Introducing a grazing muzzle

I am going ( hopefully ) get to this stage with my mare.
The pony and donkey are used to theirs



if you horse is one of those who panics i would.

1. just put the headcollar on ( green guard one) then attach the muzzle for a few mins


gradually working to putting it on with muzzle already attached

if its one of the other types , shires etc i would hold the muzzle put a treat in the bottom and get him to eat out of muzzle without lifting over his ears , once he is used to this work at putting it on properly and get something he loves ( haylage ) feed etc and get him to eat out your hand so he realizes he can eat through it .
 
I emailed the company about this muzzle but they never replied, as I didn't get an answer to my question I won't be buying one.

I've tried my horse twice with the greenguard ones, once with the old design, once with the new design.

He likes (well I say like lol) the shires type, I've had to customise it with the headcollar peices from the greenguard one, I use the centre strap and extra throat lash, it helps to stop him getting it off
 
Great tips, thanks. Yes I will try first with a Shires one, my mare is very unstressy but is quite sensitive around the muzzle area so I am a bit worried about pressure/rubs.

I hope the restricted access to grass won't worry her as she has taken like duck to water to a tricklenet; but I do think she'll work out in a moment how to remove it, so I am very interested to hear how you've customised your's Noisygirl to help it stay on better!
 
Hello

Sorry to jump on this post but wanted to advise other owners of a problem I have found with muzzles.
I used the green guard (bucket style one) one on my lad through last year and had to fit rather tight else he would manage to rub it over his ears when rolling - this then caused him to have the front enamel of his teeth rubbed away - we found that out after damage was done. Not sure if its because I had to fit tighter so up against his face more or he is just quite forceful in his eating manner that he was rubbing against the mask.

Please check teeth regular if using masks - I am now at stage where cannot use one - god knows how we will keep the fat boy slim this year!!! oops
 
I'd also like to issue a warning about muzzles. I used to muzzle my horse who was extremely prone to getting colic from the fantastic grazing we have (used to be dairy farm so grazing fantastic). So after repeated episodes of colic which was put down to the grass in the spring I decided to muzzle him. Which was fine. It limited his intake. But then he got to learn how to remove the muzzle and when he couldn't manage to take it off by himself he would enlist the help of a friend to pull it off for him.

And then he would gorge on the grass until he was found 'muzzleless' and brought in and would then get colic as he was so engorged with grass. After trying the Green guard (broke in 2.5 minutes) and various shires muzzles I decided to take the muzzle off and let him regulate his intake of grazing and help him with pink powder. Four years on and touch wood, all is well.

An excellent tip for the Shires muzzles and horses that refuse to keep a muzzle on. Adjust the strap that goes from the jaw to the throat so it is short. This helps prevent the muzzle coming off (unless your horse has a helpful friend who will do it for him). :)
 
Thank you Applecart that's really helpful, I will try that.

She won't be out with any other horses and will not have any wooden fencing to leverage a muzzle off on, but she is very clever so we shall see how we go!!

If, at the end of the day it doesn't work, she'll just stay on her routine of being mainly stabled, at the moment she only goes out for 1-2 hours every other day - if the muzzling helps allow her have a little more out time than that without gorging, that's all I'm hoping for.
 
I bought greenguard muzzles for my welshy A and donkey.

The donkey was good but welshy learnt to get muzzle off even with headcollar on top very tight like a cavason.


she then developed rubs.

since then I bought the dinky rugs.

No rubs, and hasnt actually got it off yet tho not in muzzle at moment .

Does get mucky at bottom but i keep it clear.

Defo for little ones Get the dinky rugs ones they fit welshies much better. IMO

http://www.tackandturnout.co.uk/Web.../261F/0FF5/4B00/0A0A/33E9/6CE1/DMCLGRAZ_m.jpg





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Tnavas said:
I gave up with mine as my mare sulked terribly - a horse that always greets yuo with a happy neigh went totally silent on me. We decided to limit grazing and stable instead.
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There was research done though to show that restricted horsese soon learnt to guzzle more grass when turned out so not really achieving anything.

I was told by my vet 4 years ago when my horse had mild lami to use a muzzle and he's had the shires bucket one on ever since apart from trying the green guard ones twice. I had to customise it so he kept it on, otherwise he could potentially die from the horrible illness so better that...........

I keep telling myself that when he runs over hoping I'll take it off
 
Hen said:
Great tips, thanks. Yes I will try first with a Shires one, my mare is very unstressy but is quite sensitive around the muzzle area so I am a bit worried about pressure/rubs.

I hope the restricted access to grass won't worry her as she has taken like duck to water to a tricklenet; but I do think she'll work out in a moment how to remove it, so I am very interested to hear how you've customised your's Noisygirl to help it stay on better!
Click to expand...

I buy sheepskin girth sleeves and cut them up, put a strip all round if you want attach with spur straps easy peesy no sewing or you can use duck tape
 
Here's mine wearing his, not impressed but hey ho, note customisation lol

muzzle006.jpg

muzzle001.jpg

muzzle003.jpg
 
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