Please help! Muzzling question....

Ben2684

Ben2684

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So. Took scooter down for a lesson today, not 2 minutes in RI said he was slightly short on his near side hind. Watched him trot in a circle and said it looked as though he was sore through his back (legs checked no heat swelling etc. checking feet with farrier tomorrow) have booked the physio for next week which was the earliest they could squeeze me in at short notice. His saddle was checked and re flocked/balanced 10 April so possible that is an issue, he also had a huge spook at some air brakes a few days ago, or it may turn out not to be his back at all (I always tend to think rather pessimistically) ANYWAY... I had been managing his weight with lots of work, he now can't be ridden until I get everything checked etc. he is out 24/7 as hates being stabled, will constantly kick doors, pace and generally get very upset. I had been hoping not to need a muzzle at all this year, what with regular daily work but now he is off I am panicking as he puts weight on so easily. I have two muzzles, a green guard and shires deluxe. Last year muzzling for 12 hours only made it worse. I cannot strip graze as I am bound by land owners decisions, nor can I create a 'diet pen' my question is would it be okay to muzzle 24/7 until he is able to be ridden again? Or at least until he moves into the field with less grass (winter field in recovery) sometime next week, YO is just waiting for a bit of rain. I do have the option of stabling him during the day but know he would absolutely despise it. He is a 16.3 ISH and grass in fields is almost the best you can get quality wise, I don't know what to do... I don't want him getting too fat as a) it's too much pressure on joints/muscles and b) makes him lethargic and hard work, as well as c) it's only April!!! And we have months of good weather ahead. I want to do the best for him and don't know what this is. He doesn't seem to be phased by muzzles and eats quite happily drinks etc, but I worry about the long term effects of wearing them all the time.

Sorry it is such a long one!!! But you do tend to ramble on when you are worried... Have been nearly in tears over this as have had about 5 different sets of contradicting advice and that's only today!!
 
Sorry! There's more!! RI (who is aware how fat he can get and how fast) said muzzling 24/7 would be best as even if it reduced intake by 70% he's eating 79% too much and this would ensure it was more trickle feeding, YO said muzzling is horrid and should never be done, can cause colic, ulcers, and also is bad psychologically for the horse as cannot mutual groom etc, three other grass liveries have also all given me conflicting advice... One said only muzzle during the day, one said at night, and one said 23/7 was best but allow them an hour to graze unrestricted to ensure they have enough fibre! Eeeeekim so confused:...
 
Ben2684 said:
Sorry! There's more!! RI (who is aware how fat he can get and how fast) said muzzling 24/7 would be best as even if it reduced intake by 70% he's eating 79% too much and this would ensure it was more trickle feeding, YO said muzzling is horrid and should never be done, can cause colic, ulcers, and also is bad psychologically for the horse as cannot mutual groom etc, three other grass liveries have also all given me conflicting advice... One said only muzzle during the day, one said at night, and one said 23/7 was best but allow them an hour to graze unrestricted to ensure they have enough fibre! Eeeeekim so confused:...
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Why don't you muzzle during the day, and take it off at night? I might be wrong, but I've always understood that you shouldn't have them on 24/7. Mine is out and muzzled during the day, and in at night (and we reverse that from around May to October).

FWIW I think it's kinder to muzzle than have a fat horse at risk of various nasties.

Mine wears a muzzle from March to Novemberish.
 
I did this last year and he seemed to put weight on even faster, he was possibly gorging himself whilst it was taken off... Though I only used the shires one last year (the green guard was an impulsive purchase at a table top sale that I didnt actually use as it was towards the end of autumn) it's so hard knowing what is best to do... My main concern is that he won't be in work for a minimum of two weeks I reckon. In this time in restricted he will be enormous! Generally this time of year and with good weather I aim to ride at least two hours a day, mainly hacking in the forest and also lessons so he will be missing a lot of exercise...
 
Depends on how much grass you have.

A horse on good grazing can eat 2 kilos of grass in one hour. If your horse is a good doer and say 600 kilo then 2% of body weight would be 12 kilos so could eat total recommended daily allowance of grass in 6 hours.

If you take muzzle off for 12 hours a day he could end up eating double his total daily allowance of grass in 12 hours.

I think if your grazing is very good and you can't strip graze or stable or exercise him then then you may need to muzzle for 24/7.

My pony when living out on good grazing had to be muzzled 24/7 in addition to being exercised every day to keep his weight under control. He lives in at night now and only goes out for 7-8 hours a day and this has really helped with keeping his weight under control as even with his muzzle on he ate quite a lot of grass I think it only reduced his intake by 50-60%. I hated muzzling him 24/7 esp as it rubbed his face but was better than laminitis, could not strip graze either.

I moved yards and now he is in at night and only out for 7-8 hours he has not needed to be muzzled so much and can eat more as he can have soaked hay when he is in his stable. Grass was definitely making him fat.
 
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I personally do not agree with muzzling 24/7 yes risk of Laminitis ect but if that's the case you move to a yard with more suitable grazing to suit your horse not muzzle the poor thing day in day out. You would like to think for a short period of time your YO would provide you with a poor patch of grazing
 
The patch of ground ideally he would move to is their winter patch, it's in recovery and so once we have some rain she has said they can move back in... Rain forecast Friday! Thank god... So hopefully after the weekend so I'm looking at maybe a few days 24/7 and then possibly overnight only...
 
I don't like the idea of muzzling 24/7 but it is only for a short time and I think you should do it. No point at all in doing it part of the time as it is known that they eat faster in the times without it. Make sure he comes in each day so it can be off for half an hour or so, he doesn't have to go in his stable then if you are around.
Be cruel to be kind. I have just lost one to egs and if it had been laminitis and preventable I would never have forgiven myself. Good luck and I hope his lameness clears up soon. X
 
Fransurrey said:
You could muzzle 22 hours with a break morning and night. During that break give him a soaked haynet.
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^^^ Best suggestion!
Don't worry, you're only trying to do the right thing for him! You're not saying you're going to muzzle 24/7 for ever, so look at it like this: if you don't do so something about it now your boy risks getting laminitis & would have to be stabled 24/7 which he would REALLY hate, therefore being a bit fed up for a week or so (till he swaps fields again) isn't so bad after all!!
Ignore all the people giving you conflicting advice, do what you know is right for your horse. It's easy for them to give throw away advice because they don't have to deal with the consequences (or pay your vet bill)! :)
 
I think muzzle is the best bet. It may not be the nicest thing in the world but neither is being overweight or laminitis .
I do agree with Fransurrey, 22 hours with am hour morning and evening without it is a good idea. You could bring him in for a good groom or something for one of the hours.
Good luck keeping him nice and slim. I know how worrying it is as I have a good doer who is retired. She is happy to be In a stable though
 
pinkypug1 said:
I personally do not agree with muzzling 24/7 yes risk of Laminitis ect but if that's the case you move to a yard with more suitable grazing to suit your horse not muzzle the poor thing day in day out. You would like to think for a short period of time your YO would provide you with a poor patch of grazing
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You make that sound easy but in reality finidng the right yard isnt always that simple
 
I wouldn't hesitate to muzzle him 24 7 - our little mini pony is muzzled whenever she is in the field and that is non negotiable. She still gets lots to eat judging by her poo but she isn't the size of a small wendy house like she was when she arrived. She is far happier in herself - she is rock crunching on every surface, canters around the field and is generally far healthier than she was. This is down to the muzzle and it also means she CAN go out with the big horse whenever he does because her grass intake is restricted. She still gets all the benefits of being out but doesn't get as far. No brainer as far as I'm concerned. Laminitis vs. muzzle. Muzzle every time!!
 
Mine is muzzled 24/7 for pretty much the whole year as otherwise he would be enormous. He is happy and healthy. I have found the dinky rugs muzzle to be the one that rubs the least.
 
Thanks everyone, for now I am muzzling him for around 16 hours, with 10 mins in horse walker twice a day, rest of time no muzzle, plus grooming and pampering time. olan to weigh tape every other day at around the same time so that I can keep an eye and adjust! Here's hoping he can stay a little slim!!! :-)
 
Ben2684 said:
The patch of ground ideally he would move to is their winter patch, it's in recovery and so once we have some rain she has said they can move back in... Rain forecast Friday! Thank god... So hopefully after the weekend so I'm looking at maybe a few days 24/7 and then possibly overnight only...
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I don't quite get why your YO won't let you use this patch pre rain, rain will make it grow you dont want that! Mines on recovering winter grazing and for this time of year it's fab NO grass, she is losing weight still.
 
Last year we used a greenguard on our Welsh cross during the day (out 8AM to 5PM ) then he would come in , exercise then stabled overnight with soaked hay..... worked really well and we are currently in the process of repeating this. We always start with a few hours then build up over a few weeks so that he doesn't get sore (can initially rub under chin) but then he copes really well with this regime.
We also weighed hay to ensure not over feeding.
 
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PollyP99 said:
I don't quite get why your YO won't let you use this patch pre rain, rain will make it grow you dont want that! Mines on recovering winter grazing and for this time of year it's fab NO grass, she is losing weight still.
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I'm not sure?? She says she wants to wait until it rains?? To give the ground a boost. It is a pain in the summer as everyone panics about the lush grass. The flip side is that we only had to supplement with haylage for two months in dec/January!! The main issue is he's unable to be ridden at all until I get his back sorted out... No exercise!! :-(
 
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