Grazing Muzzles

[Faro]

I have to come clean and now admit that Warrior is obese. With 2 endurance horses to keep fit, I haven't had nearly enough time for him.

As my lot all live out 24/7/365 (which I prefer) I don't actually have anywhere I can keep him off grass for part of each day. So my most obvious first step is to try him in a grazing muzzle. BTW he is on no other feed at all.

I've looked up some old threads on various forums about pros and cons of grazing muzzles - and, although none of them are perfect (i.e. rubbing, horses getting them off etc.) it looks to me as if the Greenguard and the Best Friend are the ones to go for. However, I would still appreciate some fresh comments from you lot please!

Also, another important question I need to ask is - if a muzzle were to be left on - what is the longest it would be safe to leave a muzzle on in any 1 24 hour period? I ask because I work full time, as well as part time, so the times I get to do the horses each day can be somewhat erratic. And as I have nowhere to remove the horses to away from the grass for part of the day, I guess I'm going to need to leave the muzzle on for as long as reasonably/safely possible each day.

 

[Honey08]

We use the shires ones on ours, and they worked really well last year. Last year ours came in at night, so had all night without muzzles. I didn't like the idea of having them on 24/7. This year I'm injured, so they are living out to make life easier. Ours come in from 6pm-10pm, just to get the sweet itcher out of the worst of the midges, and to let wet fly rugs dry out etc. It also means that they have a few hours without muzzles. We've had the muzzles on with this system for two weeks now, and they seem fine and happy with it. Once a week I put them out in the field that has hardly any grass on so that they don't have to have muzzles on.

 

[Orchardbeck]

I've just bought two Shires one for my two; they seem to be ok so far, but they are only on for a couple of hours at the moment as they build up their turnout again.

One thing I will say is I had to buy full size ones instead of their usual cob size headcollars as the cob ones were too small.

 

[Ladybird]

I have a cheap shires-type one (exactly the same but a different brand) which to me looks the same as the best friend at almost a third of the cost.

I leave it on for 24hrs, off for 24hrs etc.
Rubbing wise it's not been too bad, just started to rub the hair along the cheek straps so left it off for a couple of days until I can get some fleece/sheepskin covers for these bits.

 

[FriendlyCob]

Hi

I'd say I used the graze guard really- my cob had it on about 14hrs at one point at it didn't rub- but as I think was already mentioned the sizes are small on them.

My friend had the tradictional bucket one and they counldn't graze at all- not really the plan! I would say though if your horses are handy at getting them off maybe you could plait them into their fore lock- like you would a bridle- as long as your grazing is safe enough to not catch things on!

Hope that helps! And as for your comments about him being obese- remember you can't fix the problem until the recoginse it so this is the starting point for you! x

 

[Daisy2]

through experience be prepared to try different muzzles before you find whats right for your horse, bigger is better as there is less likely a chance of rubbing, I have one horse in a best friend and one in a dinky muzzle bought from a website that specialises and stuff for small ponies but sells ex large muzzle, dinkys are great as they are so light and safe but do wear out quickly, They wear them for twelve hours in the big field and then strip grazed without muzzles overnight. Also some horses take to them real easy others sulk but perservere and you will be fine.

 

[Hollyloveponies]

personally i just use a normal black grazing muzzle from shires on my pony tiny and its fine never rubs or injures her and she never gets it off what we do is put it on with aheadcollar and the wrap the top strap of teh muzzle once through the top strap of the headcollar also my friends has a muzzle on her pony and its fine and we pop one on my pony crystal sometimes and it works a treat i think theer fine!!!!!!

 

[muff747]

I have a Shires muzzle at mo but my gelding has worn the hole in the bottom bigger. He also used to panic when I put it on, like he got a bit claustrophobic. I tried putting mints in it and sticky treats until I thought of cutting out two holes right where his nostrils are. He's much better but I still have to hide it when I go in the stable with it and put it on fairly confidently, otherwise he would run backwards around the stable with his head near the roof. I hate having to put it on but my boy is Cushings and his feet get more and more tender according to how quickly the grass is growing.
Has anyone heard of the Paddock Paradise system?? Check it out on Google. It's a track aroung the edge of your field about 10' wide (depending on how many horses will be in the track) The theory is because there is only a narrow strip of grass, they have to move quicker and all the time to get little bits of grass. The movement helps to exercise them so would be great for the endurance horses as well as slimming down the fatties.
Then you can cut the middle bit for hay/haylage for the winter.
I tried a smaller version in a long narrow paddock I was renting and my barefoot TB's feet were the best they'd ever been in the five years without shoes. His water was at the bottom and some grazing and haynets at the top so he was constantly walking up and down the 8' wide corridor in between. Hope this helps,

 

[ridersince2002]

Recently found this on horsegossip
http://horsegossip.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=88787&page=1#738600

i thought it was quite intresting, and lots of the comments underneath are about peoples experiences with grazing muzzles

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

One of mine has used a greenguard muzzle for the last 5 years. He can get plenty of grass through it & providing you take a little time to correctly fit it you should have little problems with it. I do however rub a little aqueous cream onto his nose incase he rubs his nose whilst eating. He's fine though, with no rubs at all.

 

[millimoo]

Dinky Rugs muzzles all the way.... Light, don't rub, and even the vet approves. Been using them for years. Although as per previous post they do wear, but that's a small price to pay for our horses comfort. We have them on a 17hh warmblood and a Shetland pony

 

[rosie-ellie]

Alot of the guys on our yard wears muzzles and theyre the shires ones. I have a cob but bought a full size muzzle because found they are a tad on the small side and the cob size rubbed. She keeps it on 24/7, i checked with the vet and she said so long as they can eat and drink its not a problem, i go up daily, clean it and give her her vits and mins daily and shes fine and looks very healthy!