Help - I need a grazing muzzle!

[outdoor girl]

My lovely 11 yr old chunky monkey, Blossom, has just been diagnosed with Cushings. It was just a hunch from the vet when she came last month to do boosters and she noticed that there was still a lot of winter coat left to lose. The results of the blood test came back today and they are significantly positive. I've been told that a grazing muzzle would be useful so that Blossom can go out in the field with her mates instead of staying in with a net of very damp hay. I've never had to use a grazing muzzle before and would really appreciate some recommendations.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

Dinky muzzles are soft muzzles and I found seem to be easy for most horses to get used to. They do wear down though but I prefer them to harder muzzles as they’re not wearing on the teeth.

Greenguard I found just rubbed mine and two of them managed to eat out of the side of them, one boy worked out how to snap the straps that connected it to the headcollar and got it off too.

I do have a small shires muzzle with just a round hole in the bottom and this is the only muzzle my old boy could work out.

it can be a bit of trial and error I’m afraid to see what fits and what stays on. I tend to plait the muzzles into the mane.

 

[daydreamer]

hi,

If you use the search function for the forum there are lots of posts about grazing muzzles (I fell down a bit of a wormhole reading posts on this last night). There seem to be lots of different sorts and it does seem to be a bit trial and error! A popular one at the moment is the flexible filly muzzle which is quite a new one. It is quite expensive and my horse destroyed his yesterday :-( . I have ordered another to give it another try but have also managed to borrow a couple off my friend to try. Do you know anyone you might be able to borrow one off to try and find which sizing/style works for your mare?

 

[poiuytrewq]

hi,

If you use the search function for the forum there are lots of posts about grazing muzzles (I fell down a bit of a wormhole reading posts on this last night). There seem to be lots of different sorts and it does seem to be a bit trial and error! A popular one at the moment is the flexible filly muzzle which is quite a new one. It is quite expensive and my horse destroyed his yesterday :-( . I have ordered another to give it another try but have also managed to borrow a couple off my friend to try. Do you know anyone you might be able to borrow one off to try and find which sizing/style works for your mare?

Did you actually just order another or are they replacing it? I’ve heard the customer service is pretty good and they do seem to replace broken ones as long as they were correctly fitted.

 

[tiga71]

I have just started using the Green Guard muzzle with my unridden boy. I hate doing it to him but it is either that or moving him to somewhere else for a starvation paddock or track system.
He has had a rub so I have made some adjustments to it. I am monitoring it for the rubs and his teeth as I have been reading about it damaging teeth. I may get the flexible filly muzzle and give that a go.

 

[daydreamer]

Did you actually just order another or are they replacing it? I’ve heard the customer service is pretty good and they do seem to replace broken ones as long as they were correctly fitted.

I just ordered another. When I looked I had ordered the original last July so I figured it was too long ago to ask for a replacement. I suspect he rubbed on the gate and caught it on that :-( I'm going to make the hole on the new one bigger still to try and encourage him to keep it on. The grass in his field is quite long so I think he is struggling to get any through the hole and he is very food motivated!!

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

I managed mine for over 18 years for lami, I found this muzzle the best by far and he hardly got it off very rare

https://countrynaturals.co.uk/product/horses/grazing-muzzles/ultimate-muzzle/

 

[Marnie]

I have just bought a flexible filly one, used it for the first time last night and it seemed ok - my field is all electric fenced, so nothing to get caught on which I think helps! I had Green guards for my two and they rubbed their chins quite badly about 2 or 3 days wear. The Shires ones have worked ok especially after I removed some of the straps to make them a bit more airy - following a suggestion I saw on here.

 

[Melandmary]

I am using the shires Comfort ones at the moment but have 2 flexible filly ones on order after rave reviews on here. I have sized up with the shires, so the pony is in a cob size and my horse in an extra full size. That way they aren't fitted too snug. They have adapted quite well, really. It was something I was dreading but it is better than laminitis or being stuck within 4 walls for most of the day. The shires ones are just over 20 quid so not a bad price. I did have to add extra fluffy bits to areas that rubbed

 

[Melandmary]

Hi, just to add my flexible filly turned up. They do look much more light and comfortable for the horse to wear but within minutes mine were eating out of the side so I am not sure how restricting they are compared to the bucket type. The hole is also very small but I am loathe to make it bigger when she is eating quite easily from the side. They have also been easily removed. I weigh my horses weekly so will monitor this week and if there is any gain I will be going back to the bucket muzzle. I do feel a bit disappointed as they are so expensive and the side eating seems to be a common fault. Might be OK if you are just trying to restrict grazing a bit but I have a horse recovering from lami and a very overweight pony so I'm not too sure these will do the job ?

 

[daydreamer]

Hi, just to add my flexible filly turned up. They do look much more light and comfortable for the horse to wear but within minutes mine were eating out of the side so I am not sure how restricting they are compared to the bucket type. The hole is also very small but I am loathe to make it bigger when she is eating quite easily from the side.

I think they say if you raise the sides by 1 or 2 holes they shouldn't be able to eat from the sides.

My new one turned up a few days ago and I am trying to get it right. Mine is also eating from the sides so I will try raising that side a bit. I did make the hole bigger, and in fact made 2 more holes in the bottom but he is still eating out the side! Our grass is very long so I don't think he can get much through the holes in the bottom. When he was shuffling it to the side one of the fins has rubbed by his nostril so I am going to try sewing some neoprene around that bit I think. I'm just looking to reduce intake not drastically cut it so I want him to be able to eat enough that he is happy to keep it on.

 

[Birker2020]

My lovely 11 yr old chunky monkey, Blossom, has just been diagnosed with Cushings. It was just a hunch from the vet when she came last month to do boosters and she noticed that there was still a lot of winter coat left to lose. The results of the blood test came back today and they are significantly positive. I've been told that a grazing muzzle would be useful so that Blossom can go out in the field with her mates instead of staying in with a net of very damp hay. I've never had to use a grazing muzzle before and would really appreciate some recommendations.

Shires were always very good but have to be fitted properly with the throat lash as high up as possible.

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

duct tape an old bridle head piece to the muzzle so you have an extra throat lash which is also field safe as will break under pressure, you also have the choice to leave the brow band on. in the past when he didn't have to wear a mask, i'd put one of those fly fringes with the throat lash on and duct tape that on for an extra throat lash too

 

[Melandmary]

@daydreamer I contacted thinline about my horse eating out of the side. I sent photos of the muzzle fitted, it was correct. They advised me to interweave a lace( I used a bootlace) through the holes. It does restrict a little bit but not enough for my mare who's grass intake needs to be very restricted as recovering from lami. They have kindly offered me a refund for mine but this tip might work for you if it is not such a concern ?

 

[outdoor girl]

I ended up getting a Shires muzzle and it only took her a couple of session for her to work out how to eat and drink with it on. She's been out with it on for 2 half days now and is coming in really happy and contented having been out with her mates again. I have a problem with it though. It's rubbing her underneath her mouth - you know, on that lovely soft flabby area underneath her bottom lip. I think it must be a seam on the webbing which is doing the damage, so for today at least, she's back on her own in her little turn out paddock with a bucket of water and some hay , looking out at her pals. Has anybody had this problem, and if you have did you find a solution? I'm sure I can rely on you all for suggestions, even if you've not had this trouble.

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

I ended up getting a Shires muzzle and it only took her a couple of session for her to work out how to eat and drink with it on. She's been out with it on for 2 half days now and is coming in really happy and contented having been out with her mates again. I have a problem with it though. It's rubbing her underneath her mouth - you know, on that lovely soft flabby area underneath her bottom lip. I think it must be a seam on the webbing which is doing the damage, so for today at least, she's back on her own in her little turn out paddock with a bucket of water and some hay , looking out at her pals. Has anybody had this problem, and if you have did you find a solution? I'm sure I can rely on you all for suggestions, even if you've not had this trouble.

Maybe it's not quite fitted correctly, there should be approx half inch/1 cm gap between lips and bottom of muzzle and a good gap all the way around the circumstance of the bucket. It may be her being a little vigorous with her action when eating with it. If I needed to I used to get a proper sheepskin/lambswool nose band or head piece cover and you can cut it to size you want to go around the strut of webbing you think is causing the issue. It could just be you need a bigger size perhaps. If you could post some pics to see

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

Circumference not circumstance

 

[outdoor girl]

I'll take some pics this afternoon, although I have no idea how to post them onto here!!! She's already in a full size Shires, so I have nowhere to go with that, apart from buying a different make of muzzle. There is a gap between her lips and the bottom of the muzzle. Could it be too big a gap? Is that as bad as having too small a gap?

Dinky muzzles are soft muzzles and I found seem to be easy for most horses to get used to. They do wear down though but I prefer them to harder muzzles as they’re not wearing on the teeth.

Do these have a seam on the inside of them around the webbing holes? I have a feeling that's what 's been rubbing her

 

[NOISYGIRL2]

I'll take some pics this afternoon, although I have no idea how to post them onto here!!! She's already in a full size Shires, so I have nowhere to go with that, apart from buying a different make of muzzle. There is a gap between her lips and the bottom of the muzzle. Could it be too big a gap? Is that as bad as having too small a gap?

Do these have a seam on the inside of them around the webbing holes? I have a feeling that's what 's been rubbing her

The one I had least issues with is the ultimate grazing muzzle no rubs. Pm me pics if you can't upload

 

[Melandmary]

I use the shires deluxe one I think( has sheepskin round the nose area. I have found it better to go up a size so there is a gap all the way round. Some is usually a full size and she is wearing the extra full and the pony was in the cob size. My muzzle did rub a bit on the chin and nostrils but I cut some of the webbing away and this has stopped now and also made it more breathable. I am glad your horse has taken to it so well ?

 

[Melandmary]

@outdoor girl the shires go up to extra full size

 

[daydreamer]

@daydreamer I contacted thinline about my horse eating out of the side. I sent photos of the muzzle fitted, it was correct. They advised me to interweave a lace( I used a bootlace) through the holes. It does restrict a little bit but not enough for my mare who's grass intake needs to be very restricted as recovering from lami. They have kindly offered me a refund for mine but this tip might work for you if it is not such a concern ?

Thanks. I wasn't too worried but then we've had another batch of wet/warm/wet/warm weather so I have now laced up one side where he was eating out of it. I used a bit of leather shoe lace I had and it does seem to be working well.

 

[outdoor girl]

Me again. We've managed to stop the muzzle rubbing, but now she's learned how to take it off. She's going out with a head collar over the top of it which has worked until today. This afternoon we found her with her head collar on and the muzzle off!!!!! How she's done that I have no idea. Any other suggestions very welcome.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

It is an art Outdoor girl, I put mine out with a fly mask on top and he can remove it very deftly, in tact and without the fly mask moving a millimetre ?

 

[outdoor girl]

Let's see what this afternoon brings. I've tightened the throatlash on the muzzle and hitched the head collar up another hole. Neither of these will strangle her, but will hopefully make it a little more difficult for her to escape!!