A question about grazing muzzles? Please help

Stinkbomb

Stinkbomb

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Due to the fact that we have had so much rain over the last couple of weeks my grass has started to come up quite quickly. its coming up quicker than they can eat it and thus they have both put weight on. They are not obese by any stretch of the imagination but i fear if it carries on they will just get too fat and i want to prevent this.

I have started to bring them in at night and they get hay. They have two SMALL feeds of chaff a day to get vits in.

I have two options really i think to help prevent this weight gain but im not sure which is the best..

1. Get grazing muzzles for them during the day ( the grass is quite short though and not sure whether it is long enough to poke through the muzzle? )
2. Half the field so one half becomes more bare ( currently both are on about 1/3 acre, bearing in mind they are only 31" and 31 1/2" tall )

I am not fearful that they will get laminitis at the moment just put weight on.

How long does the grass have to be to enable them to eat
it through the muzzle??

Sorry this is long but it has been praying on my mind that i need to do something, please help!!!
 
Sam manages to get grass in starvy with muzzle on, so long as it is long enough to poke through the hole they can nibble it off...
Only worry is the grass will still grow round them, thats my problem at the minute, my boy is in with mild laminitis and am panicking that the grass is growing while he isnt in there!
 
Sparks was on a starvation patch with a muzzle on (15.3hh Cob) and still managed to get enough. She has had to move onto longer grass and is now getting too much. I just monitor how many droppings she does over night (when she is turned out) to check she is getting enough and adjust her grazing accordingly.
 
Im just not sure which is the better option one or two??

I have a "thing" about muzzles in that i feel they will miss on socialisation with them on ( yes in know its just me ill have to get over it!!)

edited to say - I realise some horses have no other option than to wear them or spend the rest of their days inside due to laminitis, so they are worth their weight in gold for them..

Im just not 100% sure there isnt another option for my two
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Marius had a muzzle, which after a week or so, he managed to get off. Realising that once he had taken it off, he would continue to take it off, I kept him in during the day and out at night.
He got laminitis.
Now he's in his own fenced off bit in the paddock, in at night, and gets no socialising at all.
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I would rather he had the muzzle tbh.
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Yep I had the same hang-ups till this year, when just restricting the grazing didn't work, so I was left with no option, but to muzzle her. I'm a bit of a muzzle convert now!!!! I found with the muzzle she can stay on a much larger patch, plus she walks round the field more trying to find the best bits to graze, so actually get some exercise whilst turned out. Sparks (touch wood) has never suffered from Lami, but does seem to be able to live off thin air!!!
 
Daisy has really sensitive skin so long term muzzling isn't a solution with her however you wrap it up. Personally I prefer to cut the size of the grazing down instead when possible.
 
Personally I'd only use a muzzle as a last resort. If you can contain them on a smaller area then I think that's better. Muzzles often rub & as you say stop them grooming each other.
 
I've just resorted to a muzzle for my pony..I hate them!!! and so does she
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My plan is to set out a paddock paradise type thing in my field.. So they'll sort of have a strip all the way round the outside of the field so they'll have to keep on the move and therefore have to work harder to find the grass and get more exercise.. is there any way you could do this sort of thing?..
 
I hate the muzzles. Every horse who wears one at my yard has cuts from them and we're convinced one started to give my horse nosebleeds from the friction against her nose.

Definatly try reducing paddock first.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I hate the muzzles. Every horse who wears one at my yard has cuts from them and we're convinced one started to give my horse nosebleeds from the friction against her nose.

Definatly try reducing paddock first.

[/ QUOTE ]

My horse has had a Greengaurd Muzzle for five years and not had any problems. I don't know which muzzle you are using but if it is a Greengaurd then it is on to tight, you need to be able to get your hand between the muzzle and your horse.
I would recommend a Greengaurd to anyone, my horse is getting enough grass and coming in from a days grazing full of energy and not sluggish with a grass belly, she is living out at the moment with the muzzle on all the time due to having so much grass and she is moving around more looking for the best patches of grass to get through her muzzle.
 
The best reviews I have seen have been for the Shires muzzles, they stay on well. I use one for my Haffie who kept limboing through the live electric fence into the very long grass
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It has worked brilliantly. The only minor rub was from the cheek rings and I have solved that by winding yellow dusters round the rings and just tieing them on. It looks very funny but works great.

It took her 4 or 5 days to work out how to get the grass and water really properly but now she has definitely mastered it.
The muzzle gives her access to about the amount of grass a wild horse would be likely to find, so a lot more healthy.

Restricted turnout for me would be the last option, partly because I think horses should be turned out as much as possible, partly because my other horse needs company so he gets restricted too if she does.

The muzzle wasnt expensive.

The post above is I have to admit the first positive one Ive seen about the Greenguard muzzle, have seen lots of much less complimentary ones!

And with the muzzle on your horse can still yel at you (probably yelling to take it off) and interract with you, but you are being kind to them by giving them max turnout and limited grass intake.
 
Try a starvation paddock first and monitor Ty and Inky's weight carefully.
Mine are both muzzled as I don't have the option of a starvation paddock.
My pony had laminitis despite wearing her muzzle and not being obese, my vet says she's seen loads of similar cases because of the weather so I would be really careful. Both mine have muzzle rubs
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I wouldn't muzzle mine if I didn't have to as I worry it affects the way they interact with other horses but to be honest I haven't seen any signs that it actually has.
 
It's a shame you can't use the Paddock Paradise system. The donkey world has called it 'the racetrack' for many years now. I put it into effect this year and it really does seem to work. I hate muzzles, this track was my last resort before having to try a muzzle.
 
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