Grazing Muzzels.

[121kelly121]

I have been working hard over the winter to shift the weight off my cob.
She is VERY food oriented!!
My YO is not keen on making a starvation paddock;
And even if he does, i feel that the people who's ponies are prone to Lami have more priority than me, as there are other ways for me to help keep the weight off her.
I have a grazing muzzle -

http://www.risleysaddlery.co.uk/catalogue/stable-field-and-yard-equipment-2/grazing-muzzle-bag

However, I am a little worried about putting it on her....
Can she get enough grass through the hole?
I am also worried because of her trying to get it off and causing injury to herself if she gets it stuck on something.

If you have one of these muzzles, how long to you leave it on your horse?
How often do you put it on your horse?
Are there any other muzzles that you can recommend?

 

[eoe]

The only grazing muzzle that I have found to work on my big Irish cob who is a complete pig is the Greenguard grazing muzzle attached to a normal headcollar, I do however put electrical tape round the leather straps as this seems to stop them slipping and breaking. The new bucket ones they brought out a year or so ago are really good.

 

[eggs]

She will definitely be able to get enough grass through the hole. The only caveat is that if the grass is very short she will not be able to get much grass at all.

I have a horse who has to have his food strictly limited. He is out at night and in during the day in the summer and wears his muzzle the whole time he is out. However he has become rather canny at rubbing it off on the nearest tree or fence post. He is also fairly thin skinned and I had to glue fleece round the rim of the bucket as he was getting badly rubbed.

I now use an older Greenguard muzzle which is attached to a leather headcollar. After trial and error I have now got it adjusted so that he cannot push it to one side.

 

[Nudibranch]

I use one of those, they can still eat through the holes, just not as much as usual. They quickly work it out! I also have to use mine with a headcollar or it's off straight away.
Never use them for more than a few hours a day and watch for rubbing around the muzzle. Pad with sheepskin if this happens, but only once any rubbed areas are healed. They're ok if you can stable part of the time and have to turn out onto large areas, but reduced grazing is much better. Could you not persuade YO to let you use an electric fence for strip grazing?

 

[Ashgrove]

I use a similar muzzle to that Kelly.
I have a few different makes so if they rub, they rub in different places to each other.
I always buy a size larger than needed to stop some rubs.
They can def get enough grass through the hole as my horses waist line will confirm lol.
If my horse is in the field, then she has her muzzle on, so currently all day as she comes in at night. If she decides not to be caught in the evening, then she has the muzzle until I do catch her the next night.
I've tried Green Guard muzzles on 2 horses and I couldn't get on with them at all.