... I thought I would repeat this post from September 2010, wherein George and Alan discover the beauty and function of free-standing fly fringes. I've yet to be able to find a source in the U.S. for these marvelous inventions. There's a link in the post below where you can purchase them from England. These fringes are holding up very admirably and carry the 7MSN seal of approval.

Post-processing: 1. Lightened shadows on Alan's face using shadow/highlights adjustment panel; 2. PW's Boost action at 39%

I'll admit – the first time I saw George and Alan walking down the runway in their latest fashions, I was taken aback.

But in this case, fashion equals function, and they're both proud to be modeling the latest in field-safe fly fringes.

Unlike traditional fly masks made of the fabric equivalent of a window screen, these fly fringes allow me to see my boys' beautiful eyes, and they seem to be very effective at keeping the flies away. Maybe it's the movement of the fringe that makes them work or maybe the flies are laughing so hard that they can't land. Whatever.


I can turn the boys out in the pasture wearing these, reasonably confident that they're not going to hurt themselves. They are free-standing, unlike other fringes which must be attached to a halter or bridle.


I was surprised that neither Alan nor George made a fuss when I put their fringes on. They obviously know a good thing when they see through it. If somebody tried to attach a bowl of spaghetti to my head, I think I'd be running the other way.


I learned about these fly fringes from the Donkey Sanctuary in the United Kingdom. They had a campaign this summer to raise money to buy fringes for all 500 of their elderly donkeys. That is not a typo. Overall, they have 2,087 donkeys, mules and ponies in their care. This picture shows Annie Brown, their general farm manager, with some of the elderly herd. I think I want Annie's job.

Anyway, the Donkey Sanctuary found a source for the field-safe fringes in the U.K., and that's where I ordered three for my boys (yes, Hank got one, too, although the flies aren't bugging him enough yet to wear it). The company is called Barnstormers, and here is the link to the page with the fringes. (For three fringes plus shipping from the U.K., I paid $26.62.)

But back to the Donkey Sanctuary... I am simply in awe of what they do and how they do it. They've been around for 40 years and work worldwide to improve conditions for donkeys and mules. They are everything an animal rescue should be...a million times over. Here is their facebook page and here is their website if you'd like to learn more about them.