Is there such a thing as a riding grazing muzzle?

Landcruiser

Landcruiser

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As title really.
My mare Bird is obsessed with foliage and grass, especially as she is on a virtually grass free track (with ad lib hay, so not starving). She has EMS, and currently on Metformin. She needs loads of exercise to keep her metabolism up. All of our off road hacking is on woodland tracks, which are a smorgasbord of overhanging yummies at this time of year. She snatches constantly, to the point that it's dangerous as the ground isn't always great and she needs to pay attention to her feet. She'll even snatch at trot, and from overhead too, dragging foliage into my face.
Needless to say, this is intensely irritating and no fun for either of us. I'm constantly having to correct her, growl, kick on, et bloody cetera. I ride in very grippy work gloves, so I can get her off/up, but I'd rather not have the battle so I'm looking for a muzzle of some type that I can ride in. She's bitless (she can be ridden with a bit, but we both prefer without). Obviously it needs to be lightweight with excellent ventilation. Does anyone have any ideas??
 
Some of the Cannock Chase trekking centre horses are ridden in anti snacking crocheted nose nets when they are being ridden by very novicey riders to deter mid ride snacking. I’ll see if I can pull up a pic.

They seem to do the job and the horses tolerate them well.

ETA Not meaning to infer in any way that only novicey riders need anti snacking devices on their horses, it’s just what the practice is at CCTC!

ETA2

IMG_2506.jpeg

IMG_2507.jpeg
 
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Could you not just use an ordinary muzzle?

I use the flexible filly on my two ponies and have made bands for them so they can detach from the headcollar easily to make it easier to clean each day. You could do similar and then attach to the noseband of the bridle once done up?

IMG_2010.JPG
 
www.discount-equestrian.co.uk

ThinLine Flexible Filly Grazing Muzzle

Discount Equestrian provides a large range of top brand equestrian products at reduced prices. Our product range includes anything from riding boots and breeches, horse boots to horse rugs, riding whips to riding hats. Our team here, all equestrian enthusiasts are always happy to help with any...
www.discount-equestrian.co.uk www.discount-equestrian.co.uk

Might work?
 
The full nose nets don’t seem to be available any more. Aerborn used to make them. I’m sure you could cobble one together with net material.
 
In spring and summer I swop my pony’s bit from a snaffle to a Kimblewick as I have weak tendons in my shoulders and she will wrench them in an attempt to dive for grass (also EMS). Once tendonitis sets off it takes weeks of rest to recover. She respects the Kimblewick so it solves the problem.
 
JenJ said:
I found this which you may be able to make similar yourself?

www.munch-n-done.com

Munch-N-Done - Stop your horse from grabbing at everything

The Munch-N-Done is lightweight, and completely non-restrictive. Stop your horse from grabbing at every single thing it can reach.
www.munch-n-done.com
Click to expand...
been there with something like this. Approx 100 yards up a lovely overhanging treelined BP and he had got holes in it. It was a write off by the end of the ride.

I totally understand where you are coming from LC but the power of a horse desperate for green stuff is immense. I was a total and utter failure. The theory of all these nose nets sounds good, I found the practical application wasn't and the horse wasn't even kept off grass. Branches etc damage them and a horse pushing his nose down on rough vegetation damages them.

mine was bitless so you can put a bit in but the horse grabs and gentle sympathetic rein aids don't work. They grab and you pull. And then you move onto the next grab.
 
I was about to ask the same question. I am with you on the safety element. It is the level.of distraction and not at all paying attention to where they are walking that bothers me. I fear that even with a net the distraction remains. I don't know if there is a solution really for horses that are obsessed to this point.

The net would be toast in ten minutes top 🤣.
 
Just spitballing, but I wonder if one of those vitamunch/equilibrium/fibre block treat nets could be modified to work like the net muzzles. But I am literally pulling that idea out of thin air!
 
JenJ said:
I found this which you may be able to make similar yourself?

www.munch-n-done.com

Munch-N-Done - Stop your horse from grabbing at everything

The Munch-N-Done is lightweight, and completely non-restrictive. Stop your horse from grabbing at every single thing it can reach.
www.munch-n-done.com
Click to expand...
I did also find this, exactly the sort of think I'm after, but it doesn't seem to be available in the UK. I am not a maker, sadly..Thanks anyway!
 
JenJ said:
Could you not just use an ordinary muzzle?

I use the flexible filly on my two ponies and have made bands for them so they can detach from the headcollar easily to make it easier to clean each day. You could do similar and then attach to the noseband of the bridle once done up?

View attachment 161745
Click to expand...
I did wonder about this. I do have a couple of Flexible Filly muzzles. Hadn't thought of putting them on a separate noseband.
 
dreamcometrue said:
In spring and summer I swop my pony’s bit from a snaffle to a Kimblewick as I have weak tendons in my shoulders and she will wrench them in an attempt to dive for grass (also EMS). Once tendonitis sets off it takes weeks of rest to recover. She respects the Kimblewick so it solves the problem.
Click to expand...
Grass isn't the issue, I can easily stop her dropping her head. It's all the stuff hanging right in front of her face.
 
If you're considering trying a grazing muzzle, I think the Breezy Grazer looks like it could tolerate potentially being bashed around a bit against some branches without breaking.
444846590_787124913554808_6840747283564921997_n-1.jpg

 
I'm wondering if attaching two of these or similar together might work..
www.redpostequestrian.co.uk

QHP UV Nose Protection Net - Light Grey

It attaches easily to the noseband with a hook-and-loop fastener, shielding your horse from pollen, insects, and dust while offering ultimate comfort. The QHP UV Nose Protection Net is a fine mesh, anatomically shaped net that is UV protective.
www.redpostequestrian.co.uk
 
FinnishLapphund said:
If you're considering trying a grazing muzzle, I think the Breezy Grazer looks like it could tolerate potentially being bashed around a bit against some branches without breaking.
444846590_787124913554808_6840747283564921997_n-1.jpg

Click to expand...
I wonder whether it would interfere with the rein aids too much though. That's what worries me about the thinline too. I think I need something much lighter and closer fitting really. There's a gap in the market here!
 
Landcruiser said:
I wonder whether it would interfere with the rein aids too much though. That's what worries me about the thinline too. I think I need something much lighter and closer fitting really. There's a gap in the market here!
Click to expand...
Thinking out loud here, and they may not be fully thought through thoughts...! 😂

Could you cut the side wings off a FF to eliminate potential interference with the reins? As most attempts at snacking would be opportunistic snatches, these would mostly be from the front/top/bottom rather than sides? Or you could trim them/stick them to another wing if you didn't want to cut them off entirely?

Obviously, you'd then need one specifically for riding in, rather than using it for grazing as well.
 
I occasionally hacked the RS ponies and one of them had a Daisy rein. This was not a field muzzle preventing grazing, it just prevented her putting her head down to eat while being hacked.

English Leather Pony Daisy Rein​

I googled it and found it on a tack shop site.
 
Not idea if it would work with a big one, but i customised a very used old *Dinky muzzle - by slicing off the top strip of noseband just behind the headpiece strap, for a pony, meant the reins could still be used directly from bit but pony couldn't browse at nose height. I did need to pop a bit of twine to loop the front of the muzzle to the loose noseband to prevent it tipping.

*other muzzle makes might be suitable too.
 
I've seen something when passing a riding school. It wasn't a munch n done but similar. Just a net that went down from the noseband over the mouth and attached to the noseband underneath. Completely open at the side so didn't interfere with anything.

Can't find it now
 
Landcruiser said:
I wonder whether it would interfere with the rein aids too much though. That's what worries me about the thinline too. I think I need something much lighter and closer fitting really. There's a gap in the market here!
Click to expand...

If you worry about it interfering, could you perhaps add a second noseband to the bitless bridle, to which you attach the muzzle?
 
Skib said:
I occasionally hacked the RS ponies and one of them had a Daisy rein. This was not a field muzzle preventing grazing, it just prevented her putting her head down to eat while being hacked.

English Leather Pony Daisy Rein​

I googled it and found it on a tack shop site.
Click to expand...
Down isn't the issue. It's sideways and up and even just cruising along with her gob open waiting for the stuff at face height - of which there is plenty. It's just so distracting for her, when she needs to be thinking where her feet are going on the narrow overgrown tracks.
 
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