Grazing Muzzle Advice Please

Tinsel Trouble

Tinsel Trouble

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 October 2009
Messages
1,901
Location
Grantham (please don't judge me! originally from S
Visit site
Hello-

I am looking forward spring and summer so much I am buying for it already. Due to my Pony getting so severly obese in the Spring and Summer I have bought a Comfort Grazing Muzzle for him.

1) How do I get him used to drinking in it?
2)can I keep it on him 24/7?
3) can he wear it with his fly mask?

The info sheet recommends for a few hours a day- however my pony is turned out on 4 acres of luch water meadows and just looking at the grass turns him into a barrel! He normally gets so large I can not ride him, and he head shakes in the summer so I have got a net relief for his nose to see if this helps.

I am also investing in electric fencing- the problem is- he just jumps it and it's not my field so I can't create smaller paddocks in it first!

All help and advice gladly welcomed!
 
1. He'll just do it naturally. Whatever you do, don't give into the pitying 'but mum I can't eat or drink' looks. Leave it on him and let him get on with it. IF he truly cannot drink with it on then pop a bucket of water down with a dash of apple juice in it. He;'ll soon get the idea.

2. yes. Although if its possible take it off at night, but if you're leaving him on those 4 acres then personally, I'd leave it on.

3. yes.

Re electric fencing, buy some of those HUGE tall posts and put up four strands of fencing. Wet his chest, if he touches it it will give him a sharper shock. If he still jumps it then take it down for safetys sake and invest in a plastic bucket muzzle for day and use the comfort at night. That way he'll be changing muzzles and be less prone to rubs, plus the bucket one (although less comfy) still allows him to eat, but slightly less than the comfort.
 
Hi

please be careful if you use a plastic bucket muzzle ... my sister pony cut his nose open on one of these it was nasty
frown.gif
 
My shetland uses a best friend muzzle. When he is out, he wears it 24/7. He immediately sets about eating what grass he can, he drinks, etc. He still tries to rub it off his nose, but it means he can stay in the field with his friend. I can assure you plenty of poo comes out the other end, so he still gets grass inside him, just not so much.

You need to make sure the battery is 100% for ponies, otherwise they barge under it. They really need to get a wallop from the fence.
 
Our fat ppnies wear them 24/7 in the summer but you do have to make sure they don't rub. The best way we've found is to use full size ones (the headstrap stills goes very small) so the muzzle part doesn't rub and then line the whole thing with fake fur fabric. We also apply sudocream liberally every day to stop them getting sore in the first place as once they've got rubbed it's a nightmare and understandably they get stroppy about having the muzzle on.
 
Robinhood - LOVE your dog!

My small fat pony wore his greenguard all the time and was still a little porker given half a chance, he could do the 'I'm starving' look down pat, too.
 
Pony on 4 acres of lush grass = obese laminitic pony
frown.gif

You must get him fenced off onto a small paddock, or keep him on a yard where he can wander around on hard standing with lots of hay.

Muzzle 24/7 if you can't
 
[ QUOTE ]
The best way we've found is to use full size ones (the headstrap stills goes very small) so the muzzle part doesn't rub and then line the whole thing with fake fur fabric.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, would agree with this. My mare usually wears cob size everything but I got her a full size muzzle and... no rubs round her nose.

I slid some french blinkers onto the 'cheeks' of the muzzle to stop that bit rubbing, which works well and you can wash them easily.

Duct tape is also good for minimising rubbing as it reduces the friction and stays put well
smile.gif
 
After 17 years on being on this land we've not had laminitis yet... touch wood! We are very very careful with the grass and how it is eaten.

Normally I am unable to ride him in the summer- he gets too fat and head shakes, and gets too hot and bothered however this year we are addressing all of those things at once instead of individually. He's on the garlic already!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top