Muzzling 24/7

M

Mancha

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 October 2011
Messages
185
Visit site
Does anyone use grazing muzzles 24/7?
I have always been told they should only be worn for part of the day etc, but a new horse has come to my yard that lives out and wears one 24/7, does not get ridden or come in from the field so it basically lives in a muzzle. I won't say too much until I have read other peoples views on it but I was quite shocked by it. :o
 
I was under the impression that 12 hours a day is about the max?! If the animal is in danger there may be an argument for longer. If it was me I would use the muzzle and have it stood in for a bit . Some of thos muzzle can cause sore spots.
 
How does the horse look? If it's not underweight then I would say that the horse is obviously getting enough food and water through the muzzle so although not ideal to have on 24/7, I wouldn't be overly worried.
 
The horse moved from a big field with rich grazing where it hadn't been muzzled at all, it is only since it moved to our yard it has been muzzled so only in the last few weeks.
 
Mine is currently muzzled 24-7. She has far too much grass and won't settle in the stable at the moment as we just moved yards and she's a bit anxious still so has to stay out. Only issue I have with it is stopping it rubbing her around her ears. She's happy enough :)
 
I think that everyone has differing opinions on how to keep horses and who are we to judge!

If its a case of muzzle or get laminitis i know what i would prefer !
My pony sometimes has his muzzle on 24hrs at a time, but he isnt underweight, and can still eat with it on. If it works.......
 
Poor thing, don't think its right personally, couldn't he/she be strip grazed for half the time instead?
 
Last edited:
Toffee_monster said:
If its a case of muzzle or get laminitis i know what i would prefer !
My pony sometimes has his muzzle on 24hrs at a time, but he isnt underweight, and can still eat with it on. If it works.......
Click to expand...

This!

Mine also wears hers 24/7 at times and she is still slightly overweight! It's amazing how much she can eat through her muzzle, last week I watched her pulling big chunks of hay out of a small holed hay net with very little effort wearing her muzzle.

I really don't like them and would much rather see her out in the field without one but I know it serves a purpose and is for her own benefit. I would never forgive myself if she got lami because I'd not controlled her weight.
 
All the advice and instructions for muzzles state they should not been worn 24/7. I don't care how fat, unsettled, issues or whatever, they should not be on 24/7.

It is not just about if they can eat and drink with it on, its about what they cant do with it on.

Bring the horse in, section it into a small area for a break for a few hours, anything to give the horse a break.
 
Inthesticks said:
All the advice and instructions for muzzles state they should not been worn 24/7. I don't care how fat, unsettled, issues or whatever, they should not be on 24/7.
Click to expand...

But why is this? (genuine question!). If a horse is getting enough food and water while wearing a muzzle what is the difference between wearing it for 12, 15, 18 or 24 hours?
 
Inthesticks said:
All the advice and instructions for muzzles state they should not been worn 24/7. I don't care how fat, unsettled, issues or whatever, they should not be on 24/7.

It is not just about if they can eat and drink with it on, its about what they cant do with it on.

Bring the horse in, section it into a small area for a break for a few hours, anything to give the horse a break.
Click to expand...

What makes you say this? I looked at all the advice & instructions and couldn't find any concrete evidence/reasons why it couldn't be on 24/7

Genuine question! At the moment the only time mine has it off is when she's being ridden. I'm not prepared to risk colic or laminitis and she is already strip grazed. It's like a cattle pasture. She is used to wearing the muzzle as I've used it for about 5 years or so.
 
Because I have spoken to different people about grazing muzzles, including vets, the people that make the muzzles, feed companies, horse behaviour people and every single one advised me I should not keep a grazing muzzle on 24/7. The horse should have a break from wearing it.

Its up to you and others if they do leave them on, but it is advised against. I will try and post some of the info shortly
 
Inthesticks said:
Because I have spoken to different people about grazing muzzles, including vets, the people that make the muzzles, feed companies, horse behaviour people and every single one advised me I should not keep a grazing muzzle on 24/7. The horse should have a break from wearing it.

Its up to you and others if they do leave them on, but it is advised against. I will try and post some of the info shortly
Click to expand...

What is their reasoning for giving the horse a break?
 
3Beasties said:
What is their reasoning for giving the horse a break?
Click to expand...
I was wondering that. Surely, if you remove the muzzle they are just going to gorge? I have a fatty who is muzzled pretty much 22/7, sometimes she stays out 48hrs or more still with the muzzle on. Apart from great improvement in her condition, I can't see it affecting her in any way whatsoever.
 
Plenty wear them 22 -23/7, if the hold weight well and it fits so no rubs I personally can't think of a reason why not.

If the choice is between a muzzle and lami - it's a no brainer for me. My big horse will not stay in electric fenced strips (post and rail strips seems over kill to me!) and I think he can exhibit more of his natural behaviours in a muzzle than he can stuck in a stable.
 
martlin said:
I was wondering that. Surely, if you remove the muzzle they are just going to gorge? I have a fatty who is muzzled pretty much 22/7, sometimes she stays out 48hrs or more still with the muzzle on. Apart from great improvement in her condition, I can't see it affecting her in any way whatsoever.
Click to expand...

This is my experience at the moment. If I take it off she will eat until she is stuffed full :mad: And then she burps! I didn't think horses could burp :eek:


I wonder if perhaps it's general things like to avoid rubbing etc (esp the muzzle manufacturers might suggest that to prevent people saying that their products rub:p), or to avoid inexperienced ;) muzzle users not ensuring the horse is getting enough to eat/can drink etc.
 
A few reasons stick out,

Movement of the jaw restricted/ certain actions they can't do with a muzzle on
Herd interaction/grooming
Not getting enough fibre with a muzzle on
Their mental well being
Increased risk of the muzzle rubbing

Even a couple of hours is enough to give them a break.

I will try and find some of the answers I got, but Spillers and Dengie have their research published on their website.

I dont think the reason of because they will gorge is a good enough reason to leave them on 24/7.

Its just my opinion, I manage my fatty without having to leave on 247
 
Last edited:
milliepops said:
I wonder if perhaps it's general things like to avoid rubbing etc (esp the muzzle manufacturers might suggest that to prevent people saying that their products rub:p), or to avoid inexperienced ;) muzzle users not ensuring the horse is getting enough to eat/can drink etc.
Click to expand...

I think it's the worry that they are not eating enough through it which I guess may be the case with some horses. My big mare doesn't eat that much through a muzzle so I could never leave it on her 24/7 (mind you keeping it on for an hour doesn't even happen at the moment as she is a pro at getting it off).

I personally think if they are going to rub then they will rub regardless of how long it's on for!
 
milliepops said:
This is my experience at the moment. If I take it off she will eat until she is stuffed full :mad: And then she burps! I didn't think horses could burp :eek:


I wonder if perhaps it's general things like to avoid rubbing etc (esp the muzzle manufacturers might suggest that to prevent people saying that their products rub:p), or to avoid inexperienced ;) muzzle users not ensuring the horse is getting enough to eat/can drink etc.
Click to expand...

Yes, my fatty would eat herself stupid, she comes in sometimes when her slim friend does and gets a mineral lick and some straw, which she eats a few mouthfuls of and leaves the rest, that tells me she can't be particularly hungry :) The muzzle doesn't rub, she's turned out on her own with horses over the fence and she can easily yawn in the muzzle.
TBH, I'm willing to risk the unlikely occurrence of ulcers if it means she doesn't get laminitis or colic.
 
Inthesticks said:
A few reasons stick out,

Movement of the jaw restricted/ certain actions they can't do with a muzzle on
Herd interaction/grooming
Not getting enough fibre with a muzzle on
Their mental well being
Increased risk of the muzzle rubbing

Even a couple of hours is enough to give them a break.

I will try and find some of the answers I got, but Spillers and Dengie have their research published on their website.

I dont think the reason of because they will gorge is a good enough reason to leave them on 24/7.

Its just my opinion, I manage my fatty without having to leave on 247
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm happy that my mare's needs are being met :) She has plenty of wriggle room in her muzzle, is happier out in the field at the moment than the stable, is getting loads to eat through it and is canoodling with her field mates as normal.
She obviously has a break when she's ridden.

Thanks for the response :) It's one of the many things I worry over but it's the best option for mine at the moment. until there is vet advice of a medical reason why they can't be on 24/7 I will continue as my horse is in rude health:cool:

Can't speak for OP obviously ;)
 
Mine was just a general query really as it has nothing to do with me i'm just curious as to what other people do. My horse also has a muzzle and I was told by the vet that he could not wear it all the time, which meant he stuffed himself stupid the second it came off! So I strip graze now instead which works well for us! When I mentioned at the yard I didn't like the idea of muzzling 24/7 I had no real reason as to why, I just don't like it!! So thought I would see what other people do with theirs!
 
The problem that I would have with the horse mentioned in the original posting is that he never gets a break. Most people here who muzzle "24/7" either ride or exercise in some other way, or bring the horse in for soaked hay/feeding/grooming or limited turnout without the muzzle for an hour or whatever. That's what I did when I muzzled '24/7'. The first thing Henry did when removing it was a big yawn and then a rub of his head on his legs. So, yes, they're a necessary evil and I also use them for much longer than the '12hrs' some people report as the maximum, but leaving them on for 24/7 without any break at all is just laziness (assuming it's a bucket type - I appreciate the GG muzzles have more wriggle room). However, I think I'd still prefer they did that than let the horse become obese. A local owner to me has just learned the hard way that being anti-muzzle is not necessarily kinder. Her horse is now in with laminitis, apparently because she refused to muzzle on ex-dairy grass.
 
My pony has just started being muzzled almost 24/7 as he has become very fat, he comes up to the yard in the evening for short time to be groomed/exercised and to have some soaked hay. At the weekends when I have more time as not working he can come in and have more time without his muzzle.

It is not ideal but then at least he is out with his friends and having lots of space to roam around rather than being stuck in a stable on his own with nothing to eat. He does not seem desperate to come in either which I think he would be if he was very unhappy.

I do know quite a few people who have had to muzzle 24/7 fat ponies living out over the summer for their health benefits.

I think the situation the OP is taking about is different as that sounds like the horse is just left in the field with muzzle on and never taken out then it is going weeks or possibly months without having the muzzle taken off and that makes it impossible to check for rubs and is too restrictive.
 
Last edited:
I don't agree with leaving them on for that length of time either. I know of a horse whose front teeth wore right down through wearing a muzzle. The horses teeth were put under so much stress trying to eat through the hole, that they literally wore away.

Vet told the owner to remove the muzzle and just strip graze and part stable - oh plus exercise ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top