Grazing muzzle 24/7 or only during the day? Will he gorge at night?

[aradiagreen]

Hi,

My 14.1hh cob is looking pretty damned tubby now and autumn is around the corner when things will only get worse :-( Even his dentist commented he was getting fat! I'd definitely give him a 4 or 5 on the conditioning scale - he's fat with a dip down the middle of his ample bottom...the only thing he's lacking is a crest! He's 4yrs old and touch-wood, no lami...yet.

He's turned out 24/7 on common land so lots of space with lots of grass. I don't have a stable or the option of restricted grazing.

I'm buying him the shires muzzle (though it looks horrid, how's he supposed to breathe!) and getting a greenguard once I've managed to pick up a cheap one off EBay as they look more comfortable. We'll see if he keeps them on!

My issue is do I leave it on 24/7 while he's grazing? If I took it off at night I know the grass contains less sugar but would he just gorge? He's a typical 'pony' and I don't think he;ll thank me for it but its better than being stuck in a stable or the pain and cost of laminitus.

Any help much appreciated, I've never used one before. Our other problem is members of the public complaining tha we're using torture devices on our ponies!!!

 

[matt_m]

I'd keep it on 24/7 and see how he goes, a steady trickle of feed is better than giving him the opportunity to gorge I would think.

Do you have any pictures of him by any chance?

Is he out of / only in light work?

 

[LaurenBay]

The Shires ones aren't that bad, My mare has had one on for 3 months and shes fine in it.

Secondly I would give it a go. If he eats a little through the day he won't be as hungry so shouldn't gorge. However if he refuses to eat during the day then you may find he pigs out! My mare does still eat with it on so when I take hers off she has a mad 5 minutes where she grabs everything in sight, then calms down again. My friends mare hardly eats with it on so tends to gorge.

Could you section off a bit of field?

 

[Potato!]

Sorry to hijack the thread but how you you fit them so they cant get them off? im looking after a pony at the mo who needs one on but her managed to get it off within 10 minutes. Its a shires one

 

[Sophstar]

I would definitely go for 24/7. Once fitted correctly and with the use of a bit of sheepskin, greenguards look pretty comfy.

Last year, I attempted muzzle all day and muzzle removed around 8pm and as soon as it was unclipped my cob would gorge until it was put back on first thing in the morning. He as absolutely stuffed and 4 x the size by morning. I learnt my lesson this year and it stays on 24/7 unless they get nights in a bare paddock to have a break from it with some hay. His waistline is much more controllable like this.

 

[aradiagreen]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'll take a couple of pics tomorrow. Hes on light work-he was being hacked every day with plenty of trotting and that helped but a month ago my car died. Since then ive had to cycle over to him and hack bareback so only à little trotting!

Since he is kept on common land-very large with 35-40 other horses we are not allowed to strip graze.

We also have problems with members of the public feeding them apples & carrots! They think Its Nice & they have the 'right!' We've had kids trying to ride them (ocassionally) & my friend was greeted by a furious local resident brandishing à petition after they decided it was cruel to rug up à pony in summer time....without bothering to find out it was a pony with sweet-itch wearing a fly-rug!!! But I digress...

To keep one on....ive read people plait the mane into the head piece & someone else mentioned adding a browband helped. You also have to make sure theyre fitted correctly, particularly the greenguard type (from what ive read).

Should i start off just for à few hours or dive straight in 24/7? I could see him refusing to let me catch him once hes cottoned on!

I fully expect some rubbing but padding them out seems to help & skin soon toughens up.

I just cant believe how big hes got so quickly!

 

[tallyho!]

It's amazing this year isn't it!!! Lush green fields everywhere you look and it's august. Last year we didn't have ANY grass!

24/7 is fine as long as you can find one that is comfortable. Minor little rubs soon grow back, if very slightly thicker skinned than before but it is temporary.

I prefer the padded shires ones. From my own experience, the expensive Greenguards only seem to suit certain muzzle shapes. Big lipped horses don't seem to get on with them as well as rounded muzzled horses and ponies.