Make me rational (Muzzles)

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mar2505

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Hi, I am having a panic, hence why not sleeping!
My horse had 4 months box rest with tenson damage and the vet said his weight loss while on rest was significant in his recovery and when pronunced fit again made me promise not to let him put on any of the weight he lost.
He was turned out in a muzzle for 2 weeks and all was ok.
now they have moved to winter fields which have losts of grass as rested all summer, YO has said to put muzzle on. I understand why but feel really sad and almost jealous that no other horse has one one.
I know this sounds silly but i feel like his is being short changed and done out of grass.
Please help put my mind at rest, he def has not lost more as i weight tape him every week which I know is not accurate but a good guide.
 
Its hard but you need to be cruel to be kind. If the vet said that to me I would prefer my horse to be underweight than overweight.

The grass still has a lot of freshness still in it and if there's loads then he will stuff himself silly and put on masses of weight.

I know its hard but try to keep going and then once the others have grazed it down you can take the muzzle off him.

Are you feeding him anyhing else at the moment?
 
I have an exmoor x who MUST wear a muzzle while shes out as she suffers from EMS so I have to keep her weight down. I also felt quite mean making her wear this at first but im sure wearing a muzzle is a he'll of a lot better then her getting overweight and getting laminitis. Sometimes, as hard as it is, we have to put our feelings aside and do what's best for our horses. I'm sure your horse wont mind being out in a muzzle, they soon get used to it :-)
 
Dont feel down, my mare still has hers on and they moved to the winter field last week. All the others have munched alot of it away but i can honestly say my'n wont be coming off for as least another week. I know its hard but it'll soon get eaten down then at least your horse can have a few months without it......
 
You are right to put the muzzle on. Mine are strip grazng their wnter field because the grass is so good due to the mild weather. I would feel mean too but it has to be done.
 
Well you could leave it off and see how mean you feel when your horse is crippled and on box rest again! The muzzle will seem like a good option then!

My horse is still in a muzzle too and will be until there isn't enough grass to get through it. And it'll be back on mid march.
 
Yep mine is muzzled 24hours through summer as our field is so good. He is happy and healthy and yes I feel mean but the way I see it is, it's far more mean to let them gorge themselves silly and get laminitis. So don't feel guilty!!!!!
I took his off only a few weeks ago when they came in for the night but still monitoring carefully... though he has had a clip and still wearing summer turnout so he shouldn't gain weight now.
 
bushbaby28 said:
Its hard but you need to be cruel to be kind. If the vet said that to me I would prefer my horse to be underweight than overweight.

The grass still has a lot of freshness still in it and if there's loads then he will stuff himself silly and put on masses of weight.

I know its hard but try to keep going and then once the others have grazed it down you can take the muzzle off him.
Click to expand...

Totally second this. You have to be cruel to be kind. Restricting your horses grass could be a life saver, so when you look at it like that it does not matter does it?
My late girl wore a muzzle when she was a bit younger. I had trouble with people on my yard being naive and thinking it cruel she wore it, but I worked so hard to protect my mare from another serious attack of laminitis and we did it, it was not laminitis that took her from me as I always thought...

They still do well through those muzzles once they get the hang of it so stop worrying. The grass is still pretty rich out there for the time of year so stick to your guns
 
If your horse gets laminitis, it will be in terrible pain. I have heard it described as like having an infection under a fingernail, but of course while an infection can escape from under a human nail, a horse's hoof is completely sealed so there is nowhere for that infection to go.

Look at this little one. Look at how it is standing, even on a sand surface which provides support for his poor feet. Look at that eye. You do not want your horse to end up like this.

Laminitis.jpg


A muzzle is a far kinder option than the above.

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/information/right_weight_advice

Even if your horse doesn't get laminitis, being overweight is still bad for him - putting extra strain on his joints and internal organs. It will make him unhappy and unable to enjoy his life as much as he should.
 
thanks all of you, i actually cried looking at that pony with lami.
i loved the quote, how would i feel when he is crippled, you are all so right.
don't feel so much like a cruel mum now.
 
You're not being cruel, you're being kind :) My mare had lami a couple of years ago and believe me its awful, I kept thinking it was my fault - after all I manage her. My girl is muzzled nearly all year, this last week I have taken it off as the grass is so sparse but I'm watching her like a hawk.
 
Me and my sister both use muzzles. it saved her Tbx life and has helped my cob endlessly to maintain his weight. Its the best thing and they adjust very well if its introduced properly.
 
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