Horse - Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!

Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!

October 19, 2022 2 Comments

October 28, 2024

I think most people forget that the Equilume Mask will also support pregnant mares in delivering their foals on schedule while achieving optimal birth weights. Our innovative Light Mask is designed to mimic the natural breeding season by extending daylight hours, which is essential for promoting the overall health of your mare and the development of her foal.
Starting the blue light therapy 90-100 days prior to the expected due date is vital for reaping the full benefits of this groundbreaking treatment so be sure to mark your calendars! This therapy not only enhances the production of milk and colostrum, crucial for the foal's early nutrition, but it also plays a significant role in ensuring that foals mature effectively while still in utero.
As someone who has experience with this method, I can personally attest to its effectiveness, as I have two mares that consistently carry for over a year without the mask. Carol

 

Whats new as we approach the 2024 breeding season at EZhorse.com

Happy Fall  Everyone:

It is time to start planning the 2024 breeding season with Equilume!  It is suggested that the mask be put in use 75-90 days before the desired breeding date. If you are breeding open race mares the first of February, you should have the mask in use in early November.  That is less than a month away!   

Many retailers now sell Equilume but we at EZhorse.com can offer you so much more, incuding:    Same Day Free Shipping

                             Large Inventory kept on hand

                             Same day shipments on Replacements

                             No interest payment plans with Klarna

                              100% Customer Satisfaction

We also use Equilume on our breeding farms and can answer most questions you may have   Call us today!  405 288 1105 and let us help you decide which mask would work in your situation.  They work folks!!

 

Equilume Stable Lights

The Equilume Stable Light provides the horse with biologically effective light in a system that replicates the benefits of nature's environmental lighting indoors designed to maximize health, performance and breeding efficiency  Stable lighting systems are quoted per location and setup.  Please call if you are interested in a quote for your facility.  (405) 288-1105  Oklahoma

Mammal - Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!.

 

Equilume Light Mask - Breeding Season Benefits 

STALLION

Advances and extends breeding season
Increases fertility and libido

DRY MARE

Advances breeding season
Increases fertility

PREGNANT MARE

Prevents prolonged gestation lengths
Optimizes foal birth weights
Increases post foaling fertility
Increases milk yield
Improves colostrum quality

 

Equilume Light Mask simply work!  If you have been on the fence about trying the mask, now maybe the perfect time.  EZhorse.com now offers Klarna!  A no interest, no fees payment system.  Slice up your payments with Klarna.  More information at checkout!

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As the 2019 breeding season approaches we do have some new pricing on purchasing mask in volume.   Call us at (405) 288-1105 to discuss your needs.

 Whats new with Equilume and EZhorse.com  

Equilume has introduced some new innovations that I am sure will make your 2018 breeding and foaling season go as planned.

Equilume now offers 3 mask to help you achieve your specific results.

The Equilume Belfield: is the original mask for seasonal use. Ideal for breeding purposes. The light sensor automatically senses when outdoor light levels are sufficient and turns off the light when not needed.  

Lifespan:  5 months

Battery type:  Seasonal

Active Hours per day: 7

Program: 4pm-11pm

Light senor function: YES

It has a fully adjustable headpiece with velcro for fastening.  Plastic polymer cup with ingretaged LED and electronics on right eye

*****

The Equilume Curragh: allows replacement of the cup when it expires. Ideal for breeding purposes, simply detach the expired cup, machine wash the headpiece and reattach the new cup for the following season.  The built in light sensor automatically senses when outdoor light levels are sufficient and turns off the light when not needed. EZhorse.com

Lifespan:  4 months

Battery type:  Replaceable

Active Hours per day: 7

Program:  4pm - 11pm

Light sensor function: YES

It has a fully adjustable headpiece with velcro for fastening.  Plastic polymer replaceable cup with integrated LED and electronics on right eye

*****

The Equilume Cashel:  has a rechargeable cup, ideal for horses with limited turnout and/or poorly lit stables.  

Lifespan:  18 months

Battery Type:  Rechargeable

Charging interval:  7 days

Active hours per day:  15

Light sensor function:  NO

Please call us for more information or see on EZhorse.com  1-405-288-1105

 

NEW FOR 2017!!  Now in stock The New Curragh replaceable battery light mask!  

Customers have been asking for a mask with a replaceable battery.  The new design allows the light cup to be replaced the following seasons without having to purchase a new mask. Equilume now has 3 mask to fit your every need.

UPDATE:  I have my personal mares cycling at 70 days on January 19th!! I have them on 3 mares as a test.  2 mares were in heat at 70 days.  To early for breeding so we will catch them the next cycle.

3-1/2017  All 3 mares have been bred, 2 in foal, flushed 1, 3rd mare bred and will check this week.  21yrs old!  the mares that didn't wear mask still have not started cycling.

Now that everyone has the light mask in use for early mare breeding, here are a few tips to insure you get that early cycle you planned for:

Make sure to clean the light source about once of week.  It seems to get a film build up on it.  You don't even have to remove the mask on most horses.  I have found that just rubbing it with your fingers will remove the film. 

Check at night, before 11pm, and make sure all your lights are working at least once a week. Sometimes when things are to easy we seem to forget about them.   Good Luck!

Mammal - Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!

We at EZhorse.com  are so excited to be working with the Equilume company out of Ireland to bring you the latest technology in Light Therapy for horses!

What is the Equilume Light Mask?   It is very simple, a mask that has a programmed light cycle built in it to insure that the mare has access to light for 16 hours a day. 

What are the uses of the Equilume Light Mask?

* Help mares cycle early in the breeding season for early breeding!

* Helps mares foal on time so re-breeding can be achieved earlier in the season!

* Helps Show horses maintain a beautiful summer show coat during show season!

* Helps reduce your work load! Leave the lights at home! No need to travel with the light setups anymore!

* Sale Prepping! Have your sale colts looking there best with slick shiny coats in 6 weeks!

* Allows breeding farms to board more mares after the lighting areas have filled to capacity!

Horse - Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!

The Equilume™ Light Mask provides low level blue light to a single eye, it is on an automatic timer and powered to last an entire breeding season..

The Mask contains a light sensor such that the blue light will only stay on for 30 sec once activated until environmental light levels drop at dusk. When low light is detected the blue light will come on for the remainder of the 7 hour active period. If initially activated at 4:00 pm on the first day of light therapy the light mask will automatically switch off at 11:00 pm every night.

The long-life battery has been customized for horses and all-weather conditions. lt will provide precision blue light therapy for one entire season (5 months).

A rechargeable mask is in production and we are hoping to have it available very soon!   Click here to Purchase

Colt Horse - Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!

Mares cycle early with the Equilume Light Mask:

Horses are seasonal breeders, their natural breeding season occurs during the light- filled summer months.

However, the universal birthday for many horse breeds is Jan 1st (Northern Hemisphere) or Aug 1st (Southern Hemisphere).

These industry wide crucial dates create a demand for early foals, in order to produce mature yearlings and precocious two year old horses.

Changes in the length of daylight is the primary regulator of reproductive activity in the horse. The hormone melatonin is produced during the hours of darkness and acts as the decoder of day length for seasonal breeding animals such as the horse. The time of year is directly translated through this relationship; as the days lengthen in Spring, melatonin production decreases signalling the approach of the breeding season.

Mares foaling during an artificially imposed early breeding season often experience:

  • Longer gestation lengths
  • Lower foal birth weights
  • Post-foaling reproductive problems

Late foaling mares represent economic loss to the breeder by reducing the number of foals a mare can produce in consecutive years. Mares that foal outside of the natural breeding season (e.g. Thoroughbreds) have longer gestation lengths by an average of 10 days. However, 20% of Thoroughbred mares experience annual gestation lengths that exceed 355 days.

Light is the primary influencer of gestation length. Light therapy for 90 days prior to foaling has been scientifically shown to increase average foal birth weights and prevent prolonged gestation.

 

Field Trial 2012 - Pregnant mares

  • 15 pregnant mares with a history of long gestation lengths were divided into two groups.
  • One group was fitted with prototype Equilume™ Light Masks on Dec 1st

Result

The Equilume™ Light Mask reduced the average gestation length of pregnant mares by 11 days (Walsh et al, 2012. MSc AgrSc Thesis, UCD)

Field Trial 2013

  • A group of 30 mixed breed pregnant mares due to foal Feb - March were selected
  • 15 of the mares were fitted with Equilume light masks on Dec 1st

Result

The average birth weight of foals born to the group of mares wearing the Equilume Light Mask was significantly greater by 8.4 lb

Providing longer day-length for 90 days beginning on Nov 15th (NH)/Jun 15th (SH) acts to reduce the production of the hormone melatonin and stimulates the mare's reproductive system to activate earlier in the year. To achieve this, many breeders stable horses indoors under extended barn lighting and incur substantial costs associated with bedding, lighting and labor.

Field Trial 2012 – Maiden/Barren mares

  • 26 non-pregnant mares were fitted with prototype Equilume Light Masks and maintained outdoors at pasture from Dec 1st
  • 16 mares were maintained indoors under standard stable lighting
  • 20 mares were outdoors at pasture without light (control).

Result

Over 90% of the mares in the group who were maintained at pasture wearing Equilume Light Masks and the group maintained indoors under stable lights were reproductively active on Feb 10th. Equilume is as effective as standard stable lighting at advancing the breeding season in mares. These results were published as a paper in the Equine Veterinary Journal (Murphy et al, 2013).

It is suggested that the mask be activated on November 15th, but no later than Dec.1st to achieve February breeding.

Signup here for the latest news and offers from EZhorse.com

Save money by keeping your mares at home until they start cycling:

Based on a minimum of 90 days at the breeding farm and under lights 

90 days  board and lights $17.00 a day    $1530.00

90 days at home at $6.00 a day                $540.00

Light mask                                          $400.00 = $940.00

Savings per mare                                       $590.00

(Calculations are estimated and will be different by location, feed cost, etc.) 

For more information on other uses contact us at Equi-Mart

ckeith8426@aol.com or call 1-866-378-4627

Click here for purchasing information

Horse - Equilume Light Mask for horses comes to the USA !!

 Testimonials

 Last season, I really put the Equilume Light Mask to the test. I used it on mares that for years would’nt cycle until April or May. With the EquilumeTM Light Mask the mares were cycling by the end of January. Staying outside with the mask is positive for the horse, for their life, for mares cycling, for their hair coat. I look forward to using the mask again this season. I am sold!
Chris Benedict, Judge AQHA, NRCHA, NCHA
DLR Ranch, Weatherford, TX, USA

The very best device I have seen in 25years of reproductive practice, second only to the introduction of the ultrasound. It will get them bred early.
William T. Gray, DVM
Cottonwood Veterinary Clinic, California

Debbie and I used Equilume Light Masks on four barren mares and one maiden mare last season at Jackson Purchase Farm. I was a little reluctant to part with proven ways, but I am happy to say that the masks worked great. All of the mares had breedable follicles and had gone through transition by the February 14th. Four of the mares conceived on the first cover while one was more challenging. In the winter of 2014 we had zero issues with the mares being outside 24/7, often in sub-zero temperatures. Besides the fact that the mares all cycled as I hoped, I am still married, spent less on van and vet charges and had healthier mares. Like extended turnout for any class of horse, daily observation, occasional adjusting of masks and adjustment of feed and hay is necessary. For me the economics were good and the mares simply did better outside. I am a believer!"
Dr. Steve Jackson
Bluegrass Equine Nutrition, Lexington, KY.

THANK YOU TO ALL THAT PURCHASED THE NEW EQUILUME LIGHT MASK FOR THE 2017 BREEDING SEASON.  I AM SETTING UP A FACEBOOK GROUP FOR ALL THE NEW USERS. YOU WILL GET A NOTICE WHEN DONE AND PLEASE POST YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE MASK.  THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK!

EZhorse.com 

 



2 Responses

Equi-Mart
Equi-Mart

October 17, 2016

Does the administration of light to one eye effect the health of that eye?
No, thorough health checks and optical examinations were conducted by qualified veterinarians before and after the two years of trials with Light Mask prototypes. The light intensity used is 5 times lower than normal stable lighting and 100 times lower intensity than daylight on a sunny day.The light is not a bright light but more like a glow. There are holes placed in the eye piece so the horse still has vision from that side.

Karen
Karen

October 16, 2016

Are the eyes bothered/damaged at all by the light being so close. If not, why? Thank you. Karen

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