anyone still muzzling their horses?

[amandaco2]

Mine are muzzled out for 10-12hrs. In with adlib hay for remainder of the time.
I'm so paranoid about laminitis I'm too worried to remove their muzzles....they are looking ok weight wise, just feel a bit mean muzzling them.....

 

[pansymouse]

Yep, our pony is still muzzled as is his pony field mate.

 

[Merlod]

Nope, lami prone shetland generally wears from april to sept/oct. Never have needed it during the winter he is out with the herd during the day and stabled with hay at night.

 

[jaffa2311]

Nope.

My super good doer has lost shed loads of weight and now looks like a normal horse!
She's muzzled 24/7 in Summer but it seems mother nature slims her for me in the Winter. She has ad lib hay in winter too.

Stopped muzzling end of September time.

 

[Apercrumbie]

My mini shetland is still muzzled. It's the first winter I've kept him muzzled and it's made a huge difference - he is pony shaped again instead of being a big blob! My welshie isn't muzzled and is quite slim. He is only fed 2014 hay which again makes a massive difference. He would be much fatter on the 2015 crop.

 

[Micky]

As long as your horse isn't losing a drastic amount of weight, and you feel more comfortable to keep muzzling, and he's happy, then carry on... I was paranoid last year but have taken his muzzle off this year about 3 weeks ago, he's on a huge field with very scrubby grass ( and mud) and is ok! I will probably muzzle again near April time..

 

[rowan666]

mine aren't muzzled but if they don't lose any weight over the next few weeks they will be, I can't have them going into spring the weight they are at currently

 

[Christmas Crumpet]

Funnily enough I was thinking about putting the muzzle back on my hunter today - I had saved our top one acre field until it got very wet and put him out there last week. There is a serious amount of grass in there and ever since he's been a bit lethargic. The farrier doesn't think it's lgl as he's not got any pulses or warm feet but I'd rather be safe than sorry. He's hunting fit but has just been a bit too quiet cantering for my liking. Obviously he could have a virus as well - if no improvement in next few days I will get the vet.

How rich can grass be at this time of year? It's about 9" - a foot long in a one acre field!!

 

[amandaco2]

This is my worry its been so mild the grass has grown and grown. Mine are on 10 acres but i get it grazed by sheep and cows as i don't want lots of grass for my 3 horses.....

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Yes. Tinner had toxic laminitis in April, he's over that but five weeks ago the farrier thought there was slight bruising and he wasn't quite right under saddle, so we changed from 24/7 turnout in a l/w rug to muzzled by day, no rug, in at night on soaked hay. I weighed him (by tape) 24th Nov, 610kgs, 24th Dec still 610kg. Today, 565kgs, happy with that.

Just had bloods done too, ACTH was 19.7, glucose 2 after the starve, 15 after the glucose, so all clear, phew.

 

[Leo Walker]

Our fields are emerald green, but the grass cant have the sugars it does in spring/summer as he hasnt been muzzled since October ish. He was out on poorish muddy grazing, and I moved him on New Years Day to a bigger, bowling green type field, and he hasnt gained any weight despite being out for a bit longer.

 

[zigzag]

Was muzzled til 2 weeks ago, when I brought her in at night, grass hasn't really stopped growing, though she has lost weight now, once she goes back out in the main field, will be muzzled again

 

[elsielouise]

Out during the day for 8-9 hours muzzled then in on soaked hay. Only difference is she will go out at night in the summer. Section A with one laminitis episode. Never again! And we have grass still so daren't even let her stay out more than 9 hours Max tho she isn't stabbed and can pootle about the yard.

 

[crystalclear]

My pony over the past three years has never had lami. She's muzzled in summer time but the routine through summer/winter I have stays the same.

She just 'wasn't right' the other day. Turns out she has very early signs of lami. Pony was in for 2 weeks and now has muzzle on. Just be careful, as you all are, because grass still has goodness in due to the warm weather.

 

[Summer pudding]

Not out long enough to worry unfortunately as we are on clay and the horses are on winter (no) turnout. I will put it on when he goes out again although every muzzle I tried last year he managed to get off, so I'm scratching my head! Tips/advice welcome.

 

[crystalclear]

My pony had a dinky muzzle and eventually got this off. Have you tried a green guard? We have this now and so far so good. It's really anchored in all directions!

 

[Summer pudding]

My pony had a dinky muzzle and eventually got this off. Have you tried a green guard? We have this now and so far so good. It's really anchored in all directions!

Ah...good advice thanks..I'd forgotten about the Greenguard, it will be my next choice...fingers crossed!

 

[crystalclear]

Ah...good advice thanks..I'd forgotten about the Greenguard, it will be my next choice...fingers crossed!

You're welcome! They do look awful, but I prefer them to the webbed/fabric ones as they don't get wet and stink!

 

[Summer pudding]

You're welcome! They do look awful, but I prefer them to the webbed/fabric ones as they don't get wet and stink!

If he didn't get the webbing one off it rubbed - I spent hours padding it but the padding/fluffy stuff got wet when he had a drink! I've just looked at the special green guard head collars, do you use one? Thanks for help, I got desperate last year as I have a greedy good doer (14.2)

 

[crystalclear]

It's never ending isn't it! I got one second hand off preloved. I used the headcollar for a bit whilst I sorted her leather one to use in place, which I then added the attachments onto. You can get rubber attachments which go into the straps. I don't think the greenguard ones break or have Velcro, which I thought was a bit odd especially if they're designed to be used outside

 

[asmp]

Yes, but only sometimes to and from the field so the youngster keeps his teeth to himself!