Grazing muzzle advice/help wanted

H

horses17

Member
Joined
16 June 2015
Messages
29
Visit site
Help/advice on grazing muzzles.

I purchased a grazing muzzle last week as my boy is in a fairly big field with good grass and his belly is too big (to put it nicely)
Now, my problem is I'm unsure as to wether or not he's actually able to graze... He appears to be grazing when he's in the field but I don't know if he's struggling to get enough of it. When I take his muzzle off there's some chewed up grass so my mind is partly at rest knowing there's at least SOME intake. I cannot stable him as he will throw a tantrum and if I take the muzzle off for a few hours during the day he won't catch to get it back on.

How do I know if he's not getting enough? Can my mind be fully at rest? I'm worried he's not being able to eat enough with it on but I just can't tell.

- we are unable to put paddocks up (he would trash an electric fence anyway)

- he gets a feed so he can have his joint supplement ( 1/4 calm and condition)

Sorry for the massive essay, I just wanted to make myself clear ☺️
 
Sounds perfectly normal. They take a bit of getting used to but most horses suss out pretty quickly how to eat and drink with them on. Make sure you see him drinking with it on. Weight tape him every week to monitor his weight loss but if he's porky you are doing the best thing for him. Don't take the muzzle off for a few hours as he risks gorging himself and undoing all the good the muzzle is doing.

Mine wears his 24/7 and he isn't starving I can assure you! Also gets a feed a day for his balancer and supplements. I always find a bit of grass in his muzzle and rinse it out when I remove it to feed him.
 
If he's anything like mine, he'll play the 'look at me, with my muzzle - I can't get a single morsel' if he thinks anyone soft is watching him. If you sneak back, he's quite happily eating through it! :D

If you are concerned, you can make the hole at the bottom slightly bigger - well I had to get my farrier or my Dad to cut it for me as I didn't trust myself with that sharp a knife!
 
I cut the hole a bit bigger, threw him out for 2 hours initally then the whole night...I know he's getting enough because A. he's in a field with very long grass and B. he's not eating a great deal of his hay during the day...They will suss it out so don't worry...just check the grass isnt too short!!
 
I've just started using one on my pony and was concerned she wasn't getting enough grass, as I poo pick every night I was reassured at the amount on droppings that she was still managing to get enough!
 
I think they are a good idea in principal as I started using one many years ago on the my colic prone horse but my horse would just remove his and then gorge on the grass which would give him colic.
 
weight tape him, count droppings and spy on him where he can't see you (surprising how they can graze when you're not there but as soon as you appear the pacing and worried I'm starving face comes out!)
 
Sounds normal mine is muzzled when turned out and has bits of grass in it. Keep an eye on his weight. I made the hole slightly bigger
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top