Best grazing muzzle

A

angrybird1

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 January 2014
Messages
800
Visit site
Thinking ahead to the spring. I'm going to have to try using a grazing muzzle. What's the best one for a 12hh pony.
I don't like the idea of using one to be honest but better that than laminits.
I'm not fully able to restrict grazing as it's not my own land so really it's my only sensible option.
I know green guard are supposed to be good but my vet reccomend shires.
Any thoughts from people who have tried them please
 
I don't like the green guards personally. For my ponies I alternate between Shires and Dinky's although I will be putting both into Best Friend's Have a Heart muzzles next year (awful name but well thought out muzzles). Dinkys are not that restrictive but nicer when weather hot or very wet I feel. if they rub, they are usually too small but with pony heads especially, you have to sometimes adapt straps and padding. Both my Exmoor and my Fell are in XL Dinky muzzles, cob size Shires/Best Friends and for the Exmoor, I have to shorten straps-especially the one going from gullet to muzzle.
 
One of mine has a shires and one has a greenguard. The one with the green guard breaks the shire ones within 4 wears without fail. Worth thinking about your ponies naughtiness levels before you purchase.
 
Greenguards allow more grass and require no ‘training’ they do rub unless you add extra padding and there are problems reported with excessive tooth enamel wear.

Dinky ponies are very soft but some end up eating through them. They take a bit for them to work out as they have to eat at the sides.

I settled with a shires deluxe and with one extra bit of fluff it has never rubbed the sensitive ginger.
 
Dinky rugs grazing muzzle by a mile, i've tried them all. This is the only one that never rubbed and is super safe with velcro release. However my little brat has figured out how to chew through it. Takes him about 3-5 months. So i have to keep buying a new one. But still worth it.
 
I've tried the following on my IDx:

Greenguard - rubs his chin raw - tried using padding / vaseline etc but it keeps coming off.
Shires bucket - rubs the area under his jaw line - again tried using padding but its difficult to make it stick.
Shires deluxe - better fit on the muzzle but horse escapes out of it too easily.
Best Friend - will be trying this one this year!
 
I've tried the following:

Greenguard: rubbed her raw, she also seemed to not be as restricted in this
Shires Deluxe: Had to tape up the edge along the cheek as she got it off in half an hour, fits her very big head nicely but falls apart quickly.
HY Muzzle: My current favourite, I get the one with the fluffy nose piece, good price and quite hard wearing.
 
Sorry to jump on this thread - but can anybody suggest anything for a naughty little pony that pulls her's over her ears and off every time without fail? Plaiting the forelock/mane around the top strap hasn't worked (she'll happily just tear it out) so at a bit of a loss...
 
AFB said:
Sorry to jump on this thread - but can anybody suggest anything for a naughty little pony that pulls her's over her ears and off every time without fail? Plaiting the forelock/mane around the top strap hasn't worked (she'll happily just tear it out) so at a bit of a loss...
Click to expand...

I am in a similar situation. Diva can remove pretty much all of them within 15 seconds, even if tied into her mane or to a headcollar. If it wasn't so annoying it would actually be incredible- she can figure out exactly how it's attached to her and get if off in a variety of ways. The one that she struggled to get off, she walked through a line of electric fencing in her anger, but ten minutes later it was off anyway.

She gets it off by either;
Standing on the back of the muzzle and pulling upwards
Rolling in the ground and just rubbing her head back and forth until it slips over her ears.
Walks through the electric fencing to stick her head in a hedge and hook it onto a branch and then just run backwards
Uses her front leg, like a dog rubbing its face, to pull it off.

For her own safety, I had to stop trying. We've been through pretty much every type aswell.
 
scats said:
I am in a similar situation. Diva can remove pretty much all of them within 15 seconds, even if tied into her mane or to a headcollar. If it wasn't so annoying it would actually be incredible- she can figure out exactly how it's attached to her and get if off in a variety of ways. The one that she struggled to get off, she walked through a line of electric fencing in her anger, but ten minutes later it was off anyway.

She gets it off by either;
Standing on the back of the muzzle and pulling upwards
Rolling in the ground and just rubbing her head back and forth until it slips over her ears.
Walks through the electric fencing to stick her head in a hedge and hook it onto a branch and then just run backwards
Uses her front leg, like a dog rubbing its face, to pull it off.

For her own safety, I had to stop trying. We've been through pretty much every type aswell.
Click to expand...


I am so glad that I am not the only one with a houdini like this, I've tried for yrs and yrs to keep a muzzle on my mare but without fail she has removed every single one, headcollar, plaits, you name it, I've tried it, even a sweet itch snuggy hood over the top, took her a while but got the whole lot off.

I had to give up and she now has to live in a bare paddock with soaked hay, the dreadful despairing downside to this is that she has worn her front teeth to stubs from grazing the short grass :-(
 
ester said:
ah the over the small ears trick, which one are you using, is there any padding on the top?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure as asking on behalf of a friend and only seen it briefly, was one of the Shires style ones.

Scats & Boysy - not what I wanted to hear! I'd thought of the snuggy hoods but the only waterproof option they could find was £70! and they're not keen on turning her out in the non-waterproof standard lycra ones in case she gets rubbed once it's wet.
 
We use Dinky rugs muzzle on our Shetland - he gets through two a year though as he chews through them. They are £19 plus delivery but very safe to use and doesn't rub.
 
I have Shires deluxe ones. Normal Shires muzzles rubbed my pony badly under his chin. The deluxe is cut away underneath so eliminates that issue!
It's still not remove proof but seems to stay on for ages then get removed constantly!!
 
Mine gets hers off over her head and through branches and just pulling till something snaps. I will say though I bought her greenguard on eBay an s she has sent got that off over her head yet but she has snapped part of it. I emailed the supplier asking where I could get the part from and they send me one free straight away! All I've found which helps is to only have it on for a few hours at a time because she tolerates it for a while before getting it off.
 
AFB said:
I'm not sure as asking on behalf of a friend and only seen it briefly, was one of the Shires style ones.

Scats & Boysy - not what I wanted to hear! I'd thought of the snuggy hoods but the only waterproof option they could find was £70! and they're not keen on turning her out in the non-waterproof standard lycra ones in case she gets rubbed once it's wet.
Click to expand...

so the shires deluxe come with padding on the top, this makes it slip over ears really easily and I have never used it (slips right off).

They are also cut back to prevent jaw rubbing, as such they are easier to pop off too sometimes as with effort the pony can it's nose out the back, I did twice find F with the muzzle half in his mouth as I obviously hadn't got the adjustment quite right!

Compared to the dinky the velcro is also a bit rubbish.
 
those of you using Shires type ones-I use a fleece head collar bit over the velcro to stop them rubbing them undone and I take all unnecessary strap covers that come with them off.

the worst rubbing I've had is from a Dinky, I just don't think they are large enough for my natives and I don't like the way they have to eat through the side. as with all these things though, its what works for you-my life is much easier having got rid of the one that used to take all the other's muzzles off! (and their fly rugs/masks/turnout rugs). I tried muzzling that one with a dinky but then couldn't catch him :/
 
ester said:
what is a fleece headcollar bit? I use elastic bands :D Though I think he has a reprieve this year, track instead.
Click to expand...

lol-sorry, you know those bits of fleece used to cover head collar parts/bridle nosebands and cheekpieces. there's a great eBay seller who makes up ones in loads of colours with reflective strips on.
 
I use two Dinky Muzzles for my 13h Cob. One on and one in the wash. He hated the Shires deluxe as the padding is very thick, it looks claustrophobic and he is a sweaty pony.
 
Green guard was rubbish lasted literally minutes.
Shire lasted about a month
Best friends cribbing muzzle with grazing disc in I use one a year on a Maxi cob, they are expensive at £49 for his size but the fit is deep on the face and as long as you fit it to a well fitted head collar there is no getting it off.
 
Oh those bits! Yes I have a couple of sleeves, On the deluxe I just need a bit on the bit that goes between bucket ans throat latch as that bit goes up and down a lot. I was thinking microfleece for some reason :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top