Grazing muzzles...how long...

[bex1984]

...does it usually take them to get the idea of grazing through it?!

Following all your fabbo advice the other day, I have purchased a Shires muzzle (altho slightly gutted that the tack shop only had it in black - I wanted purple!).

This evening I cut up an apple into little slices, put a few in the bottom and put the muzzle on him, then gave him the rest of the apple slices through the hole. He was NOT impressed with the muzzle, as expected. Kept throwing his head around and sort of snort sneezing.

So, off we went to try out some grazing in a field with lots of long grass. 40 mins and a lot more snort-sneezes later and he still hadn't got the idea, despite me poking lots of bits of grass through the hole and him eating those. Had to go home so took him out to see his friend in his normal field and took it off.

I was prepared to feel guilty, but I'm worried that he might be too dense to work out that he can graze with it on

Tomorrow afternoon I'm going to turn him out with it on, as I have the afternoon off and can hang around to make sure he starts eating, but what if he doesn't?

Should i make the whole bigger?!

I can't help thinking this would all be much easier if I had been able to buy a PURPLE muzzle

Sorry, long waffley post as usual.

 

[louise1967]

I have just got the grazeguard muzzle today and am going to try it tomorrow on my daughters pony, he had colic earlier this week, due to binge eating. I tried the shires muzzle, thats the one thats enclosed with the one hole in the bottom isn't it??? Out pony went mental when I put it on him, the hole didn't line up with his mouth and he became very stressed and upset, I took it back to the shop. I am hoping that the grazeguard one is going to work, it looks a little more humane I think. I hate muzzles and think they are cruel, but its very difficult when you have a pony with a weight problem, up untill now I have been only turning him out for an hour per day.

 

[bex1984]

Yes, it's the one that's sort of like a little bucket with a plastic base and webbing sides. He's not keen on wearing it, but he'll have to get over it!

I'm just really worried that he won't work out how to graze with it on! Silly pony!

 

[louise1967]

Yes I didn't like that one at all, I am hoping that the grazeguard one is easier, otherwise it will be a starvation paddock, I cant bear to see my pony stressed. A friend of mine has the one you have and her pony is getting on fine with it now, it just looks like a gas mask to be. Hope your pony gets used to it.

 

[Christmas_Kate]

kk, now these things aren't made for grazing long grass! Imagine, as soon as the rubber botom comes into contact with the grass, the grass just bends in half.
I've noticed ponio can't get at long grass with his, and only eats the shorter stuff, which is stronger and doesnt bend, so stays rigid when the muzzle comes into contact with it.
Hard to explain, but try it on short cropped grass, and see the difference. Just turn the pony out, and walk away. He'll have a fit, he'll hate it, but soon get sick of throwing a paddy and will get on and try and eat. I thought G would never accept his, but he wears it fine now.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I believe Greenguard muzzles are the best ones. The holes cut into them are better designed being slots rather than a hole. The horse gets a better chance of grazing through them but it's also limited. With some other muzzles people cut the holes bigger, if you need to do this it isn't designed correctly to start with.

It takes some horses longer than other's to get used to then. My lad got used to it within the day, another took several days. The trick is to persevere & keep adjusting the straps until you get the right fit. You seldom get it right first time.

Also they fit better to Greenguard head collars as there is a strap down the forehead from poll to hoseband & this stops the noseband drooping.Just stick with it, it will work

 

[Hettie]

I put a shires on my pony a couple of weeks ago. I was being a mean and though mummy and left him for a couple of days... he still didn't get the hold of it.. so in the end I made the hole in the bottom a bit bigger and he's fine now. He wears it 24hrs a day in a field with shortish grass. I take it off once a day to check for rubbing etc and to give him some happy hoof and feedbalancer. Has worked really well!

 

[ISHmad]

We didn't get on with the Greenguard ones at all - didn't matter how much we adjusted them couldn't get it to fit properly. And if you do go for the Greenguard one, DON'T buy the proper Greenguard headcollar, they don't have a breakaway point on them can you believe? Actually phoned up to enquire as thought I must have been going mad, but no there isn't one.

The Shires one works well with all our lot. We did put sheepskin on to stop them rubbing, and after a lot of "we can't possibly eat, how can you do this, I hate you, I'm going to starve..." looks they soon got the hang of it and can merrily munch away.

Hope you get on okay.

 

[bex1984]

xxkatyxx - good point about the long grass just bending, that did seem to be what was happening. I'll see what happens when I put him in his normal field with it on tonight, the grass is a little shorter in there!

 

[kizzywiz]

Just stick with it, as for being "cruel", my ponies would rather be truned out in a muzzle than stabled for 23 hours at a time!!! My Welsh cob took a couple of days, with lots of standing at the gate glaring, the other mare was using it happily within a day. Personally I would much rather use a muzzle than have overweight, laminitic ponies. You are quite right, they can't eat the long grass through it.

 

[josephinebutter2]

I used to cut extra holes in my horses so he could get a bit more grass - until he worked out that he could eat through the end of the muzzle if I did this!

Now he has got the hang of it, he is fine with just the little hole.

As mine lives out, I tend to give him 2 days on, 1 day off which seems to be ok to maintian his weight, and makes me feel better!

x

 

[sarahebradshaw]

In my experince its best to just put the muzzle on and turn your horse out. Leave him for a couple of hours so you dont see him getting annoyed with it.....it will help you not feel so guilty and he will soon work out what to do.

I have used 'best friend' muzzles on horses for a number of years and they work fine. I put the muzzle on in the evening and take it off in the morning. I think its better that they are muzzled than having to come in during the summer months.

 

[Wooleysmum]

I am guttted at the moment, my cob always had his on from 5pm till the morning and was in during the day. He never went out without it. He still got lami!! Not got Cushings, just had the test results.

 

[Amy_08]

I have the Greenguard muzzle and the first time I put it on her this year she just stood and looked at me for ages-she does this every year in the hope I'll give in and take it off. I do feel bad but its for her benefit. It does rub though every now and again so I have different headcollars and sheepskin padding so I just keep altering it. I'm not keen on the Shires one. I did try it briefly but it rubbed badly, and I thought the hole was too small.

 

[Chumsmum]

I tried mine in a Shires one and he still wouldn't take to it after over a week of trying - he just stood in the corner, not having a strop but looking v. depressed

He is coming in at night now to try and keep his weight down but not really working

For those who have made the hole bigger - how big??

Thanks

 

[jemmeg]

Ok no point in using a grazing mask if you make the hole bigger, its that size for a reason. Bite the bullet put in on and walk away. They do figure out that they have to put their heads down slowley, grass comes through the hole and they can nibble at it. My welsh cob got the hang of it within a few days. I many seem harsh but the alternative is lami and belive me you dont want that, its taken me 18 months to
get back my mare from one mild case of the dreaded lami she could not afford another dose, so at this time of year I dont take the chance. She is out for 2 hours a day with the muzzle on. In the rest and worked every day see below for her condition
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a133/Jemmeg/13.jpg

 

[Vicki1986]

i tell you what, dont feel you are alone, i have heard this from about 5 people on different forums today !!

i dont mean to be rude at all but just let him get on with it - if he is hungry he will work it out !!! my pony pawed the ground alot for about the frist 2 days then she got over it. now she wears hers 5 days a week and its like 2nd nature.

stop feeling guilty you are doing the best for his health !!!!

 

[amandaco2]

leave it on.they work it out they arent that thick!
my yearling wears a bucket type and she was fine with it after a few hours.she doesnt go on grass without it(shes in at night)
my ISH wore a muzzle and she took about 2 weeks before she would stop having tatrums/jumping out and try it out(she came in at night for some hay)she wears a muzzle fine now.(she finds greenguard one easier to eat through though.)
if you only put it on for a few hours it doesnt encorage them to do anything other than hang round the gate looking sorry for themselves waiting for you to to take it off!