Grazing muzzle help

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StarcatcherWilliam

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Hello, my mare's companion pony (who is an 11hh welsh sec A pony) needs to wear a grazing muzzle at this time of the year. In the past he has worn a Shires one - this rubbed quite badly and he has worked out how to remove it - can even get it off when a headcollar is left over the top! I have tried a Dinky Rugs grazing muzzle, which fits perfectly, but he can't eat through it, so he is in the field looking most miserable today (day 1 of Dinkys) - can't say I blame him!

Any advice? If I loosen the Dinky one he will get it off - as I tried with it looser yesterday and he had removed it within seconds. Are there any "rubber bucket" ones with a buckle rather than velcro fastening, as he seems to have velcro sussed!!:eek: Are the Greenguard ones any good?
 
We've got 4 or 5 on the yard, all with Dinkies as these seem the best fit and make noses the least sore (I think between us, we've tried most!) . I have to say that they've all worked out how to graze through the Dinkies, although some took longer than others...:rolleyes:
 
Another one who loves the greenguard :) My mare has worn the greenguard with the head collar for 3 years now and it's still going strong. It did rub under her chin the first week but once her chin had hardened up no rubs at all.
 
I cut a V shape out of each side on the bottom (into the existing hole, thus making it a bit bigger) of Tiny Fuzzies dinky muzzle to help her work it out
It rubbed on the cheeks for the 1st 3 or 4 times on, then all settled & I didn't need to add extra protection.
She also didn't eat for a while, I increased the time in it, fed grass through the bottom etc & she has eventually got the idea (when she thinks nobody is about :rolleyes: as neighbours have spotted her eating - and so have I if I hide out of sight!)

Do give it longer, even now after 3 weeks TF stands at the gate looking at me with a 'hard Paddington stare' while I am at the yard. However she is managing something to eat as in 12 hours with muzzle on she produces 3 - 5 piles of droppings.
She has it on overnight & then it comes off at breakfast & she is shut in diet patch with BF all day.
 
Thanks for your responses. Well, he is giving it a good go today, so he must be getting something - ??! He is pretty crafty, so the standing by the gate trick was probably to pull on my heart strings!
 
I use shires one, with the an extra throat lash and centre strap from the discarded greenguard headcollar I had as my horse didn't like the muzzle, sold that on ebay and used the bits from the headcollar to keep shires one on. I also buy proper sheepskin nosebands, cut them in half lenghways and attach them to the inside of muzzle all the way round the top of the bucket and attache with thin strips of duck tape or spur straps work great, he's been wearing this configuration for years, he only gets it of very occassionally usually if he's had an extra vigorous roll. It never rubs, use proper sheepskin though, its much softer.

You need to do the throat lash up quite tight but not enough to strangle ! this stops it coming off over the head, the centre strap stops them getting it off on the fence or gate like mine used to !
 
NOISYGIRL said:
I use shires one, with the an extra throat lash and centre strap from the discarded greenguard headcollar I had as my horse didn't like the muzzle, sold that on ebay and used the bits from the headcollar to keep shires one on. I also buy proper sheepskin nosebands, cut them in half lenghways and attach them to the inside of muzzle all the way round the top of the bucket and attache with thin strips of duck tape or spur straps work great, he's been wearing this configuration for years, he only gets it of very occassionally usually if he's had an extra vigorous roll. It never rubs, use proper sheepskin though, its much softer.

You need to do the throat lash up quite tight but not enough to strangle ! this stops it coming off over the head, the centre strap stops them getting it off on the fence or gate like mine used to !
Click to expand...

Thanks, he has got the Shires one back on today - my Mum put new velcro on it and so far today it has stayed on! Like the idea of the sheepskin noseband, as this is where it rubs him.
 
I love Dinky ones, but horses seem to chew through the base.

I find the best way keeping a muzzle on is put horse or pony into corral of electric tape.

My pony if in the main part will go up to fence post or rail and rub it off, if they are in a corral they cant do it. Its the only thing that works with my welsh A
 
I take my muzzles to a local tack shop & ask them to replace the velcro on the strap over the head with a buckle. I also plait a section of mane over the strap & into the forelock. Doing this he keeps his muzzle on most of the time, though it isn't 100% foolproof.
 
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