Grass Muzzles - More trouble than they're worth?

tandp

tandp

New Member
Jul 9, 2008
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Nottinghamshire
Please help!

I have been riding my overweight Welshie over Christmas every day - long hacks and lots of calories burned! She's svelte!

However, her new slender shape has started me worrying about rapid weight gain in the upcoming good grass (during which I will be at work and unable to ride for as long as often).

I have tried a grass muzzle last year, but found it rubbed her chin raw (the biggest size - she's not big-headed either!), so had to take this off.

Restricted grazing isn't really an option in my situation, so I'm looking for ways around the rubbed chin or other items which will inhibit her overly active jaw!

Does anyone have any ideas?

Please!
 
I have Greenguard muzzles for both of mine and I found them very effective but I did have the problem of them rubbing in certain areas. I have wrapped soft fleece material around all the places where the muzzle rubs and have found this successful. I also replaced the leather attachments. with elastic by sewing them to the muzzle and headcollar. I was also concerned about the safety of the headcollar (being nylon) so I looped an elasic hairband to the throatlash attachment so it would break if the horse/pony go itself hooked up anywhere
 
Is strip grazing not an option. I found my chap kept slim easier this way plus regular work. Maybe you could find someone to help ride and help towards shoe costs if worn. Muzzles cant be worn 24 hours and i reckon a greedy pony will just stuff and stuff when taken off. So instead of eating for 18 hours yours eats for 23 or so.
 
I did restricted grazing by way of elec fencing for my cob, he gets puffy quickly on the grass :D

I brought a grass muzzle but it only lasted a little while as one he hated it, and two it was rubbing him and it was the biggest size I could find ! He has a shire(ish) type size head (he's a HW cob) As he looked so miserable in it and it was rubbing it now hangs up in the tack room as a sort of 'holding basket'

I've got the option of bringing him in during the day so he's not eating the grass but only has a piddly haynet to nibble on, I may try that option this year. Could you try that perhaps ?

Some people do swear by the grazing muzzles though but it just wasnt for me or my horse. :)
 
I was THAT close to muzzling Joy last summer. My field mate liked her horse to have a large paddock to run about in and when her mare got fat she talked about bringing her in during the day. I don't have that option and wouldn't have been very happy if she had done that rather than restricting the amount of grass the girls had access to.

This season I am back to being my own boss again and both my 2 need very little in the way of grass.

I'll be back to strip grazing again. Makes poo picking that much easier too! :cool:
 
My welshie wears a Shires grazing muzzle. It did rub initially so I let it down so it hung about and inch below his muzzle and he seemed to get on fine after that. Also vaseline on the rubs healed them up.
 
I personally don't like them to be used unless an alternative (i.e. strip grazing) is not possible. I think that they can cause a lot of stress in the horse and can rub/be uncomfortable.

x
 
My mare wears a grazing muzzle almost all year round - ditto the fleece padding suggestion to prevent rubs. Dolly is totally fine with hers - she'd rather wear a muzzle and be out with the others on a decent size field than cooped up on her own in a tiny strip grazed paddock.

She doesn't wear it 24/7 as I'd feel mean (less mean than if she got laminitis though!) so she comes in overnight to a haynet and is out in the day with the muzzle on.
 
I muzzled both mine last summer using full closed nose nets for headshakers with holes cut in them. They don't last forever but they don't rub and the horses can still graze on very short sward in them.
 
If you are using one of the Shire type muzzles with the metal ring on them (I presume for attaching a lead rope), please remember that the ring should be removed if you have electric fencing. I have seen a horse get a really nasty shock from it.
 
ditto Hermit cut the ring straight off. Mine is webbing and only has one headstrap for behind the ears, he soon learnt one back hoof gets it off so now I put an upside down dog walking harness with plastic joints on top, so the plastic will break if necessary. I also made the hole a little bigger as it was only thumb size.

Muzzled during the day and either in stable or barepaddock with hay at night. When the big ones have shortened it then no muzzle till they move to the next field, then back on again.
 
Molly actually LIKES her muzzle......I can walk up to her in the field and put it on with no headcollar etc. Baring in mind she is a highly opinionated Welsh D - if she didn't like it she would let me know, and she can be difficult to catch at times. So I take that as a sign that she is happy with it, and if she is in and I get it out she gets excited as she knows it means going out :D

She has the shires type - adapted with a bit of extra padding and that doesn't rub her at all. She can eat really well through it - always has her head down eating (she doesn't have it on now - it came off in Nov) but it does make her eat much smaller mouthfulls and therefore stay slim. She does need exercise too though - so it isn't a "cure" on it's own.

I can't strip graze - if I could I would do part time muzzling and strip grazing together. As I can't she is muzzled 24/7 in spring and summer (then it gradually starts to come off leading in to winter). It works perfectly well for us and I have a very happy, contented pony (who doesn't do stabling well - she is happier out 24/7 muzzled than on restricted turnout) :)

I would persevere with different types - customise the padding if required (I am just renewing Molly's padding by cutting up one of those fleecy girth sleeves). They are a very useful tool in fighting the fat war :)
 
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