Grazing muzzle problems

[muddygreymare]

Has anyone got any recommendations for grazing muzzles? My mare wont eat with hers on, she just stands around in the field (she's stabled 7am-10am, muzzle on and out at 10, muzzle off at 6 and out in the field at night) and looks miserable or rubs it on everything in an attempt to get it off.

She has a shires one with the rubber bit with the hole in and even if I feed her bits of carrot or poke bits of grass through the hole she still refuses to graze. I was looking at the Dinky Rugs muzzle and also the greenguard one, but I don't want to spend loads of money if she's going to refuse to eat with it on. She has had a different shires muzzle on which is slightly larger but still the rubber hole type and she wont eat with that one either. Ideas please

 

[milliepops]

How long have you been trying to use it? Mine sulked for about a week before settling down and getting on with it

 

[w1bbler]

I had exactly the same issue & had to enlarge the hole - the original hole didn't look like it lined up with horses lips at all, cut a longer slit "below" the hole & now she can eat, but is still restricted.

 

[MyBoyChe]

My Highland has the shires one on during the daytime. Whilst Im around he stands and sulks and gives me the whole starving pony routine. If I drive past his field(which I do a couple of times a day to make sure hes ok) he is in the part of the field with the longest grass, eating happily away. I would say keep a check on him with the weigh tape, if hes losing too much too quickly then he may have a problem, otherwise, its doing its job and simply slowing him down.