Laminitis watch - Muzzles?

[Jlangley]

Looking for some advice for my new horse - we are on a livery yard with lots of rich grass - around 2.5 acres for 2 ponies, one horse. Unable to make the paddock smaller currently as they are still galloping around sorting out the herd hierarchy. Could maybe make it smaller once everything has settled but that will be a couple of weeks at least.

They are out during the day and stabled between 5pm and 7.30am - is this enough to ward off lami for now? I know it is better to stable at night but that isn't really an option at the yard. I am soaking his hay when he is in. He hasn't had it before but he is an incredible good doer so I am on high alert. I am considering a grazing muzzle but I really don't think he would keep it on. What make grazing muzzles do you recommend?

Does anyone else turn out in the day time muzzleless? Am I just being a worry wart?

 

[asmp]

Much better to be a worry wart then to have a horse with laminitis. As the owner of a horse who got it for the first time last year, I bought a Dinky one after reading all the recommendations on here.

 

[ester]

They are certainly useful to have even if you don't end up needing them much.
I started with a dinky, until he ate the second one and moved to a shires deluxe (minus the head pad as it came off to easily then)
I wouldn't use a greenguard.

 

[EnduroRider]

My lad wears a Shires Deluxe, agree with removing the padded head piece as noted above!. He keeps it on and tolerates it really well - it's one of the others that pulls it off his face!

 

[oldie48]

My greedy sect c goes out on good grass during the day wearing a dinky muzzle. I do have to put a headcollar on top but as we are around most of the time I think it's worth the risk. He comes in at night and has well soaked hay in a small trickle net. I also let him have some oat straw chaff in a trug if he's in during the day but if I am out with Rose I take the view if she's not eating, he won't come to any harm if he's not either. He is not losing weight but he's not putting it on either. So much better to not let them get overweight my fatty is miserable even on this regime but he is an eating machine!

 

[OldNag]

They are certainly useful to have even if you don't end up needing them much.
I started with a dinky, until he ate the second one and moved to a shires deluxe (minus the head pad as it came off to easily then)
I wouldn't use a greenguard.

I was talking with the dentist this week about muzzles as I wanted reassurance that the grazing muzzle wasn't causing any problems for our pony's teeth.


We use a Dinky and dentist said all fine, there is no effect on his teeth.

He did say he didn't like greenguards as they do cause wear. But he also said that laminitis will kill, but a bit of wear on incisors won't! So any muzzle better than the possible alternative.

 

[criso]

They are certainly useful to have even if you don't end up needing them much.
I started with a dinky, until he ate the second one and moved to a shires deluxe (minus the head pad as it came off to easily then)
I wouldn't use a greenguard.

Depends on the horse. Greenguard is the only thing that doesn't rub my tb and leave him bald and sore. He's been using it on and off since 2011 and dentist hasn't spotted anything on his teeth. Hasn't needed it every year though, depends on the grass. Last year was so dry it hardly grew but this year I've needed it.

 

[SEL]

A greenguard was the only one my mare tolerated and I decided it was better teeth damage than letting her balloon.

Personally I don't think taking them off the grass at night makes any real difference to how much they scoff during the day. There was something going around FB recently from one of the vets saying a pony can take in its entire day's ration of grass in just 3 hours if they want to. I would muzzle until you can fence off.

 

[supertramp]

I have tried most of the grazing muzzles since my boy developed EMS, the only one that stays in place is the Green Guard, i have had to make adjustments to find the best fit, if he does get it off it probably due to his friends in the field giving him a hand, i have watched him roll with it on and it barely moves. Have spoken to his dentist who has assured me there is no problem with his teeth.
He is turned out from 8am till 5.30 , he has 8kg of hay over night, andlooks good.
The yard im at have fenced off a large patch for him which he went in after it had been grazed down by the others, he is next to his chums and they can touch over the fence.
This works for us.

 

[SO1]

What sort of horse are you talking about and what is their weight and workload like.

A good doer overweight and in light work on good grass would be a concern for me. Good that you are able to soak hay. Are you able to provide plenty of exercise too? All the natives and cobs on our yard are muzzled at the moment. Brands of muzzle used are Shires, dinky and best friend. I use the best friend have a heart grazing muzzle on my pony as he gets the standard muzzles off quite easily.

My native pony is muzzled most of the year, we normally have plenty of grass all year round. I was worried about his teeth as he is muzzled so much of the year so consulted with the vet and he has not seen any horses with teeth damage due to muzzles yet and the risk of laminitis outweighs the risk to teeth. Horse can cope quite well with worn down teeth but laminitis would be more stressful and debilitating to manage. My pony gets his teeth checked once a year and I will continue with normal teeth checking.