When can I take muzzle off?!!

[Christmas Crumpet]

Got a little 11h Section A that has had very bad laminitis in the past (before we got her) and as a result, she only ever goes out with a muzzle on and is fine. She's in medium work - exercised every day led off a big horse and then hunts on a Saturday with my 7 year old. She's looking good!!

Anyway we've now got next to no grass in the fields and I'm actually wondering whether I should be taking her muzzle off. We've never had this little amount of grass. Entirely my fault for keeping the neighbour's sheep in for too long. Is it ever safe to remove a muzzle?

To be fair to her, she had it off for 5 hours on Sunday and was fine. But i work so it would need to be off from 8 - 5 p.m or not at all.

 

[SEL]

I used to have the laminitis App on my phone and if that was red then grazing was restricted. It isn't 100% reliable but can give an indication based on weather in your area. Your pony would be pushed to get enough grass to fill her tummy in my field right now - dry summer meant even the rested field didn't have that much growth on it.

The other thing I was told by one of the metabolic specialists is to make sure they have something in their tummy before they go out on grass in the morning which would help slow down the absorption of sugars from the grass - chaff and kwik beet were advised.

 

[chaps89]

Ideally mine would still be muzzled - we've had very wet mild days so I believe there will still be goodness in the grass, I'd rather wait until it dropped colder. (It usually comes off for about 3 months - Jan/Feb/March)
However she was just standing in the field and not eating at all as the grass is relatively short. She's had ulcers before so I decided on balance to take the muzzle off- so far we've been ok *touch wood*

 

[laura_nash]

Mine took his own muzzle off yesterday and he's now very footy

 

[twiggy2]

I would not change nothing if what you are doing is working. It would not be worth the risk for me.

 

[holeymoley]

Depends entirely on your area but for me, not at the moment. I made the worst decision the 2 nd week in November to take mine off and he’s now got laminitis. We think because it’s november/December they should be okay but it’s been wetter and milder than normal this year which has made the grass still too risky.

 

[ameeyal]

I wouldn't yet, I have loads of grass and so on strip grazing, my riding horses are full of them selves when ridden ( normally lazy) so I know sugar is still present.