Grazing muzzle despair!

[mustardsmum]

i hate them. they rub the face, horses cant breathe nicely, they wear down the teeth, they cause stress all of these have an impact on horses welfare. turn horse out at nite, stable other half of the day, fence off area, strip graze, exercise even lunge if cant be ridden.

Sadly sometimes life isn’t always that easy. if you fit properly and find a muzzle that suits your horse they are fine. I have done everything and of all the things we’ve tried - muzzling with restricted night time grazing works best of all. I think those of us with EMSPonies know how hard they can be to manage - with some it’s a combination of methods that keep these ponies sound. I have used the flexible filly for three years - not noticed any unusual tooth wear and the horse graze quite happily in them. They are not at all restrictive and because of their design are light and airy.

 

[MuddyMonster]

i hate them. they rub the face, horses cant breathe nicely, they wear down the teeth, they cause stress all of these have an impact on horses welfare. turn horse out at nite, stable other half of the day, fence off area, strip graze, exercise even lunge if cant be ridden.

If I turned my native out at night on summer grazing, he'd be the size of a house and every chance he'd be laminitic again! Yes, sugars are lower at night but I still have to take into account the sheer volume of grass he'd eat.

Mine is exercised 6-7 times a week (a mix of 3-4 hour W/T/C hacks, shorter hacks with more T/C intervals, flatwork, polework some jumping & lunging)

He's still only just what I'd consider an acceptable weight.

He's on a mix of turn out with the herd when muzzled, individual strip grazing and stabled. He's 'OK' for the time he's 'strip grazed but he'd be miserable and far more stressed on strip grazing all summer on his own (stress doesn't do his metabolic health any good).

Being muzzled allows him the opportunity to be a horse with other horses as much as possible.

Most of us with horses with metabolically compromised horses are just trying to do our best with the facilities we have & the horse we have and for some of us, muzzles are key in keeping our horses healthy.

 

[AntiPuck]

Don't use one then, Getbackboys.

The muzzle allows my horse to stay out 24/7 with her mates without suffering health issues or needing to have her space restricted. I'd choose that over her being stood alone in a tiny box all day, and I'm almost certain she would too.

 

[pistolpete]

Not sure about the fit!

 

[maya2008]

I have given up because current good doers can get them off on the fence posts (thanks coblet for teaching everyone your tricks!). So we have a bare paddock for the fatties.

Prior to his arrival I had great success with basket muzzles, padded liberally with fake fur. Could be worn 24/7 keeping ponies out with their friends in the same field and lami free. I hope this muzzle works well for you pistolpete!

 

[HopOnTrot]

I use a ThinLine on a fleece covered headcollar, synthetic headcollar but you can buy a leather fieldsafe replacement buckle. I find this better than the ThinLine brand headcollar.

 

[HopOnTrot]

I have given up because current good doers can get them off on the fence posts (thanks coblet for teaching everyone your tricks!). So we have a bare paddock for the fatties.

I took the strap that goes down then blaze off a greenguard muzzle and added that to the headcollar I use for the thinline and it's mostly stopped the removal!

 

[pistolpete]

Thanks everyone. Fingers crossed!