grazing muzzles

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charliebucket

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17 February 2010
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Hi all - i have just purchased a shires grazing muzzle which my pony has no problems in keeping on. the problem that i have is that i have tried teaching her how to eat through it, but she really cant get anything throught the hole in the bottom, she spent 24 hrs without food, was really tucked up and very upset. she was frantic to get out of the field to me and get it off. the greenguard model looks easier for them to eat through, but i dont want to fork out 45 quid to get the same result as the shires muzzle.i just want to know what other horsey mums have done or should i let her figure it out for herslef and end up getting ill through starvation!! please help. x
 
troll?? not really understanding your reply. just wanted to know what other owners have done to overcome the muzzle eating mystery - my hores cant be the only one that doesnt know how to get the grass through the tiny hole
 
The greenguard ones are really good , Our cob has one of the new shaped ones which looks like a basket , it's the best £49 that i have spent, he is really happy with this one ,it does not rub him in anyway nor does he get frustrated with it unlike the shires one that we had first !
 
Mine have no problems what so ever with theirs. They only try to get them off so they can eat more. One of them can even "flip up" pony nuts and get them through the hole.

Would rather they had the muzzles than not. Getting ponies to drop weight is tough luck on them I am afraid. If your pony is fat which do you think she would prefer getting used to a muzzle, being shot for laminitus or standing in a stable all summer with now't to eat?

Get her used to it, fork out the extra they are your easiest options.
 
thats a clever pony to get pony nuts!! my pony is getting fat, but my equine podiatrist said she has raised pulses and i need to restrict her grazing. i shall get her a greenguard as like you say, its a lesser bill than a vets bill. thanks
 
Mine couldn't manage with a Shires muzzle either; the solution was to take a pair of scissors to it and make the hole slightly larger. It still restricted grazing no problems. :)
 
I wouldn't cut the hole any larger. Once she gets to grips with it she'll wear the rubber anyway. My shetland has gone through 2 this summer. Everytime I put the new one on with the small hole Coco (the Shetland) always gets munk on about it. She soon resigns herself to the fact that it's staying on.

Leave her to it - she'll soon get the hang of it.
 
I agree with Indy that it's best to leave her to it. I've got a Roma comfort grazing muzzle for my mare and I spent a bit of time teaching her how to use it and then left her to it whilst still keeping an eye on her. At first she was a bit confused but her huge desire to eat soon took over and she began to realise exactly how to work it and now she's got it on 3/4 of the day and she manages just fine.
 
this is great to know that they all start off confused with the muzzle!! i am pleased to say that she has figured it all out and now wear's it and eats fine from it!! the only down side is it has rubbed underneath where i do up her noseband on her bridle!! i put some vasaline on this morning so hope that helps. x
 
Not sure why she's being a troll asking about a muzzle !

Mine has a shires one on all the time he is out, which is during the day, so it it does come off there are people about the get it back on quick. Its rare he gets is off as I've customised it with the centre strap and extra throat lash I had with the greenguard headcollar I got for the greenguard muzzle my horse absolutely HATED !

Honestly once they get it, there'll be no stopping her, mine has eating through his off to a fine art and I certainly WOULDN'T make the hole bigger, I did on one of his but that was when the grass went really low and it was too short to get any through, that was a few years ago, the grass seems to be growing well by us so he has it on all the time he is out.
 
charliebucket said:
this is great to know that they all start off confused with the muzzle!! i am pleased to say that she has figured it all out and now wear's it and eats fine from it!! the only down side is it has rubbed underneath where i do up her noseband on her bridle!! i put some vasaline on this morning so hope that helps. x
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Solution = buy a proper sheepskin noseband, cut it in half length ways, attach it to muzzle with spur straps or tie it on with shoe laces

Mine has the same problem, I tie the other half at the front so protected all round
 
NOISYGIRL said:
Solution = buy a proper sheepskin noseband, cut it in half length ways, attach it to muzzle with spur straps or tie it on with shoe laces

Mine has the same problem, I tie the other half at the front so protected all round
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brills!! i will try this. i did cut a stable bandage and attach it to place where its rubbing, but that still rubbed!!
 
NOISYGIRL said:
Have you got sticky up pink hair ? ha ha remember those things !
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maybe she has sticky up pink hair!! ha ha!! yeah, i used to have one that went on the end of my school pencil!! (feel old now!) thanks, i will have a look on this website. its only theunderside that is rubbing her, i have been putting a thick layer of vasaline on plus i cut up a stable bandage and attached it to the affending area!! poor things, what they have to go through to save them. if only they knew! xx
 
I had a shires muzzle, I showed my horse he could eat through it by poking long bits of grass through the hole for him, he soon got the idea!
However it rubbed him and made him very sore under his face where his noseband fastens. I used rug fixing glue (stormseal?) to glue some soft fabric pieces over the rough bits. Then coated him with vaseline...
However he HATED it, so I gave in and got him a 2nd hand Greenguard off ebay. It is fab and doesn't rub at all! It ended up costing me only £25, so maybe try that?
 
charliebucket said:
maybe she has sticky up pink hair!! ha ha!! yeah, i used to have one that went on the end of my school pencil!! (feel old now!) thanks, i will have a look on this website. its only theunderside that is rubbing her, i have been putting a thick layer of vasaline on plus i cut up a stable bandage and attached it to the affending area!! poor things, what they have to go through to save them. if only they knew! xx
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Sheepskin defo works, only get proper sheepskin though
 
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