When to ditch the muzzle?

Pippity

Pippity

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Blue developed lami this year, for the first time ever. Blood tests suggested she was hovering on the edge of EMS, so there's been a huge push to lose weight and get her blood sugar down. The weight is definitely coming off (waiting for weighbridge confirmation next month, but she's gone from the third to the sixth hole on her girth) but the blood sugar still isn't where I'd like it to be. Therefore, she's been muzzled for her turnout, and restricted to five hours a day.

The trouble is, I'm not sure whether I'm being overly-cautious in still having the muzzle on.

There isn't a great deal of grass in her field, but she can get some, if she puts in the effort. Of course, she'd rather not put in the effort, so she spends a lot of time standing by the gate, waiting to be brought in so she can have easily accessible (thoroughly soaked) hay instead. This has resulted in a lot of comments from other people who use the field, and has got me second-guessing myself.

At what point do I take the risk of leaving her unmuzzled? Is it worth having her muzzled on high lami-risk days and unmuzzled on others, or is that pointless and frustrating for her?

I've never dealt with muzzles before so I'm out of my depth.
 
I don't know as this is my first year of dealing with this sh1te as well, but my plan is leaving the muzzle on until the grass is good and dead and then wee bit deader than that.

Grass goes through an autumn fliush, apparently, so now would probably be a terrible time to take it off.
 
The general rule is that lami horses aren't 'safe' on grass turnout until about November.

But it depends a fair bit on the land they are turned out on and what the weather has been doing. You wouldn't want to turn a lami prone horse out without a muzzle on my grazing right now, but yours may not be so bad.
 
Mine is out 24.7 so has to nibble through it or starve. So far no signs of starvation so I'd say there's enough out there to not risk it.

She gets a bit of hay am / pm in her stable but isn't kicking the gate down to come in
 
We have had frosts and some cool nights and sunny days. My lami meter is in the red on those days so turnout isn't safe I've had to bring mine off the grass. . It's only safe at this time of to year when theres cloud and milder nights. If you download the lami app it'll be a great help. Wouldn't be without it .
 
end of Nov. at the earliest. There is still an incredible amount of grass around and we are now into Seasonal pasture laminitis time. There may not look to be much grass but if you turned her out without the muzzle you would probably find she was getting plenty to eat from the number of droppings and weight gain and possibly/probably laminitis.

this really is "keep them safe" time.
 
Pippity said:
Blue developed lami this year, for the first time ever. Blood tests suggested she was hovering on the edge of EMS, so there's been a huge push to lose weight and get her blood sugar down. The weight is definitely coming off (waiting for weighbridge confirmation next month, but she's gone from the third to the sixth hole on her girth) but the blood sugar still isn't where I'd like it to be. Therefore, she's been muzzled for her turnout, and restricted to five hours a day.

The trouble is, I'm not sure whether I'm being overly-cautious in still having the muzzle on.

There isn't a great deal of grass in her field, but she can get some, if she puts in the effort. Of course, she'd rather not put in the effort, so she spends a lot of time standing by the gate, waiting to be brought in so she can have easily accessible (thoroughly soaked) hay instead. This has resulted in a lot of comments from other people who use the field, and has got me second-guessing myself.

At what point do I take the risk of leaving her unmuzzled? Is it worth having her muzzled on high lami-risk days and unmuzzled on others, or is that pointless and frustrating for her?

I've never dealt with muzzles before so I'm out of my depth.
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If she starts sucking up mud, you’ll have to have a rethink, but irrespective of the calendar - any horse that has had laminitis (even if not dietary caused) will be far more prone to developing it again, if given any opportunity. In most parts of UK, grass is now doing its best, after weeks locked up in drought. We’ve just taken a crop of silage we thought we wouldn’t get!
Equally, if she really is going all day with very little through her guts, might be as well to fetch her in for a snack on a bit of hay, periodically. No point inviting colic if avoidable.
 
Even if only out for 5 hours I would be leaving the muzzle on right now. Our grass is flushing like crazy, we've got heavy dew, light rain and 18/19C daytime temps. My horse is also muzzled, though not lami, and I am looking at the end of November earliest before taking it off unless the weather changes drastically.
 
Mines off already. The muzzle was getting mud/soil in and so I took it off. I think I'm pushing my luck slightly but put lots of hay dotted round so am hoping he eats his share of that along with picking at our suddenly green grass. 🤞 Pony is in during the day anyway
 
defo not yet! the short grass is actually worse, as its fresh and full of sugar! you'd be better off if you had a field of grass that has been rested and turned into standing hay! but definitely wait until we'd had some refrosts and the grass has stopped growing
 
There is probably more sugar in the grass at the moment than there has been all summer! Wait until at least the beginning of November, but still watch her closely, depending on the weather.x
 
Our grass is lethal - luminous green. Ponies have grass bellies, one has the squits on a starvation paddock. We are south though, so still plenty warm enough for good grass growth.

End of November will be safe.
 
Pippity said:
Blue developed lami this year, for the first time ever. Blood tests suggested she was hovering on the edge of EMS, so there's been a huge push to lose weight and get her blood sugar down. The weight is definitely coming off (waiting for weighbridge confirmation next month, but she's gone from the third to the sixth hole on her girth) but the blood sugar still isn't where I'd like it to be. Therefore, she's been muzzled for her turnout, and restricted to five hours a day.

The trouble is, I'm not sure whether I'm being overly-cautious in still having the muzzle on.

There isn't a great deal of grass in her field, but she can get some, if she puts in the effort. Of course, she'd rather not put in the effort, so she spends a lot of time standing by the gate, waiting to be brought in so she can have easily accessible (thoroughly soaked) hay instead. This has resulted in a lot of comments from other people who use the field, and has got me second-guessing myself.

At what point do I take the risk of leaving her unmuzzled? Is it worth having her muzzled on high lami-risk days and unmuzzled on others, or is that pointless and frustrating for her?

I've never dealt with muzzles before so I'm out of my depth.
Click to expand...
i still have 1 of mine in muzzle and 2 livery. Mine gets a flare up just looking and the livery colic when eating to much so staying on.
 
Husband's 4 yo NF - who we thought was least likely in entire herd as perfect weight & no warning signs - has just been diagnosed 3 days ago with 1st lami we have ever had in 50 years plus :eek: Hubby is beating himself up big time, and I'm waiting for a vet call this afternoon to hear if it is EMS. So please keep that muzzle on as grass is just lethal right now.
 
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