Muzzling overnight

[stormclouds]

How many of you muzzle overnight?

Bought a NF pony about 6 weeks ago, who was allowed to get incredibly fat. He's now looking a lot trimmer thanks to being ridden 5/6 times a week, muzzled during the day, soaked hay at night, and nothing but vits/mins for feed.

He's never had lami, but being fat, a pony and NF, know that he could be prone and will do anything to avoid it! His old owner simply says that he's been fatter before so I shouldn't worry about it...

He's currently out during the day (muzzled) and in at night, but will soon be moving onto nights out and days in. Will taking his muzzle off at night set his weight loss back, or will it be ok due to reduced sugars in the grass?

He's fine being muzzled (few rubs but have customised his muzzle and seems to be doing the trick), and I'm happy to keep it on him, just wondering if it's something I'll need to do for the whole summer.

I've had natives and good doers before, but never have I let them get to the state he was in, so have never muzzled.

 

[Polos Mum]

Each horse will be different but it's easier (this time of year and with a NF pony!) to get weight on than off, so I would muzzle over night and if his weight drops too much you can start to take it off.
My shetty wears his 24/7 bar a couple of hours in his stable eating nothing - he's still putting on weight - I have threatened him with sticking something over the hole to make it smaller !!

 

[twiggy2]

my mare is muzzled at night, she gains too much weight out at night without the muzzle , the grazing she is on is grazed old grass and has never been fertilized so not rich new grass it is tough old pasture.

 

[HorsesandParrots]

Mine are muzzled 24/7... well almost. I have 2 and take the muzzle of one whilst i;m riding the other- so maybe have an hour or two without it.

I'd keep it on personally if he's in during the day anyway xx

 

[Tobiano]

Mine is out at night and muzzled. Couldn't cope without muzzling.

 

[ester]

Mine is in during the day and out at night muzzled (previously kept out 24/7 on a track system so grazing restricted) I'd keep it on.

Mine was v.v. fat when I bought him and didn't get lami but I'm still careful of his management and he definitely isn't going to get skinny with a muzzle on!

 

[CBFan]

It all depends how much grass you have and if you want weight loss or to maintain the weight he is. I'd suggest he would probably need to be muzzled some nights at least - although the sugars are lower, the amount of grass is still the same and the calories are the same so yes, I would still muzzle as long as there is significant grass with growth in it. maybe give him one night a week without it?

 

[OldNag]

Mine is out at night and muzzled. Couldn't cope without muzzling.

Me too.

 

[Hoof_Prints]

Mine have to be muzzled whenever they are out, our grazing is absolutely ridiculous ! it is cattle grazing without the cattle and only 5 horses on it. You could put 20 horses on it and still have too much grass. They wear muzzles all night and come in for most of the day with them off, if one of them gets it off they come in like a blown up balloon and are very uncomfortable (had a couple of colic vet calls over the past 2 years) so they are never taken off while out during the spring.

 

[pansymouse]

Mine is muzzled 24/7 - she was beginning to look like a Zepplin and now she just looks a bit chubby. She's a bit dim and it took her a few day to work out how to graze so she only had it on a few hours at a time until she worked it out. I bought a Tough 1 mask off eBay which is really strong but soft and hasn't rubbed her at all.

 

[stormclouds]

Thanks all, that's what I was thinking. The grazing is ridiculously good (was used for cattle) so don't think I would've felt too happy leaving it off. I'd also rather he kept on losing weight than just stayed as he is. Poor Jack, don't think he'll be happy with this outcome!

 

[SO1]

I have a fat greedy forester and he is in at night on soaked hay and out during the day and on a similar exercise regime to yours.

I think a lot depends on the grass if they are out at night they will probably be out longer than they might be if out during the day in at night so can eat more.

If you have a lot of grass then keep the muzzle on overnight, my pony when he lived out was muzzled all the time he was in the field during spring summer and autumn. Now he is in at night all year round it is easier to manage his weight but when he moves to a rested field he still has to have his muzzle on even if he is only going out for about 7 hours a day.

 

[Hoof_Prints]

I think they get used to the muzzles easily, my own horse won't go back out in the field until his muzzle is on as he knows the routine ! He stands in the stable door and pushes his nose in to the muzzle when it's turn out time. So don't feel too bad, it is much better than having a fat, bloated, gassy and sugar loaded horse. Problem is that when you take the muzzle off for periods of time, they really gorge.

 

[nicelittle]

I would leave the muzzle on all the time he's in the field. Otherwise they binge and stuff themselves suddenly when they've previously been wearing one. Ours are in during day and out at night muzzled. Better than lami!