Would you use a grazing muzzle....

J

jumpthemoon

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...on a WB? I'm in a bit of a dilemma, because Canto needs to lose a bit of podge but the field he's in has loads of grass in it. I can't bring him in earlier (he's out from 8am to 6pm) - all I can do is not put him out at all for a few days a week if I want to keep him off the grass. I'm trying to get some weight off him, but with him out in a big field with loads of grass I seem to be fighting a losing battle! Any suggestions?

If did did use a muzzle, would it rub the hair away on his face? I don't want that to happen either!
 
I use a grazing muzzle on a ginger WB and I have found the trick is to cover all the straps and buckles with fluff. I also covered the top the bucket as well last year by sewing it through the top holes.

I just bought some cheap fur from a material stand at a local market and it holds up well and no rubbing
 
Never had a problem with them rubbing?

Tango, warmblood (gonig on hipo) wears one. We had very rich grazing at last yard so most the horses were in them. It's nicer them resticting them to tiny paddocks or stables.
 
He has it on upto 12 hours a day (and off at night) for most of the summer.
I can take a pic of the fluff on it tonight if you want?
The fluff is wrapped around the straps and then sewn together with a thick needle and thread - you don't have to do it very stylishly then!
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Yep, no rubs on face last year. I haven't bought fluff on the bucket this year (forgot - oops
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) and it has made a couple of rubs on his chin so yep it def. works (especially as he has no rubs on the side of his face where the current fluff is)
 
Nats_uk - if you've got a pic, that would be great! He's only just grown his hair back from where his hood rubbed him
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so I don't want to rub it all off again! Thank you!

Forget_Me_Not - I'm worried about it rubbing because I've seen endless posts on here about muzzles that rub! I think it's a nicer way than restricting the paddock size or stabling, too
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I'll have to go and get him one at the weekend...
 
A good tool but make sure you introduce it gradually over the space of a couple of days. Don't be tempted to make the whole bigger, they may pull a miserable face but they can still get plenty of grass, just not enough to gorge themselves. Definitely cover the entire thing in fleecy fabric before you put it on to prevent rubbing
 
I would never use one, i think they're horrid things to be honest. We just manage our grazing and section it off with electric tape if we feel there is too much of it. Fortunately we have mixed grass in our files, it is grazed by sheep occasionally and each side (we have 12 acres) is rested alternately throughout the year. We have now sectioned one half off with electric fence so 4 horses are on approx 3 acres which is suiting them fine. We have never had a problem with laminitis even when we had ponies but we also have varied grazing, short and long grasses etc, it is not over fertilised and although it is topped there are also thistles etc growing in in so it is not just acres of lush grass.
 
I've got a cob sized one you can borrow to try if that might fit (I think you'd probably need F/S tho?) - if you can borrow one to try though it might be a good idea before you spend your money on one
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Okay will take a pic tonight and post it.
Don't know what size you will need - my WB is the one in my sig. He is 16.3, not too chunky but probably slightly bigger head then a TB (takes full bridle). He takes a full muzzle.
 
I think they come up pretty small, my 35" sheltand is in a pony size one and Tango, 16HH, was in exfull/warmblood size.

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I would never use one, i think they're horrid things to be honest

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What makes them horrid?
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Lami and the stress extra weight is HORRID. Muzzles work but reducing the overal amount of grase a horse can intake and stop the horse getting the very rich new growth, the sugary/starchy stuff which is the killer.

I would rather my horses be able to go out in decent size fields and play with thier mates then be stabled or restricted in wee bare paddocks. Strip grazing is ok; for me it is too much daily work and I value my pasture. I don't want it eaten bare. what good is that far a tickly eater? I have had horses in areas of outstanding beauty on rented premises from the estate where electric tape was not an opition and the paddocks were at least four big and rich so pretty much everything was in muzzles. Never caused a problem.
 
I never thought I would use one, but when I had a fat cob on loan last year I ended up buying one. I originally put her in a tiny paddock to restrict her grazing and she was really miserable. I had to buy a full size one as the cob size rubbed her chin but the bigger size caused her no problems at all. She was so much happier in the bigger field with the herd. I no longer have the mare but I wouldn't hesitate in using one again if I had to.
 
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I would never use one, i think they're horrid things to be honest.

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Strip grazing is okay if you have a yard where you can manage it but I am in a complete DIY yard with 50/60 horses and to manage something like that would be a nightmare. Our fields are well mantained with good rotation, worming and rolling and they have previously been spread with mushroom compost and we (for better or worse) have the richest grass in the area by far.
This year does seem particularly bad as we have had 4 cases of laminitis already, fortunately all caught early but I think it is less cruel for a horse to wear a muzzle then for it to get dangerously overweight or get laminitis
 
I use the shires grazing muzzle on my warmblood - cob sized muzzle. He doesn't mind it too much, it doesn't rub and has kept him from getting horribly fat.
 
Thanks for posting this! I have just got back from buying my 16.2 fatty cob a full size shires grazing muzzle in bright pink so that I will be able to see it in the field if he gets out of it. Its nice and soft inside around the top of the muzzle and very adjustable too hopefully it will work!
 
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