rubbing muzzles

[pixiebee]

Got two fatties right now- too much grass in the field, but they are both out 24/7 during the summer as I cant put them in as I cant get there to turn out etc etc and im limited to the exercise I can give due to me being pregnant and on crutches!! Soooo....have no option but to muzzle them both, have the shires ones-great but they rub after a while! have been chucking sudocreme etc on the bits that rub and it seems to slow the rubbing process down but not stop it? Im worried for them to be out eating this grass 24/7 as they have always been on bare paddocks and looked great-now they have plenty of grass which is great for poor doers but mine do not need it!! So how do I stop the muzzles rubbing? Should I try few days on, few days off or something? I can on;y get up once a day at the moment so on during day off at night etc not an option. Came across the neon pad things here...what do you think? Waste of money or worth a try?

 

[pixiebee]

http://www.grazingmuzzles.co.uk/
link might help!

 

[Suffolkangel]

I've got the shires muzzles for my two and found that it rubbed under the jaw.. i've bought the next size up, so my little Welsh ponies are wearing cob sized muzzles, but its done the trick as no rubbing and the head piece goes small enough for them....

 

[Pixxie]

if its the headpiece thats rubbing i would thoroughly recommend getting a sheepskin seatbelt cover, sounds odd i know but they are cheap and do the job brilliantly, either that or cut up and old towel and sew it round the headpiece

x

 

[Bosworth]

you need to rub the areas with surgical spirit, it toughens up the skin. However the area needs a rest from being rubbed so I agree with the sheepskin around the muzzle. The othe rthing to check is is it too loose? If it is then it will move around an awful lot and can cause far more rubbing

 

[kellyeaton]

use ky jelly !

 

[Fransurrey]

Whatever you do, don't go for the 'few days on/few days off' option!!

One thing I found last year is that once you've limited intake of grass (in my case, removal to bare paddock with O/N soaked hay), it's VERY easy to overload the gut if you suddenly introduce grass ad-lib, as the horse's gut has adapted to the input. Henry went footy within a couple of hours.

I'm assuming, having looked at the link, that it's rubbing on the bridge of the nose? I'd try those neon pads. Didn't like the look of the sheepskin one - I felt restricted in breathing just reading about it!! Useful link, though - I didn't know you could get extra padding (mine is the deluxe Best Friend muzzle, so is padded anyway).