Thinline Flexible Filly Grazing muzzle - advice re fitting and naughty pony eating out of the side!

[mustardsmum]

So, the Thinline Flexible Filly grazing muzzle has arrived… Its very impressive but my naughty pony has worked out how to slide it to one side and graze out the resulting gap! Just wondered whether anyone else has had any problems like this? He’s a 14.1 connie, so I bought the cob size, (can’t believe he would need something smaller) but I have it fitted on the shortest holes and I am still not sure it fits. It does touch the end of his nose but any looser, and he just chomps out of the side of it. If anyone has any tips re fitting I would be so grateful! The concept is great and I think if I can sort out the fit, it will be better than the webbing style and he doesn’t mind it at all especially when he realised he could eat out the side….. Oh and any advice re where to get the zip ties would be appreciated - £10 for twelve replacment zip ties is insane!!

 

[poiuytrewq]

One of mine is doing this. I figure he’s still getting far less than unmuzzled.
mine has room to go up a little more at the sides.
I was planning on using little cable ties tbh ?‍

 

[poiuytrewq]

Small cable ties are £2.39 for 100 free delivery Amazon prime

 

[mustardsmum]

Thanks poiuytrewq, good to hear someone else has the same and true, I guess they are still only getting a fraction of what they’d get unmuzzled! Will take a look at the zip ties - think I have been caught by the marketing ploy about how they are designed to break before the muzzle. Think my old leather head collar will bread before either muzzle or zip ties!

 

[poiuytrewq]

Thanks poiuytrewq, good to hear someone else has the same and true, I guess they are still only getting a fraction of what they’d get unmuzzled! Will take a look at the zip ties - think I have been caught by the marketing ploy about how they are designed to break before the muzzle. Think my old leather head collar will bread before either muzzle or zip ties!

This is what I figured. I have a poultice boot held by cable ties and it’s obvious where the break point it. These little muzzle ties have no obvious point. They appear normal ties. As the head collar used it supposed to be a field safe type I think the break point is covered anyway.

 

[holeymoley]

It’s a bit trial and error with the fitting. I also bought other cable ties as the ones that came with it were snapping almost every day!

 

[poiuytrewq]

It’s a bit trial and error with the fitting. I also bought other cable ties as the ones that came with it were snapping almost every day!

Well yes this is what I figured. I think I just have mine slightly wrong.
Other pony I think I have bang on but I used a cheap safety head collar which just holds with Velcro and it’s already knackered. Being a Shitty he knows if he puts a hoof on it and whips his head upwards at speed the velcro comes undone ? new head collar and ties needed there!

 

[holeymoley]

Well yes this is what I figured. I think I just have mine slightly wrong.
Other pony I think I have bang on but I used a cheap safety head collar which just holds with Velcro and it’s already knackered. Being a Shitty he knows if he puts a hoof on it and whips his head upwards at speed the velcro comes undone ? new head collar and ties needed there!

Oh no! We smarty pants. I use a Roma headcollar with padding, cheap and cheerful, has a buckle and a clip. It took me a few attempts to get the fit just right though.

 

[poiuytrewq]

so pony 2 who it’s not quite correct on has a non safety head collar. I figure this is ok because I have electric fencing, nothing to get stuck on.
what I need and am struggling to find is a regular head collar in Xs or Shetland size which has a fixed lead rope ring

 

[sherry90]

Mine eats out of the side but as others have said I think he’s getting less than he would without it so I just accept that. I wouldn’t want it any tighter/higher as it would be too close to his face.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Mine eats out of the side but as others have said I think he’s getting less than he would without it so I just accept that. I wouldn’t want it any tighter/higher as it would be too close to his face.

Do you find he’s much happier in it than a bucket muzzle?

 

[mustardsmum]

I think what worries me is that if he usable to eat out of the side, will the muzzle still help with weight loss? There’s no way I am making that little hole any bigger ? I think my prob is also the grass is long. Maybe I will top the field.... ?

 

[sherry90]

Do you find he’s much happier in it than a bucket muzzle?

I have never tried a bucket muzzle. I don’t think he’d get on with one. The only other I’ve tried is the Greenguard (he also ate out of the side of that!) but he was grumpy in this one, resisted me putting it on and stood in the field looking like Eeyore. Whereas in the FF he is happy to pop his nose through the headcollar and eats in it happily.

 

[poiuytrewq]

So I have several bucket or normal type muzzles and my two ponies are just utterly miserable and depressed in them. One gives up on life and does nothing, the other is demented at getting it off.
Neither mind with the FF muzzle. The first grazes (our of the side but he’s happy and not getting much so I accept that) the other knows as above! That’s the fault of the cheapo head collar though.
I am super pleased with FF muzzles. I think they take a little getting right though

 

[sherry90]

I think what worries me is that if he usable to eat out of the side, will the muzzle still help with weight loss? There’s no way I am making that little hole any bigger ? I think my prob is also the grass is long. Maybe I will top the field.... ?

I am not sure about weightloss but it’s certainly helping me to maintain my boys weight. He is out overnight and in from 8/9Am til 7pmish (the odd day he goes out earlier at 4pm) He was having soaked hay but I’ve found I can stop soaking it and he still isn’t piling on the pounds. He’s worked 5 days a week and that isn’t massively strenuous work - On average he is hacked twice a week at 4 miles for between one-two hours, poles or jumping once a week and schooled twice a week for 30mins.

 

[sherry90]

So I have several bucket or normal type muzzles and my two ponies are just utterly miserable and depressed in them. One gives up on life and does nothing, the other is demented at getting it off.
Neither mind with the FF muzzle. The first grazes (our of the side but he’s happy and not getting much so I accept that) the other knows as above! That’s the fault of the cheapo head collar though.
I am super pleased with FF muzzles. I think they take a little getting right though

I used a leather headcollar for mine. And I have added adapted sheepskin attachments (that often get deposited in the field) as I did find it rubbed his nose a little. The sheepskin has discoloured his face a bit but it’s helped stop the rubbing (when he doesn’t get the bloody fluff off!)
I’m just waiting to try neoprene headcollar attachments instead as they have the velcro on the right places so no need for me to adapt the fluff!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I did get the bit of field I put the ponies in topped. I thought that the long grass would just flatten under the muzzle so they would get nothing. Topped it does spike through

 

[daydreamer]

Mine arrived yesterday and I tried it on my youngster today. He wasn’t very happy and couldn’t seem to work out how to eat much! I had made the hole larger but am considering making it a bit bigger again. I don’t *think* he’d be able to eat out of the sides but maybe he would. He is on about hole 3 at the front but 4 at the back as the instructions say to make those longer if it needs to be looser.

I’m going to give him another go tomorrow. It cost too much to only be used once for 30 min!

 

[Carlosmum]

My FF muzzle lasted about a week before he managed to rip the thing in 2. Brilliant concept but an expensive waste of money for us.

 

[scats]

What are the sizing like on these? Friend seems to having great success with hers. One of my mares happily wears a shires muzzle no problem but the other one can get anything off. I’d like her to wear one when I move her to a new field but at present I can only muzzle the saintly pony.

 

[poiuytrewq]

My FF muzzle lasted about a week before he managed to rip the thing in 2. Brilliant concept but an expensive waste of money for us.

Did you get your money back? I have heard of a few being destroyed but they are very good at refunding

 

[mustardsmum]

What are the sizing like on these? Friend seems to having great success with hers. One of my mares happily wears a shires muzzle no problem but the other one can get anything off. I’d like her to wear one when I move her to a new field but at present I can only muzzle the saintly pony.

I have a 14.1hh connie in a medium, so I think look a the size of head collar you normally use and go by that. Sizing is ok, I thought maybe I could get away with a pony but looking at their guidance - it suggested medium for something arab/large pony, decided to go medium. I cant actually see how they could get it off as its attached to a headcollar, unless they either trod on it or wrenched it all off on something like a fence post or gate. I use electric fencing all the way around my fields, so he can't get caught on anything. I have seen a review where the company refunded if damaged occurs within about the first six months which is fair - given the price. I think if your pony can get to something and get hooked up then this might be different. But they are a pleasant and helpful company to deal with (I had help fitting in the end!) so definitely worth an email Scats to see if you can get a refund or new muzzle.

Mine arrived yesterday and I tried it on my youngster today. He wasn’t very happy and couldn’t seem to work out how to eat much! I had made the hole larger but am considering making it a bit bigger again. I don’t *think* he’d be able to eat out of the sides but maybe he would. He is on about hole 3 at the front but 4 at the back as the instructions say to make those longer if it needs to be looser.

I’m going to give him another go tomorrow. It cost too much to only be used once for 30 min!

I think actually they need a bit of time to adjust to eating with it, which was what I hadn't allowed for when I first put it on. At first he was frantically trying to eat out of the side, he now realises he can happily munch through the hole (enough so that he came in cresty last night..... so I think I would be cautious not to enlarge the hole too soon) , Once I am completely happy that he can graze without getting into any trouble, I will revert back to night time turnout and bringing in during the day to manage his weight. Sadly for my boy, the muzzle doesn't mean he can go out 24/7 but at least he can have some happy time grazing which was proving difficult before. I ended up with the front longer than the back, found it just fitted him better that way, and it does touch his lips otherwise he would just eat out of the side as any slack and he just pushes it to one side. But it doesn't seem to bother him, his head is down so hes eating all the time.....

So far, there are no rubs and he now seems settled and happy and I must say I am pretty impressed with the muzzle and I really prefer it to all the others I looked at.

 

[scats]

I’ve just ordered one so will let you know how we get on!

 

[daydreamer]

Its very impressive but my naughty pony has worked out how to slide it to one side and graze out the resulting gap!

I left mine on yesterday for a longer period as my youngster moved to a new field. He figured out how to eat out of the side of it like yours did so I'm not sure how much it was restricting him! After much searching last night I read on some sites that sell it that the 2 side fins should be 1 or 2 holes shorter than the rest to stop them eating out the side. I adjusted it this morning with the 2 spare cable ties so i'll see how he is doing when I go back later (he tries to con me that he can't eat when I am there in the morning but when I spy on him he is definitely eating!).

I also spent a long time looking at cable ties online yesterday! Thinline seem to be suggesting that they are a special material - all the cable ties I found seem to be made of Nylon 6,6 or Nylon 11. I guess it is possible that they have got a factory somewhere using a different polymer but it seems a bit unlikely to me. I bought some of these https://www.siliconhoses.com/Low_Profile_Cable_Ties_x_10--product--491.html which seemed a similar width and profile. I guess if you were worried they would be too strong you could use some of the little cable ties.

When I get the new cable ties I might make the front ones a hole longer and take the sides up another hole. I suspect that once you get the fit right it is great but getting the fit correct might need a bit of trial and error.

 

[mustardsmum]

I left mine on yesterday for a longer period as my youngster moved to a new field. He figured out how to eat out of the side of it like yours did so I'm not sure how much it was restricting him! After much searching last night I read on some sites that sell it that the 2 side fins should be 1 or 2 holes shorter than the rest to stop them eating out the side. I adjusted it this morning with the 2 spare cable ties so i'll see how he is doing when I go back later (he tries to con me that he can't eat when I am there in the morning but when I spy on him he is definitely eating!).

I also spent a long time looking at cable ties online yesterday! Thinline seem to be suggesting that they are a special material - all the cable ties I found seem to be made of Nylon 6,6 or Nylon 11. I guess it is possible that they have got a factory somewhere using a different polymer but it seems a bit unlikely to me. I bought some of these https://www.siliconhoses.com/Low_Profile_Cable_Ties_x_10--product--491.html which seemed a similar width and profile. I guess if you were worried they would be too strong you could use some of the little cable ties.

When I get the new cable ties I might make the front ones a hole longer and take the sides up another hole. I suspect that once you get the fit right it is great but getting the fit correct might need a bit of trial and error.

I ended up contacting both Thinline and ComfyHorse re ours - just wondered if the fit wasn't right and it was decided after everyone had looked at photos, that it was simply to big and we needed to go down a size. Might be worth you sending some photos of your muzzle on your youngster to Thinline and explain he's eating out of the side (which they aren't supposed to be able to if it fits properly). Both Thinline and Comfyhorse were fab - they both agreed we needed a pony sized muzzle, and so ComfyHOrse sent me a replacement which I now have. I am just waiting for the original muzzle to dry before I return it. So for anyone with a native (mines a connie) you might find the Pony size is better than the cob and that if you are not happy about the fit, contact either the company you bought it from or Thinline directly - they really are very helpful. Mine now cannot eat out of the side and there is not so much excess muzzle! But overall I am really pleased with it - still no rubs and pony is totally happy wearing it! Funnily enough, I also ordered some ties from SiliconHoses and got them yesterday. They look exactly the same.... but white. But the postage was insane - £7!!

 

[scats]

Reviving this thread as mine arrived and I tried it out last night on Millie, the serial muzzle remover.
Fitting- I can imagine it could be really complicated if you overthink it, but it only took me about 15mins and that was mainly fiddling about with the temporary ties to get the right fit and then replace with cable ties. All was quite straightforwards really. I did cut the hole a little larger and had to trim some of the chin straps down. I attached it to a field safe headcollar.
Millie grazed happily in it straight away, and no constant snorting, which she does in a Shires muzzle (which she then removes!). This morning everything was still in place and she was dozing happily. No sweaty/grubby marks on her nose and she didn’t seem remotely concerned by it.
Ordering one for Polly today!

 

[rara007]

Pleased with mine so far

 

[Nicnac]

£75?! Someone's making a lot of money. I am absolutely amazed jealous that you have enough grass for muzzling. My fat boy hasn't been muzzled for past 2 months as grass just not growing in this heat (or maybe because the shetland gets to it before him)

 

[scats]

£75?! Someone's making a lot of money. I am absolutely amazed jealous that you have enough grass for muzzling. My fat boy hasn't been muzzled for past 2 months as grass just not growing in this heat (or maybe because the shetland gets to it before him)

Our grass is crazily good. But we have far more grazing fields than horses and we rotate fields a lot to let them recover. I rested my large field for a month and the grass shot up. That’s why they are currently muzzled.

 

[Nasicus]

Anyone considered the Harmany Grazing Muzzle? Seems like it would be far more durable than the thin plastic with those itty bitty holes and zipties.

https://shop.harmanyequine.com/shop/laminitis-insulin-resistance/harmany-muzzles-draft-horse-size/

For what it's worth, I have one, unused in packaging as never got a chance to mould it to pony before she was PTS. Seems very substantial, can't comment on it in use mind.
It's either horse or draft sized, would have to check, but would let it go for £50 + p&p if anyone fancies it. Drop me a PM.