muzzles

[Alison6]

My little fat Welsh Secion A companion pony is nearly always on the verge of laminitus... I hate the thought of a muzzle but am now considering buying one. I was advised only to get a Greenguard muzzle as the horse can eat a little bit while wearing it - whereas with some muzzles they cannot eat at all. Imagine how frustrating that can be? Also, I heard about a pony which starved to death wearing a muzzle, no one noticed how thin it was because it was wearing a rug... So you can see why the thought makes me nervous.
What are your experiences of muzzles? I really want my pony to have the freedom to be out in the paddock with my horse at least some of the time.

 

[miamibear]

Im thinking about one for my boy next spring, hes so greedy and fat, he would probably gorge on grass and make himself poorly and i dont want to limit his hours in the field with his friends.

He did come end of summer with slightly hot hooves and a crest, was a bit worried but it went off. Dont want him getting lami!!

 

[AmyMay]

I got a muzzle for my little horse for the spring. She only wore it in the day time (don't keep them on 24/7). Not really sure of the overall benefits because she went to stud for the summer, and came back quite lean. She didn't wear the muzzle at the stud.

I wouldn't put it on in the winter as the nutritional value of the grass is too low to be a concern (I would have thought) and it's the ideal time to get the weight off your pony with careful management.

 

[ladylisa]

I had one for a greedy section a gelding last year that would not stay in a paddock, he would just walk through the electric fencing to get to the better grass!! i used to put it on him every other day so it was a gradual weight loss, less tramatic on his body but did what i wanted it to do.

If you get a tape and measure his/her measurments you will have a good idea on how much weight is lost.

 

[sugarnspice]

My boy has to wear one all through summer. I would recommend greenguard in the end though I did end up buying the proper head collar for it as he kept getting it off

.
When they first start to wear it you will get the, standing in the middle of the field looking dejected but stick with it! Fairly soon they just forget about it and do everythign as normal.

 

[jacks_mum]

I had one on my mini shetland - not a green guard one, just a normal run of the mill grazing muzzle and we had no problems with her not being able to eat with it on. She did try it on for a day or two trying to tell us she was starving but we snuck about and caught her happily eating. I would rather have a slightly unhappy healthy pony wearing a muzzle than a sick or dead pony because I didn't restrict her intake.

 

[equibabe20]

My boy has been wearing one for years as he got laminitis very badly a few years back. the greenguard one is the best and he manages to eat fine!! when my boy was out 24/7 he wore it during the day then had it off at night and it really did help. He is wearing it again now as they have moved fields and there is a lot of grass. He gets colic really bad if he is kept in so it really is the only thing that keeps him alive. As long as you regularly weigh them and body score the muzzles are fine!

 

[metalmare]

I know two ponys who have had to use the greenguardones because they have had lami and I would recommend these because they are difficult to get off (although you do have to do them up tight). A responsible owner should be removing a rug at least once a day anyway to check condition, groom and, if neccessary, replace the rug. The horses I knew who were in muzzles both had hayledge and hard feed to add plenty of nutrients and one of them is turned out for only five hours a day and still had his muzzle on now and his weight is still good.

 

[Clodagh]

My welsh A is still wearing his as there is so much grass, he won't wear it when it goes off. (Hes in at night, holding big neds hand).
His is a greenguard and has changed his life! I do leave it on 24/7 sometimes, (when hes out) but prefer to give him a break, he always likes to have a good scratch when it comes off.

 

[emmajanerushton]

greengiards rub you would be better with a dinky rugs one, seat belt material and fleece lined, work brill use with a headcollar over top to prevent houdinin and if he can get themover ears and off ( welshies have little ears!) put a collar around the same place as a cribbing collar firm but not tight and tie all onto this, prevents them slipping over ears. better than a live of misery, they soon learn being very resposible, not cruel at all

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

My lad has had a greenguard one on for most of the summer. He's still got it on because there's still plenty of grass. He got used to his within the day, he's never looked so good & when I bring him in late afternoon he doesn't have grass bloat.

I wouldn't use most of the other makes I've seen, there is little chance of them getting any grass through some of them but the greenguard really works well. I would recommend getting their headcollar though...the mask fits to it better.

 

[emmajanerushton]

can get plenty of grass ( well enough) through the webbing ones, dont like rigid plastic bucket ones

 

[PoppyPony]

Get a shires one and cut some of the rubber bit from the bottom out with scissors. having a grzaing muzzle is necessary with a laminitc...and your pony won't starve to death if you keep an eye on him!!!