Muzzles

[Chianti]

Pony has hopefully lost weight over the winter - being weighed next week. This has been hard work for both of us - as much exercise as possible, weighing and soaking hay. I'd like to try and keep the spring/summer weight increase as low as possible so am thinking about using a muzzle. I never have before. So -

Which make do people use and recommend?
How long do you keep them on for?
Do ponies keep them on?
How do they cope? How long does it take for them to adjust? I've been told they can get depressed wearing them.
Can they wear them and eat hay? Hays still being put in the field.
Do they work on short grass? The field he's on is quite low but the grass is obviously coming through now.

Thanks

 

[Gloi]

I really dislike them, the ponies always seem miserable and they tend to rub. What worked here was very tight strip grazing and feeding soaked hay through the summer. Wearing them for long periods can cause damage to the front teeth over time the results of which cause problems as they get older.

 

[ester]

Hacked a dinky ponies one apart as a training muzzle
wore a shires deluxe after he ate his way through the next dinky ponies. Only needed one additional bit of fluff to prevent rubbing.
Liked it as a tool in the box, particularly if it meant company with a muzzle not individual turnout. Never seemed fussed or depressed. He did only wear at night though, and was in during the day on adlib hay. - He was also quite adept at eating hay through it if required too.

I only stopped using it because in winter we had suspicions about his jaw/poss arthritis so it wasn't used the following spring and now he quids grass a fair bit anyway.

type and technique makes a difference wiht the front teeth issue. greenguards are very easily accepted/probably allow more intake but certainly have an issue with front tooth wear. Certainly something any muzzle user should be keeping an eye on though.

 

[Meredith]

I have never needed to use a muzzle on a horse but I suggest these

https://ultimatemuzzle.com/

because they are said to be better / different and show another version of muzzles.

 

[SEL]

I use a greenguard when they move to fresh grass or if I've had to strip graze. She doesn't tolerate the bucket muzzles

Necessary evil. Has caused tooth damage I think and will rub in wet weather

 

[holeymoley]

I use a Shire bucket one and cut the hole slightly bigger so they can actually eat something. Mine has tolerated it very well. He can still drink with it and can even groom others with it (rubs it over them). I’d like to try the ultimate muzzle next as it seems to have better nostril clearance.

 

[holeymoley]

And yes mine can eat a haynet with one! Was very astounded to see that.

 

[Kaylum]

They need to be able to breath properly. There is one make which specifically has large holes for the nostrils which really is needed. Forgotten what make it is. I get in loads of different ones to sell for charity and they seem the better design.

 

[Bernster]

Lawks do they cause teeth damage?! One more thing to worry about ?

Currently got green guard as I liked that it was a bit more open. The shires one looks hot and not as easy for them to breath. The ultimate looks useful.

All of them needed fluff to stop rubbing. My boy took to them fine but he’s a guzzler so will always find a way to eat. I don’t like that they can’t interact with horses naturally (or it’s not so easy) but being porky is worse! He wears it during the day in spring/summer and it def helps.

 

[Spotherisk]

I had a Shires on with the lower back to it (like the Ultimate) and I found that my narrow jawed horse could get his lower jaw out of the back, which meant that when I checked him he’d chewed the back part badly. He’s never kept a muzzle for more than two days, I think his trick is to stand on the back of them and wrench them apart - they’re always broken not slipped off when I find them. I’ve now given up with them, and he is out hunter clipped and naked instead.

 

[Teajack]

Vet asked if mine was a cribber after a few months with a muzzle. Pony was adept at losing them in the mud also tried grazing sideways to feed longer grass in over the top edge.

 

[oldie48]

I've used a Dinky on two ponies and both tolerated it well. They were not on 24 hour turnout though so when in they had soaked hay in a trickle net or a trug of zero chop. They work better if there is some length on the grass but not too much and both wore a bigger hole to eat through but it was still effective. I put a head collar over Fatty's or he gets it off, not ideal but better than a pony with laminitis. Both of these ponies would run through electric fencing so strip grazing/track system wouldn't have worked. Neither have had rubs but I do have to buy at least two to last the spring/summer.

 

[GoldenWillow]

I've used both greenguards and shires type bucket muzzles on two different cobs and a shetland over the years. I found different ponies preferred different types. All have occasionally rubbed to some degree and I found rather than sheepskin type padding I found covering the areas with silage tape stopped the rubbing. Shetland has worn his (shires) for 6 summers now with no teeth wear and it means he can stay in the same field as his friend.

 

[ester]

They need to be able to breath properly. There is one make which specifically has large holes for the nostrils which really is needed. Forgotten what make it is. I get in loads of different ones to sell for charity and they seem the better design.

easybreathe , though dinky ponies do to. Never observed a breathing issue though.

 

[Chianti]

Thank you everyone. I think I'll try the Ultimate and see how we go