Grazing muzzle/keeping off weight help

[MrsElle]

I am going to have to resort to muzzling my two natives as since moving onto fresh grazing a couple of weeks ago they have ballooned.

I have never used a grazing muzzle before so a question:

Do you leave them on 24/7?

Ideally I would have stables and bring them in for periods of time but we only have a field with lots of natural shade and shelter. If possible I would have also sectioned some of the field off but Lola pulls the plastic posts out so I am unable to do this.

Any other tips to keep their weight down?

This pic was taken last week and they have noticably put more weight on since then

 

[painted ponies]

Other than restricting intake to encourage weight loss can you not try and increase their exercise? Grazzing muzzles are great, I really like the idea of green guard muzzles but i just couldnt keep my horses on, he would just bite and bite at it untill he got it to one side, Im not sure he ever ate with it on the normal way, I have now gone to a shires one and he is much happier but I did cut the hole in the bottom a bit larger than it is supposed to be. I leave my horses on in the day and off at night I think it is helping a bit but he is stil able to eat enough with it on to not be starving and gorge himself once it is taken off. One of the ladies at our yard did leave her horses on for 24hrs it did make a big difference. Just play it by ear with ur horses leave it on for half the day for two weeks and see if there is a difference if not leave it on for 24hrs but do make sure that they can actually get some grass with it on.

 

[posie_honey]

if you can i'd set up the fatty track system - worked a treat on my fatty - keeps them moving = burning calories - far better than restricting their movement to a tiny patch of grass

nb - just seen one pulls electric fence posts out - have you trained them to electric tape - ie lead them up and let them have a right old cracker of a zap on their nose - sounds cruel but sometimes best way - and tbh - laminitus/obese horse is more cruel