Abstract:
An equine mask and sun visor combination that protects the face and eyes of the horse against several environmental insults simultaneously, including insects, water-born particulates and direct sunlight. A second layer of UV-opaque material is added to a first UV-retarding screen layer to form a sun visor disposed to protect the horse&#39;s eyes from direct sunlight and precipitation without blocking the horse&#39;s vision. The two distinct mask layers are joined in a manner that forms a single equine mask assembly which neither irritates nor discomforts the horse during long-term continuous wear.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to protective coverings for domestic animals and more particularly to an equine mask and sun visor assembly. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    For large animals, horses tend to be very sensitive and have unique veterinary problems. Horses have a relatively “thin” skin and can have a wide variety of skin problems. The horse&#39;s skin must protect it from many environmental insults, including trauma, parasites, insects, ultraviolet (UV) light and temperature extremes, for example. 
         [0005]    Equine skin disorders can be classified in several different ways. Specific skin problems affect specific breeds, ages, and colors of horses. Different breeds are predisposed to specific skin problems, either indirectly through breed characteristics like color, or directly through genetics. Thoroughbred horses tend to be thin skinned and more sensitive to insect irritation and inflammation. Horses with non-pigmented skin like appaloosas and paint horses with white hair and pink skin are predisposed to skin cancer, like squamous cell carcinoma. The “true gray” is associated with a familiar, unique skin cancer. 
         [0006]    Especially in the summer, when horses are ridden more and are reproductively active, horses tend to have more injuries, skin wounds and exposure to infectious disease. Intense summer solar radiation causes sunburn and photosensitization. Flies and insects contribute to a whole host of different skin-associated problems and other disease. Even dust can be very irritating to horse&#39;s eyes when combines with precipitation. Horses with white faces often sunburn, especially on the muzzle and about the eyes. Paint horses with short coats are particularly at risk, especially those with non-pigmented skin on the top line. High SPF sunscreens can be helpful for areas that burn. Simple sunburn differs from “photosensitization” (hypersensitivity to sunlight), which is a potentially serious skin condition characterized by sunburned, crusty skin that can die and slough away. It is usually caused by a reaction to something the horse has eaten, but the skin problem doesn&#39;t appear until the horse is exposed to sunlight and the condition is especially troubling when it occurs around the eyes. 
         [0007]    Horse masks and blankets may be helpful but often offer too little protection from sunburn to sensitive areas around the eyes, especially when the horse is housed outside and exposed to the sun for the entire day. The typical “fly” mask known in the art provides some incidental sun protection but is adapted mainly for insect screening and any sun protection is merely incidental to the primary purpose of the mask. Moreover, the typical “fly” mask provides practically no incidental protection against other environmental insults to the horse&#39;s eyes, such as dirt, dust, water and water-borne particulates. 
         [0008]    The lack of protective pigment gives some horse breeds their flashy color but it also makes them sensitive to the harmful effects of the sun, especially around the eyes. One useful method for protecting such animals from the sun is to stable them inside a closed stable for most of the day, thereby limiting sun exposure to short outdoor excursion intervals. 
         [0009]    But horses have evolved as gregarious and free ranging animals to spend perhaps 60% of their time grazing in less sunny latitudes and continually moving over their home range together in close knit herds. Stabled horses are restricted to one or two hours exercise per day, have restricted social interaction and restricted mealtimes, quickly eating the concentrated rations provided. In these conditions stabled horses can develop emotional problems manifesting as repetitive, invariant and apparently purposeless activities such as licking, crib biting, weaving, box walking and pawing. These activities apparently are mechanisms for coping with the prolonged periods of boredom and frustration that have been shown to significantly increase corticosteroid blood levels damaging to long-term health. 
         [0010]    Avoiding this emotional “stable-fever” requires identification of stimulating environments for the horse, especially early in life, and the simplest such environment is outside housing. However, the current art obliges the horse owner to choose between housing a frustrated horse inside to provide protection from serious environmental insults such as UV radiation, and exposing a non-frustrated horse to such insults while housed outside during the entire long summer day. 
         [0011]    The art is replete with various mask assemblies for horses intended to protect against insects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,891 issued to McMahon discloses a protective mask for a horse having a cap shaped to conform to a top region of a horse&#39;s head with two sleeves integral to the cap for receiving the ears of the horse and an opening between the sleeves for passing through a forelock of the horse. McMahon&#39;s invention also includes a mesh face panel and a nosepiece sealed to prevent insects from passing under the nosepiece and having a fringed nose panel extending downward to a point short of the horse&#39;s nostrils to insects from landing on the horse&#39;s nose and from passing under the nosepiece. Other than the little incidental sun protection provided by the insect mesh, McMahon neither considers nor suggests adapting his insect mask assembly to provide protection against the sun, dust or water. 
         [0012]    As another example, in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2008/0 092 497, Chang discloses a horse mask formed of a stiff thermoplastic mesh material with at least one swelling section formed over the horse&#39;s eyes to prevent contact with the eyes. Other than the little incidental sun protection provided by the stiff thermoplastic mesh, Chang neither considers nor suggests adapting his insect mask assembly to provide protection against the sun, dust or water. 
         [0013]    Because of a prevalent belief that more than one mask layer is cumbersome and uncomfortable to the horse, practitioners in the art generally teach away from adding protection from other environmental insults to the horse&#39;s eyes, such as dirt, dust, water and waterborne particulates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,751 issued to Edwards discloses a horse insect mask or halter manufactured by folding a single piece of screen material according to a pattern that ensures the formation of rigid darts in the portion of the mask corresponding to the eyes of the horse. Edwards teaches that more than one mask layer is cumbersome and uncomfortable to the horse and, other than the little incidental sun protection provided by the screen material, neither considers nor suggests adapting his insect mask assembly to provide protection against the sun, dust or water. 
         [0014]    Although many practitioners including the inventor are convinced that outdoor housing is still the most natural and desirable stabling option for horses, the traditional fly masks, fly veils, and fly shields known in the art, at best, provide no more than a 70% ultraviolet (UV) ray block, which is not sufficient for long-term outdoor stabling. 
         [0015]    Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need for the protection of the eyes and surrounding regions of sensitive horses during the long periods of outdoor housing from an accumulation of environmental insults such as dust, precipitation, water-borne particulates, flying insects and UV radiation. These unresolved problems and deficiencies are clearly felt in the art and are solved by this invention in the manner described below. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    This invention solves these problems by adding, to a first UV-retarding mesh fore-mask layer, a second sun visor layer of UV-opaque material to form sun visor disposed to protect the horse&#39;s eyes from all direct sunlight without blocking the horse&#39;s vision. This invention arises from the unexpectedly advantageous observation that two separate mask layers may be joined in a new way to form a horse mask assembly that neither irritates nor discomforts the horse during continuous wear. For the first time, this invention permits the fabrication of a horse mask assembly that protects continuously against several serious environmental insults while screening flies and insects. 
         [0017]    It is a purpose of this invention to protect a horse&#39;s eyes and face from serious environmental insults such as UV radiation, dirt, dust, water and water-borne particulates while housed outside for long periods without material interference with horse vision. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, the invention is an equine sun visor assembly for a horse having a head with ears and eyes, the assembly including a sun visor shaped to conform to the top of the head and having an opening for each of the ears with a posterior visor cap portion shaped to generally conform to at least part of the posterior of the head and an anterior sun visor formed of a substantially opaque material coupled to and extending from the posterior visor cap portion and having a width sufficient to extend laterally across both eyes and a length sufficient to shade the eyes from direct sunlight, and a fore-mask panel coupled to and extending from the posterior visor cap portion under the anterior sun visor and having a width sufficient to extend laterally across both eyes and a length sufficient to cover both eyes. 
         [0019]    The foregoing, together with other objects, features and advantages of this invention, can be better appreciated with reference to the following specification, claims and the accompanying drawing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description of the embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which like reference designations represent like features throughout the several views and wherein: 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a sketch illustrating an oblique perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the equine sun visor assembly of this invention fitted on a horse; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a sketch illustrating a front perspective view of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1  fitted on a horse; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a scaled pattern view of the fore-mask panel element of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1  before assembly; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a scaled pattern view of the fore-mask stabilizer element of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1  before assembly; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3C  illustrates a scaled pattern view of the posterior visor cap element of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1  before assembly; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3D  illustrates a scaled pattern view of the anterior sun visor element of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1  before assembly; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a sketch illustrating an oblique perspective view of the assembly of the fore-mask panel and fore-mask stabilizer elements of  FIGS. 3A and 3D  to form a stiffened fore-mask element of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a sketch illustrating an oblique perspective view of the assembly of the posterior visor cap portion and the anterior sun visor elements of  FIGS. 3-D  with the stiffened fore-mask element of  FIG. 4  to form the main portion of the equine sun visor assembly embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a sketch illustrating an oblique perspective view of the head measurements preferred for determining the pattern dimensions of the four equine sun visor assembly elements of  FIGS. 3A-D . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    One work-around solution to this problem attempted by the inventor was to add duct tape to the upper portion of a traditional fly mask to enhance the sun block efficiency. This was found to be only temporary and required frequent replacement. Once removed, the tape also left a sticky residue that attracted dust and debris, increasing mask irritation to the horse. 
         [0031]    The inventor continued to experiment and eventually created an assembly that is durable, fits comfortably, and provides consistent shielding protection. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  provides an oblique perspective view of a preferred embodiment  10  of the equine sun visor assembly of this invention fitted on a horse  12  having a head  14  with ears  16 R- 16 L and eyes  18 R- 18 L. Equine sun visor assembly  10  further includes a sun visor  20  with the two openings  22 R- 22 L for ears  16 R- 16 L and a fore-mask panel  24  terminating in a muzzle seal  26  disposed to prevent insects and debris from passing under fore-mask panel  24 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  provides a front perspective view of equine sun visor assembly  10  and better illustrates the structure of sun visor  20 , which includes a posterior visor cap portion  28  fitted to the posterior of head  14  and the anterior sun visor  30 , which is coupled to and extends from posterior visor cap portion  28  at the anterior seams  32 ,  33  ( FIG. 1) and 35  (hidden) to shield eyes  18 R- 18 L from light and precipitation arriving generally from above without blocking the lateral vision of horse  12 , substantially as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . 
         [0034]    Although not visible in  FIGS. 1-2  (see  FIG. 5 ), fore-mask panel  24  is coupled to posterior visor cap portion  28  at anterior seams  32 ,  33  and  35  to ensure that anterior sun visor  30  is precisely disposed to provide optimal protection from ultraviolet (UV) light and precipitation from above without impairing the vision of horse  12 . Anterior sun visor  30  is wide enough to extend laterally across both eyes  18 R- 18 L and long enough to provide protection from UV light and precipitation arriving from the front, sides, and above, substantially as shown. The protection from precipitation is an important feature of this invention which is needed for the many horses suffering from chronic conjunctivitis, a condition caused by irritating effects of dust &amp; debris, which is often transferred to the eyes by precipitation. 
         [0035]    The “wrap-around” disposition and the precise location control of anterior sun visor  30  is an important feature of this invention. The precise placement of anterior sun visor  30  ensures optimal protection without interfering with the horse&#39;s vision. Eyes  18 R- 18 L are located bilaterally on the sides of head  14 , which provides horse  12  with monocular peripheral vision and a nearly 360 degree field of view. This requires the precise control of visor location during the usual horse activities to avoid interfering with vision or losing protection over long periods of wear. 
         [0036]    In accordance with this invention, fore-mask panel  24  is formed of a substantially translucent mesh material adapted to screen insects and larger particulates without substantially interfering with vision, as discussed below in connection with  FIG. 4 . 
         [0037]    In accordance with this invention, anterior sun visor  30  (and preferably posterior visor cap portion  28 ) is formed of a substantially opaque fabric material adapted to block 98% of all UV light and is sufficiently water-repellant to properly block and redirect runoff of all precipitation, as discussed below in connection with  FIG. 5 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3A  provides a scaled view of the fore-mask panel pattern  34  as it appears before assembly to form fore-mask panel  24  ( FIGS. 1-2  and  4 ). Pattern  34  is symmetrical about the centerline  42  and is usefully scaled for a typical horse head size when the dimension  44  is sized at about 16.5 inches, the dimensions  46 A- 46 B are both sized at about 12 inches and the dimension  48  is sized at about 9.5 inches. Pattern  34  may be scaled up or down to better fit other horse heads in accordance with the discussion of  FIG. 6  below. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3B  provides a scaled view of the fore-mask stabilizer pattern  36  as it appears before assembly to form fore-mask panel  24  ( FIGS. 1-2  and  4 ). Pattern  36  is symmetrical about the centerline  50  and is usefully scaled for a typical selection of mesh materials when the dimension  52  is sized at about 5 inches and the dimensions  54 A- 54 B are both sized at about 5 inches. Dimension  52  is preferably adjusted as necessary (for example, lengthened so that edge  78  is parallel to and collinear with edge  80 ) to accommodate differing stiffness in the fore-mask pattern mesh material(s) while providing the preferred “bulge” over eyes  18 R- 18 L in fore-mask panel  24 . Pattern  36  may be scaled up or down with pattern  34  as necessary to better fit other horse heads in accordance with the discussion of  FIG. 6  below. 
         [0040]      FIG. 3C  provides a scaled view of the posterior visor cap pattern  38  as it appears before assembly to form sun visor  20  ( FIGS. 1-2  and  5 ). Pattern  38  is symmetrical about the centerline  56  and is usefully scaled for a typical horse head size when the dimension  58  is sized at about 5 inches and the dimensions  60 A- 60 B are both sized at about 6.5 inches. Pattern  38  may be scaled up or down with pattern  34  to better fit other horse heads in accordance with the discussion of  FIG. 6  below. 
         [0041]      FIG. 3D  provides a scaled view of the anterior sun visor pattern  40  as it appears before assembly to form sun visor  20  ( FIGS. 1-2  and  5 ). Pattern  40  is symmetrical about the centerline  62  and is usefully scaled for a typical horse head size when the dimension  63  is sized at about 7 to 7.5 inches, the dimension  64  is sized at about 10 inches and dimensions  60 A- 60 B are both sized at about 6.5 inches. Pattern  38  may be scaled up or down with pattern  34  to better fit other horse heads in accordance with the discussion of  FIG. 6  below. 
         [0042]      FIG. 4  provides an oblique assembly view of fore-mask panel  24  showing how fore-mask panel pattern  34  ( FIG. 3A ) and fore-mask stabilizer pattern  36  ( FIG. 3B ) are assembled to form fore-mask panel  24  with sufficient stiffness to retain the form necessary to better support itself and sun visor  20  above the face and eyes  18 R- 18 L of horse  12 . 
         [0043]    First, fore-mask panel pattern  34  is folded to permit the seams  66 ,  68  and  70  to be joined substantially as shown. Seam  66  is formed by joining the edge  66 A to the edge  66 B ( FIG. 3A ), seam  68  is formed by joining the edge  68 A to the edge  68 B ( FIG. 3A ), and seam  70  is formed by joining the edge  70 A to the edge  70 B ( FIG. 3A ) in any useful manner, such as, for example, with stitching or permanent fabric adhesive. Upon proper assembly, the edges  72 A- 72 B ( FIG. 3A ) come together to form the edge  72  shown in  FIG. 4  while the edges  74 - 76  remain separated but are now preferably generally disposed in common elevation with edge  72  substantially as shown in  FIG. 4  (showing edge  74  with edge  76  hidden). 
         [0044]    Finally, fore-mask stabilizer pattern  36  is joined along all edges to the interior (preferably) of the folded fore-mask panel  34  in any useful manner, such as, for example, with stitching or permanent fabric adhesive so that the edge  78  is generally coincident with seam  66 , the edge  80  is generally coincident with seam  68 , and the edge  82  is generally coincident with edge  72 , substantially as shown This selectively stiffens the upper portion of fore-mask panel  24  and urges the eye points  84  and  86  well above eyes  18 R- 18 L, respectively, of head  14  when fore-mask panel  24  is properly disposed on horse  12  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). This selective stiffening also provides optimal support and position control of anterior sun visor  30  when assembled with folded fore-mask panel  34  in the manner now described in connection with  FIG. 5 . 
         [0045]    The inventor has identified several exemplary fabric materials suitable for use in fabricating the fore-mask panel (and the fore-mask stabilizer) element of this invention, exemplified by fore-mask panel  24  ( FIG. 4 ). These include, for example Textilene® 80 Solar Screen PVC-coated woven polyester fabric, Textilene® 90 Solar Screen PVC-coated woven polyester fabric, Textilene® 95 Solar Screen PVC-coated woven polyester fabric, PolyCB2™ MX90 PVC-coated woven polyester fabric, and Sunsure® PVC-coated woven polyester fabric. All of these materials block at least 80% of all incident UV light. Additionally, Phifertex Plus™ Mesh vinyl encapsulated polyester fabric may be suitable for the fore-mask stabilizer element but is not recommended for fore-mask panel element. 
         [0046]    Phifertex® is a polyester finished vinyl-encapsulated mesh commonly available for use in lawn and patio furniture, umbrellas, office furniture, orthopedic equipment, upholstery, safety vests, and unique heat-filtering awnings. Phifertex Plus is a mesh fabric designed specifically for sling and umbrella applications, woven into a stronger 42×12 mesh (0.018 warp/0.025 fill). 
         [0047]    Textilene® 80 fabric blocks up to 80% of the sun&#39;s rays, Textilene® 90 fabric blocks up to 80% of the sun&#39;s rays and Textilene® 95 fabric blocks up to 95% of the sun&#39;s rays. Textilene® is a PVC-coated woven polyester solar screen mesh fabric in a plain weave using 0.025″ diameter vinyl-coated 1000 denier polyester core yarn in the warp and fill. Textilene® 90 Solar Screen fabric is useful for reducing heat transfer through windows. is flame resistant and fade resistant, and can endure years of use in applications such as awnings, umbrellas and window screens. 
         [0048]    Sunsure® is a PVC-coated woven polyester designed to withstand fading, mildew, soiling and wear and tear for outdoor use. With shade factors up to 92%, Sunsure fabric is useful for umbrella and awning applications. Fabric: PVC Coated Woven Polyester Finish: Flame retardant-California State Fire Marshal-101-53 &amp; 117 E 
         [0049]    PolyCB2™ Standard Mesh (17/14 Weave) is suitable for all harsh environment applications and/or high damage-prone areas. PolyCB2™ Fine Mesh (20/17 Weave) provides protection from the smallest insects and is a medium privacy screen as well as being a medium solar-block screen. The fine weave and filtering characteristics create a see-through visibility of 88% at 20 feet and less than 30% at 100 feet (in equal lighting). 
         [0050]    PolyCB2™ MX90 is a heavy-duty mesh designed for the many applications that require additional strength with slightly larger pores. This screen is ideal for use as overhead shade screen and blocks 90% of the sun&#39;s rays. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5  provides an oblique assembly view showing how posterior visor cap pattern  38  ( FIG. 3C ) and anterior sun visor pattern  40  ( FIG. 3D ) are assembled to form sun visor  20  ( FIGS. 1-2 ) and how sun visor  20  is attached to stiffened fore-mask  24  ( FIG. 4 ) to form the main portion of equine sun visor assembly  10  ( FIG. 1 ). 
         [0052]    First, referring to  FIG. 3C , posterior visor cap pattern  38  is folded on the line  88 A and the seams  88 B- 88 C are joined in any useful manner, such as, for example, with stitching or permanent fabric adhesive. Similarly, posterior visor cap pattern  38  is folded on the line  90 A and the seams  90 B- 90 C are joined in any useful manner, such as, for example, with stitching or permanent fabric adhesive. These operations form posterior visor cap pattern  38  into posterior visor cap portion  28 , which thereby generally conforms to at least part of the posterior of head  14 . 
         [0053]    Next, sun visor  20  is formed by joining the edge  32 A ( FIG. 3C ) to the edge  32 B ( FIG. 3D ) to form anterior seam  32  ( FIGS. 1-2 ), joining the edge  33 A ( FIG. 3C ) to the edge  33 B ( FIG. 3D ) to form anterior seam  33  ( FIG. 1 ), and joining the edge  35 A ( FIG. 3C ) to the edge  35 B ( FIG. 3D ) to form anterior seam  35  ( FIG. 2 , hidden) in any useful manner, such as, for example, with stitching or permanent fabric adhesive. 
         [0054]    Finally, sun visor  20  is joined to fore-mask panel  24  at anterior seams  32 ,  33  and  35  of posterior visor cap portion  28 , preferably leaving anterior sun visor  30  generally free of fore-mask panel  24  except for where they both join at anterior seams  32 ,  33  and  35 . As may be appreciated by referring to  FIGS. 3A and 4  as described above, this is preferably accomplished by joining edge  72  at seam  32 , edge  74  at seam  33  and edge  76  at seam  35  (hidden) in any useful manner, such as, for example, with stitching or permanent fabric adhesive. 
         [0055]    The inventor has identified several exemplary fabric materials suitable for use in fabricating the sun visor element of this invention, exemplified by sun visor  20  ( FIG. 5 ). These include, for example, Cordura® Back Pack Nylon, “Pack Cloth” Nylon, and Rip-stop Nylon. All of these materials block at least 98% of all incident UV light. 
         [0056]    Cordura® Back Pack Nylon is an “air treated” nylon fabric originally designed by DuPont. It&#39;s characterized by a rough, fuzzy texture on the outside, and a somewhat rough texture on the inside. The chief advantages of Cordura fabric are its abrasion resistance and light weight. Coated Cordura fabric is considered to be waterproof. 
         [0057]    “Pack Cloth” Nylon (as it is commonly known in the industry) is a smooth nylon material with threads of equal diameter running in the warp (vertical) and fill (horizontal) directions. Although a somewhat heavier fabric, the chief advantages of pack cloth nylon are its ready acceptance of urethane waterproofing, abrasion resistance, and excellent puncture resistance. 
         [0058]    Rip-stop Nylon is starting to emerge in the marketplace, and is easily distinguished by its regular “grid” pattern of heavy threads sewn in the warp and fill directions every quarter-inch. The heavy threads “stop rips” if the pack is punctured or torn. Nylon, when torn, has a tendency to start unraveling. The main advantages of rip-stop nylon are its ready acceptance of waterproofing and its lightness in weight. It&#39;s not as puncture resistant as pack cloth nylon, but just about as abrasion resistant. 
         [0059]    The inventor has compiling measurements of facial landmarks from a number of different horse breeds and sizes. From these data, the inventor has developed the patterns disclosed in  FIGS. 3A-D  and described above to achieve the best fit possible for any horse. 
         [0060]      FIG. 6  is a sketch illustrating an oblique perspective view of the head measurements preferred for determining the pattern dimensions of the four equine sun visor assembly elements of  FIGS. 3A-D . The six measurements preferred for proper size, fit and placement of the equine sun visor of this invention (to ensure proper protection without blocking horse vision) are the distance  88  across the forehead between the tear ducts of both eyes, the perpendicular distance  90  from the pole  91  to the line marking distance  88  between the tear ducts, the diagonal distance  92  from the pole  91  to one eye tear duct, the radial distance  94  between one tear duct and the throat latch, the distance  96  completely around nose  14  under the jowl  97 , and the distance  98  from the pole  91  to the line marking distance  96 . 
         [0061]    Distance  88  determines dimensions  54 A and  54 B ( FIG. 3B ), and distance  92  determines the diagonal distance from the bottom of dimension  64  ( FIG. 3D ) at the curve in anterior sun visor  40  to the top of dimension  58  ( FIG. 3C ) when posterior visor cap  38  ( FIG. 3C ) is joined at edge  32 A to anterior sun visor  40  ( FIG. 3D ) at edge  32 B to form sun visor  20  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). Distance  92  may also be appreciated in  FIG. 2  as the measured distance from the posterior central point of posterior visor cap portion  28  diagonally across anterior sun visor  30  to a point just above either of eyes  18 R and  18 L. Distance  52  ( FIG. 3B ) is selected to force fore-mask panel  24  outward over eyes  18 R- 18 L and bend the anterior edge of anterior sun visor  30  at the curves ( FIG. 3D ), thereby shading eyes  18 R- 18 L from above without blocking lateral horse vision (an important element of this invention). Distance  90  determines the sum of dimensions  58  and  63  ( FIGS. 3C-3D ). Distance  94  determines dimension  64  ( FIG. 3D ). Distance  96  determines dimensions  46 A and  46 B ( FIG. 3A ), which preferably provide the snug, but not tight fit, around the nose bridge below jowl  97  found to inhibit insect entry under fore-mask panel  24  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). Finally, distance  98  determines the sum of mask panel distance  48  ( FIG. 3A ), seam  70  ( FIG. 4 ) and dimension  58  ( FIG. 3C ). 
         [0062]    The equine sun visor of this invention provides prophylaxis against disease processes caused by solar radiation, dust, &amp; debris, and face flies and also is comfortable for the horse, avoiding the “quiet suffering” seen so often by large animal veterinarians. Some of the specific needs addressed are photosensitivity of the eye area and nictating membrane as well as conjunctivitis due to irritating airborne dust and debris. The assembly of this invention is also useful in treatment applications for horses that have experienced traumatic eye injury such as corneal abrasion. 
         [0063]    Clearly, other embodiments and modifications of this invention may occur readily to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of these teachings. Therefore, this invention is to be limited only by the following claims, which include all such embodiments and modifications when viewed in conjunction with the above specification and accompanying drawing.