DefinitelyDressage.com

My mares insulin level came back high enough for the vet to recommend a grazing muzzle!


Looking for recommendations for one that is easily accepted, very safe ( not able to get caught on fences, etc) still able to drink with it on.

This will not be an easy transition for her

Thanks

I use green guard grazing muzzle. it's a flexible durable. of course I only use it on a breakaway halter.

I recommend you steer away from anything with metal pieces.

Thanks Chisamba,

The site shows they have it attached with straps that have metal on them.

Did you attach them differently to your halters?

I only use break away halters at all times.

Hayburner wrote:Thanks Chisamba,

The site shows they have it attached with straps that have metal on them.

Did you attach them differently to your halters?

I only use break away halters at all times.

let me rephrase that. no metal parts on the muzzle. like grating or ring

I have tried ToughOne, Shires and ThinLine Flexible Filly. ToughOne worked the first 2 years but I had to put real sheep skin on all the contact points because it was causing wear points on his face. he eventually learned how to remove the muzzle no matter how I adjusted it. Shires (I think it was Shires) had a fleece line muzzle, but when fake fleece gets wet, it causes worse rub sores than no fleece at all. Now he's on his 2nd year of Flexible Filly and he has absolutely zero objection to wearing the muzzle. I bought their break away halter and their liners too...the whole set has worked flawlessly. To make sure I had it adjusted correctly, I used the twist ties for several days to make sure the fit was comfortable and still effective. Tio could easily hook the muzzle on any number of things in my pasture and break that sucker off, but he doesn't. Just in case, I tagged the actual muzzle with bright red ribbon to make it easier to find but luckily, that was never necessary. Tio has been in a muzzle 24/7 6 months out of the year since for the last 4/5 years btw.

Thanks SueB, I have been looking at the Thinline one, as I read a few complaints that the Green Guard one has caused wear on the teeth.

I think I’ll get the Thinline with their halter

my experience with the thin line was tight fit, low durability and ineffective.

Thank you Chisamba, I’m still torn on which one to buy

Luckily, right now turn out time is limited due to two horses getting a bit sore from the grass.

I feel bad as my horse loved being out all night In the summer. We have switched her to first cut hay, but I still need to get her weight and sugar levels down.

So the 2" hole is now an elongated 3" hole, but the zip ties are still intact and all is good with the rest of the muzzle and the halter. I keep a back up one on hand just in case, so durability is on par with the other muzzles I've tried. Also no tooth damage. I did not tried green guard but the shape was something Tio would've found easier to remove I think. All muzzles require time and patience to fit correctly and are individual to the horse's personality and muzzle shape. Just know that most horses adapt quickly (within a few days) to wearing a muzzle, and if it is comfortable, they will not work to get it off. Funny, we forgot to put Tio's muzzle back on after he was shod yesterday, and so when I got back late last evening, he was standing at the gate, muzzle in "hand" like "Hey mom, you forgot this!"

Hayburner wrote:Thank you Chisamba, I’m still torn on which one to buy

Luckily, right now turn out time is limited due to two horses getting a bit sore from the grass.

I feel bad as my horse loved being out all night In the summer. We have switched her to first cut hay, but I still need to get her weight and sugar levels down.

I have had to bring two horses back from insulin resistance founder. it's worth every effort not to go there.

Chisamba, that is what I am trying to avoid.

She’s an easy keeper, could stand to lose some weight , I don’t work her hard enough and her insulin number is a bit high.

Luckily, her pasture is not huge or super lush, but there is still a fair amount of grass.

SueB my experience is the same. I used tough 1 for years and years after one of mine almost overheated in a best friend muzzle. Then the tough one started causing terrible rubs even with sheepskin on the jaw. I ended up with the thin line one. I did have a tab tear off early on but the muzzle still is useable. This is my second year with thin line Did not ha e to start too early because the grass did not come on quickly long cooler spring stunted it. Only Gaila is in one at night though Joplin is next. The only horse I’ve had that was an absolute Houdini about a muzzle is Rip. I gave up. Thankfully as he has aged and his work that tightened up his abs not having the overweight issue with him. I hope it continues with him being retired.

So I’m a vote for thin line. My vet strongly recommends against green guard because of tooth wear.

I ordered the Thinline halter and muzzle. A friend is using it on 3 of her horses and she said they don’t seem to mind it, so that helped me decide. I’m Watching some videos so that I get the fit correct and I have a knowledgeable trainer helping me with it.

I ordered the Cob halter, though the throat latch seems a bit too long but pony size would be way too small. There is a local girl that does amazing repairs on horse blankets, boot zippers etc so I can get her to shorten it a bit, if needed.

My friend was using the Green Guard and somehow or another, it got stuck under her horses chin, that’s when she switched to the Thinline system.
My biggest fear with the Green Guard was tooth wear.

Hopefully, this goes well for my mare and she accepts it, she’s a pistol that’s for sure.

I've had good success with the Best Friend's muzzles. The Have-a-Heart is my favorite, but my guy does well in the regular Best Friend's, too.

The thinline flexible grazing muzzle has been amazing for my herd! Doesn't bother any of my horses at all and lasted all summer. Here's the link: https://corroshop.com/products/11376?va ... 5804708922