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  Discussion on Grazing Muzzles
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Member:
9193

Posted on Monday, Apr 26, 2004 - 2:07 pm:

Does anyone have experience using grazing muzzles?

I have had several opportunities to be able to turn my stabled horse out into pastures where the grass is ample, but I am afraid to let him eat for more than 15-20 minutes for fear of founder or tummy problems.

I see these basket looking contraptions advertised in the catalogs and am wondering if they are really effective or do they just frustrate the horse that wants to graze, but can only get tiny amounts that fit thru the holes at the bottom.

Thanks for your responses,
Debra
Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Monday, Apr 26, 2004 - 3:06 pm:

Hi Debra
A girl that kept her big fat quarter horse in the field with mine for a while used one with no problems. I didnt see any weight loss while the horse was there, but she told me later that the horse had lost weight. I am considering getting a couple for my mares if I have trouble controlling their weight this summer.
Colleen
Member:
Cowgrl

Posted on Monday, Apr 26, 2004 - 5:01 pm:

I'm considering using a muzzle on my horse when I ride. He's a terrible snacker constantly grabbing at food. Pulling him away doesn't help because it's everywhere. Then he acts like he's going to and then doesn't just to tick me off. I think the muzzle is the only way to go. Maybe I'll try putting him in a trot everytime he goes to grab and eventually he'll think that everytime he goes to eat he has to work harder. What do you think?
Member:
Patricia

Posted on Monday, Apr 26, 2004 - 7:54 pm:

I'm very luck to board at a farm with huge pastures - an average of 25 - 35 acres. Not only are they large, but well managed. Unfortunately the down side of this is horses that tend to be too fat! Last year we had a terribly wet Spring and summer so the farm owners suggested use of muzzles for the horses that might be in danger of founder. That included most of them! I was reluctant to use one because it seemed so unkind. In July one of the owners horses foundered - a total surprise. Still reluctant to use it, I would put it on for a few days and leave it off many more. In mid summer I noticed that my usually tough footed mustang was foot sore on gravel. Our vet looked at him and said that by the look of his feet it appeared as if he had suffered a very mild case of founder. She suggested I put shoes on his front feet for a while and to be more cautious in the future when it came to his management. So this spring I have faithfuly kept the muzzle on him from Sunday evening through Friday evening, giving him a day or so off to give his nose a rest. He has not lost much weight, but it certainly has kept him from gaining.
If you do choose to use a muzzle, I suggest the models that attach to a halter (break away, of course) rather than the one piece. They stay on better and are easier to fine tune as far as adjustment. I have taken to wrapping the velcro attachments with duck tape to keep them from coming apart when they rub it on their legs or the herd clown comes to take it off. And if you have difficulty putting it on, just break up a carrot into pieces too large to fall through the hole. The treats disract them enough to make it easy to put the muzzle on. And putting it on a halter dedicated to the muzzle keeps you from having to adjust it for each use.
And don't feel your being mean - better than colic or founder.
Patricia


Member:
Liliana

Posted on Monday, Apr 26, 2004 - 9:03 pm:

Hello All,

I just have aquestion, can they drink water with the muzzle on? I gues another option could be to cut down the hours spent on pasture, by keeping the horse stabled with a haynet for a few hours, the horse hage net having smaller holes whould keep them entertained longer.
Member:
Poppy

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 12:17 am:

My horses (three Morgans) are chow hounds and they have 14 acres of grass. I have muzzled them for three years now and they go out at 8 AM, come in at 5PM, wearing muzzles all day long. Not only that, they wear fly masks over the muzzles! They drink through the muzzles from the bathtub we have in the meadow. These horses would have foundered long ago without this aid. They accept them as a matter of fact, and have been at a good weight all along. We feed them short rations in the AM and the PM when they are in the turnouts at the barn. Absolutely essential for them, these muzzles. I buy the halter type, as my horses are in a field with hazards, and the velcro breaks away when they get into a jam on treees, etc. The muzzles this year depend upon a plastic snap to fail if there is a problem, and they include an extra snap for replacements. My guys are so used to the muzzles that they come to me in the AM, heads down, to accept them before they expect turnout.
I could not manage these animals as we do without the full muzzles. As we use nylon halters, I would be afraid if they had the ones that velcro onto the noseband of the halter.
This is a great boon for folks (and horses) that have TOO much grass! Downside: we buy three a year, as they do not last more than one year. But that is a lot cheaper than vet bills for founder!!! and Lots kinder for the horse than suffering all that pain!!!
Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 8:36 am:

Diane
Where do you get your muzzels? I have seen them in Valley Vet magazine for around $50.00 I have not seen any at our local tack shop. I have one mare that can get any halter or fly mask off, do you have any suggestions for keeping the muzzle on?
Colleen
Member:
9193

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 11:54 am:

Many thanks to Colleen, Patricia and Diane for your sharing your personal experience with the muzzles!

I am also interested in suggestions on how to introduce the muzzle to a horse not use to such a contraption. Is there a way to get the thing off in a hurry if the horse feels claustrophobic with something over his nose?? Would one just put the muzzle on and introduce them to grass to let them figure out how this works? How do you know you have the muzzle on too tight or loose?

Diane and Patricia- I am curious where you purchase your choices.. I need to decide which type would best serve my needs. My dad has 23 acres of fenced property with trees and bushes which I would love to let my horse roam, but am afraid to let him stay out munching for long. We go up for 3-4 days at a time and it would be great to let Justin wander and graze for longer periods of time without worry of overeating grass.

Debra



Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 2:29 pm:

Debra
Just a thought. Try using a feed bag for a while if you have a horse with a tendency to freak at new things although I wouldnt think your hores would have a problem getting use to the muzzel. They are not as bad as they look. I used a feed bag for a while with my first horse who was quite flighty (she kept turning over her dish and spilling feed) and she had no problem with it (because it had food in it).
My friends horse had no problem figuring the muzzel out. She learned how to swing her head just right to get the most grass in. Although I felt sorry for her in was amusing to watch.
Colleen
Member:
Trouble

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 4:17 pm:

I have used a muzzle on my pony for several years. I got it at Valley Vet Supply for about $60. Unfortunately, they do wear out quickly. My local shoe repair man can replace the worn out bottom a couple times at about $20 a pop before I have to totally replace it. My pony is pretty smart and manages occasionally to remove the muzzle so I have to keep an eye on him. The break away halter is definitely a must since they will rub on anything to "scratch that itch".

Although they look uncomfortable and cruel, my pony would rather be in the pasture with my gelding than on a little dry lot watching from a distance.
Member:
Poppy

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 5:24 pm:

The muzzle I use is "Best Friend Deluxe Grazing Muzzle". I have seen the partial muzzles you attach to a halter at the local feed store here in Northern California. I think they are too dangerous unless you have breakaway halters.
I order on line form Texas Horse Supply. You'll find the above muzzles on the net. The first year I used the muzzles I had trouble with them wearing out quickly. You have to follow the instructions and be sure the horse's lip is at least 1 inch from the muzzle bottom. Then they will last a season. I tie some surveyors tape on the muzzle in the off case (once or twice) that they snag on a tree or fence. This happens so rarely that I don't worry about it. If the muzzle comes off, I can find it by looking for the orange tape! If the breakaway fastener comes off, you replace it with an extra that comes with the new muzzle. These last one season.
It's funny to watch them in the hot weather...they stand around the bathtub dunking in order to keep cool.My guys accepted the muzzle readily and wear them all day. They work well, and if you left one on for more than a day, you'd have a hungry horse!!
Member:
Patricia

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 7:23 pm:

Its amazing how quickly they become quite adept at eating with the muzzles. By the end of the summer the hole in the bottom of the muzzle grows! My horse is freaky about a lot of things, but the muzzle was no problem to introduce, especially with a couple of treats in the bottom of it. The muzzle that attaches to a halter is hooked on with velcro so that it will come off if snagged - but it's wise to use a break away halter.
Member:
Liliana

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 27, 2004 - 8:19 pm:

It takes all sorts tomake the worl! Being claustrophobic myself I could not dream about muzzleing anything, when I broke my arm not being able to scratch for the plaster DrOve me nuts

Sooo what we do with the welsh ponies is we stable them in a really deep shavings bed, with a smal horsehage net, take away any protein feeds and just feed bran with carrots for bulk.

We section the grassing areas so that it is not over grassed but not a foot long either and then we just monitor wheather they need more stable hours or more grassing

I rather donīt ride them for a couple of weeks in spring and it has work pretty well so far
Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004 - 8:36 am:

Holly
The muzzels discussed here are not designed for ridding. They would not go over a bit and would interfere with reining. Are there muzzels designed for the purpose you stated? My appy was a snacker also. I even started calling her snatch (until someone pointed out how that sounded). I began spuring her on and verbally repremanding her when she would grab or start to grab leaves on the trail. She will occasionally get a grab in, but for the most part she has stopped this.
Colleen
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Wednesday, Apr 28, 2004 - 9:09 am:

Holly

Have you ever heard of "grass reins"? It means tie the horse's bridle to the girth strap with baler twine or similar such that it can move it's head/be on a long rein but it cannot stretch down far enough to graze. Obviously don't try this with a nutty horse but most normal ones will put up with it no problem. My friend who has a riding stables uses grass reins in the summer when they get a lot of tourists who can't really ride too well and certainly can't stop the horses taking advantage of the hedgerows. Even better, do as Colleen suggests and get the horse out of the habit...

All the best

Imogen
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