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Post by guiltygirl on Apr 8, 2009 7:29:28 GMT -5
Does anyone use grazing muzzles-what kind? Do they hold up or does your horse/pony get them off?
One of my horses has trouble with laminitis in the summer. Tests negative to Cushings and insulin resistance but his feet get sore and he gets the rings in the summer. He has had mild rotation in the past.
I have to move him to a dirt lot and he hates it-I was wondering if there are any really good muzzles that you would recommend so I can leave him out with his buddies.
His weight is down and I am trying to keep him ridden as much as possible. I just dont want any flare ups.
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Post by Unbound on Apr 8, 2009 7:54:28 GMT -5
Yep, I've used them for years, as has one of my friends. That reminds me that everyone needs new ones this summer... I recommend the Best Friends brand. www.bestfriendequine.com/They are a bit pricier, but they hold up better than the off brands & they seem to stay on better as well. I like the all-in-one combo myself, but a lot of folks use the one that attaches to a halter, too. They look PITIFUL when you first put them on, but most horses quickly figure them out. So you have to be strong & resist those pleading eyes!! I figure it's better for them to look pitiful and be healthy than it is for them to be suffering yet another painful, possibly deadly, laminitis attack. |
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Post by Smay on Apr 8, 2009 8:11:30 GMT -5
Yes, I second the use of Best Friend's Equine Muzzle, and I suggest using the one WITHOUT the built-in halter...get the one that attaches to their own halter, which you can ALSO vet wrap at all the attachment points. How do I know this? Our pony absolutely must wear his muzzle at all times in the pasture. He is IR and chronically laminitic, but hasn't had sore feet in over a year. He is also MAJIKAL about getting his muzzle off and has trained his brothers to remove it for him... he bothers them until they latch onto the muzzle with their teeth - then he pulls back sharply, twisting his head until it comes off. I have to adjust his quite tightly and wrap the velcro parts with the vet wrap so they don't release. Still he manages to wreck it about twice a year, so I buy a new one.
Also, don't get worried if the horse "HATES" his muzzle for a short while. They soon get used to wearing it and actually look forward to it being put on, because they know it means turnout.
They will learn to drink just fine with it on..although at first it seems they won't! And they can breathe and nibble grass through the little hole JUST FINE, although they tell you that they "can't!"
And finally, although your horse has tested negative for Cushings or Insulin Resistance, try putting him on daily Quiessence magnesium/chromium pellets..... this has been a GODSEND for our pony and he will NOT stay sound without it. That, along with daily exercise to keep his metabolism steady, has kept him from having additional acute attacks of laminitis. He has foundered BADLY in the past, too... over 20* rotation ( no sinking) and even 10* in back! which required therapuetic shoeing to treat. He has actually grown a complete new hoof with his coffin bones back into alignment now! ( we radiograph him every 3 months to check).
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Post by hfhopper on Apr 8, 2009 9:15:17 GMT -5
This is going to sound like a stupid question, but I'm new to the whole world of FAT ponies. When do you start using the grazing muzzle? Our grass is just starting to green up, but I've noticed that the horses aren't standing at the round bale as much as they are "grazing".
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Post by Unbound on Apr 8, 2009 10:02:38 GMT -5
Just depends on your individual horse & their needs. Some horses need them at the first hint of spring grass. Some don't need them until a bit later.
If you have a horse that is IR, Cushings, or has had laminitis in the past, or is already significantly overweight, I wouldn't wait at all.
My horses all lost a bit over winter, so I'll likely wait just a bit to put the muzzles on, as none of them are high risk right now.
Best bet is to talk to your vet & see what he/she recommends for your individual horse.
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Post by Smay on Apr 8, 2009 10:50:38 GMT -5
Yup, Heather, if you OWN a fat ponie and I think you do! you should probably be hyper aware of his status on grass, starting NOW. It certainly won't hurt to put him in a muzzle now, rather than wait and see if he is sensitive to it. If he's already fat, then he's already set up to overdo the sugars in the new spring grass. We had a very dry winter here in central Ohio, and my usually green -by -now pastures are still kind of stunted and dry. Highly unusual. But the ponie will STILL find green stuff to nibble and he WILL get in trouble. I'm sure you've probably seen this website, but it helps demystify why certain equines get sick on grasses of all kinds: check it out safergrass.org |
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Post by CC on Apr 8, 2009 19:55:33 GMT -5
Our pony wore his muzzle 3 of 4 seasons. It went with him to his new home. If he was still with us, he would have it on by now. My EPSM horse also needs his on occassion. He lost a bit of weight over the winter so he isn't wearing yet but they only get 1/2 day on the grass righ now. He will probably need it on by the end of the month. Oh, and I third the Best Friend muzzle.
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Post by picasso on Apr 9, 2009 7:02:49 GMT -5
They look PITIFUL when you first put them on, but most horses quickly figure them out. So you have to be strong & resist those pleading eyes!! Too true! I gave into my pony's pleading eyes the first summer that I had her and, wham, laminitis. Luckily, I caught it super early and was able to get it under control quickly. I have found that a fly mask works wonders for my ability to resist the pitiful eyes  . Oh, I fourth (?) the Best Friends muzzle. I usually use April 15th as the base guideline to begin muzzling and September 15th as the stopping point. I adjust the timeline as needed based on what the grass is doing. |
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Post by Deb on Apr 10, 2009 11:51:00 GMT -5
Horses that are hyper-sensitive to the rich sugars in new spring grass should be muzzled or dry-lotted until the growing season is over. I had a pony here who got dry-lotted most of the year-round. She had foundered on grass in her past life before I got her. She only got full-turn out in the late Summer and Winter. She always had a goodly amount of body fat even on a straight grass hay diet. What a sweetheart of a girl horse she was.
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