# How do grazing muzzles work if your horse is out 24/7??



## sophiebailey (27 May 2013)

Have invested in a muzzle for my fat cob, wondering how long it should stay on for and at what times? 

Put it on for 30 mins today and cob was distraught and couldn't get the hang of it  how long does it usually take them to get the hang of it? 

I'm worried if I leave the muzzle on for a few hours that he'll gorge himself when it's off and get a poorly tummy?? 

Advice welcomed  xxxx


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## ShowjumpingPrincess (27 May 2013)

Is it a greenguard muzzle? If not, they tend to be better as they are less restrictive of the horse's breathing, drinking and (limited) eating. And they are comfortable. One of my showjumpers was a bit on the porky side so I got a normal muzzle which she hated and couldn't figure out, a friend recommended a greenguard and I haunt looked back! They are great, though if you are on a really tight budget, they can be a bit on the expensive side. Xx


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## The Fuzzy Furry (27 May 2013)

I had one 2 yrs ago who was very distressed when I put it on.

So, we stayed in the bare paddock but then for an hour every day I led her to a very lush paddock before breakfast or any hay & popped the Dinky Pony muzzle on & then for 2 mins poked grass up the holes. Left her with a buddy.

Over 2 weeks I increased the time & she did get used to wearing it & then we could wean her to having it on much more of the time. She did manage to eat 

Patience & a hard heart..... good luck


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## Inthesticks (27 May 2013)

I believe the advice is no more than 12 hours without a break. Spillers have come out with advice as they have heard owners are leaving it on 24/7 which is not right. If your horse is out 24/7 then I would put it on in the morning and take it off in the evening.

They do tend to take a while to get used to it, but take it slow and he should get there. Make sure it fits well and check it every time on and off, the last thing you want is it rubbing.


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## CobsGalore (27 May 2013)

I'm having this dilemma at the moment as he is out 24/7 and needs a muzzle. At the moment he has it on during the day and off at night, but if I can't keep his weight down I will be sectioning off a small bit of field (2 or 3 times a stable) to put him in at night with soaked hay. So muzzled during the day and bare patch with hay at night.

I'd just put him on a yummy patch of grass with muzzle on and let him get on with it, he will get it eventually. Took my horse about 5 hours to work it out.


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## Tobiano (27 May 2013)

I have been told that if you take the muzzle off for any time in the day, the horse will just eat faster so it gets the same intake of grass in that shorter time than it would have in the whole day.  So I dont think that leaving the horse out but putting the muzzle on / off would be likely to work as well as muzzle on whilst out / then come in for a rest from the muzzle.  Agree you cannot use them 24 hours a day.  Also another vote for the Dinky muzzle.  

Agree also with the advice on introducing the muzzle gradually - our boy was horrified at first but is now much more relaxed with it.


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## pixie (27 May 2013)

I have a welshy who tends to put on weight.  His field mate is a tb who tends to lose weight easily.  I put them in a field with decent grass so tb keeps weight on, and keep him muzzled 24/7 so that he doesn't eat too much.  He doesn't have any difficulty eating with the muzzle on, whether the grass is long or short; it just reduces the amount that he can get into his mouth each time.  If he wasn't muzzled, he would gorge himself.  
The only other option would be having them in separate fields, but then they would both be miserable (and tb would start losing weight).
He is muzzled 24/7 and everyone is happy.


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## Hoof_Prints (27 May 2013)

My horses currently have muzzles on all the time while they are out, they come in for about 5 hours a day (sometimes more) while they are pampered/exercised, and get to eat their haynets without them. However if they were to go out without muzzles, they would just gorge and last time I tried that routine- my mare got colic after a couple of days . So with one colicy horse, one prone to laminitis and another that is getting a bit fat we muzzle for grazing and then let them have them off for a few hours every day. 

They have a lot of grazing and the grass is growing quicker than they could eat it. There is also a public footpath running alongside- so muzzles stop the walkers feeding them ! As we have found out that chicken sandwiches, doritos and various sweets had become part of their diet! I wish they didn't have to wear them, but the grazing is far too lush.


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## Fransurrey (28 May 2013)

I've recently had to muzzle for pretty much 24/7, as I wasn't allowed to section off part of the field, plus the YM had a crazy system of rotating the grazing, so that we went onto fresh grass every 4 weeks max. With a lami prone and sweet itch sufferer I had to take drastic action!

I did it by taking the muzzles off twice a day and either allowing them time with a haynet and a fibre feed, or 20-30 mins in the field without the muzzle plus a small fibre feed (with supplements in). Since moving I've done similar, but I now have control over my own paddocks, so last night I left the muzzles off overnight for the first time since moving, as the small area is now eaten down a bit. From now on I'll be taking them off overnight, so about 12hrs on, 12hrs off.

My muzzles are modified slightly, in that I've cut the holes slightly bigger.


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## Polos Mum (28 May 2013)

22/7 - 23/7 seems to work for friends of mine - mine certainly would gorge when you take them off so I almost may as well not bother if it was only on 10/12 hours. 

Coming in for riding/ grooming etc for a couple of hours to give them a break seems fine to mine.


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## claireandnadia (29 May 2013)

Our shetland has his muzzle on all day near enough all year round. If he comes in at night he doesn't obviously have it on but if he stays out at night we take it off.
I've just had to start muzzling my 16hh mare as she was huge and we've just moved to long un-grazed grass so at the moment she has it on every other day all day. I've been up the field numerous times and currently stands there sulking not even attempting to eat so hopefully she'll get the idea. I did find some grass in the muzzle last night so maybe she is getting there.


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## LOU83 (29 May 2013)

I'm not a fan of grazing muzzles tried them in past and rubbed. Now i turn out during the day from 6.30 till 5 - 6.30. They are on restricted  and then fed second cut low quality hay that is steamed to take out all dust. My coloured is now back in work after lam last year and looks fab. He is so much happier with the turn out on not a huge amount of grass, and with the weather has been more than happy to come in at night sometimes horses just can't stand 24/7 turnout.


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## SO1 (22 June 2013)

I have just started muzzling my pony as he is got huge in quite a short space of time due as with all the rain/sun the grass is becoming lush and there is quite a bit of clover.

This is the first time I have used one before and I have borrowed a friends shire one which just has a very small hole. I am surprised he is able to get anything through the small hole and he is not impressed. As he lives out he is going to wear it 24/7 as there is not much point in taking it off over night as he will just gorge and eat loads. I know it is not ideal as the muzzles are not designed to be used that way but quite a few people have told me they have used them 24/7 and nothing dreadful has happened and it has helped a lot to keep their ponies weight under control especially if they don't have the option of bare paddocks etc.

YO is hopefully going to section the field into in two in the next few weeks and hopefully once he has lost some weight and there is less grass he can have some unmuzzled time.

I was just wondering if they do have it on 24/7 if they get enough fibre so he will also have some chaff and some soaked hay too, especially if I am riding.

So he started with it on Thursday afternoon but managed to get it off by rubbing it against a branch and the velcro came undone so I have wrapped some vet wrap around the velcro and this seems to help with keeping it on. 

So far he has had it on Thursday night, friday day, friday evening gave him scoop of chaff, friday night muzzle on, saturday (today) hacked for and hour and half and he also had a slice of soaked hay and scoop of chaff and just to make sure he is getting enough fibre whilst he gets used to grazing with the muzzle as I doubt he has had much to eat in the last 24 hours. I am also giving him global herbs restore just whilst he gets used to his new diet. 

I hate seeing him looking sad with his muzzle on whilst the other horses are stuffing themselves with grass but I hate seeing him very fat even more and I am really scared he will get lami if I don't take drastic action immediately.


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## MagicMelon (22 June 2013)

I dont really understand why people use grazing muzzles, surely they really frustrate the horse?  Why not simply electric tape off a chunk of field?


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## Mongoose11 (22 June 2013)

MagicMelon said:



			I dont really understand why people use grazing muzzles, surely they really frustrate the horse?  Why not simply electric tape off a chunk of field?
		
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Because they have more land to roam, and because eating on short grass on sandy soil for 12 months wore my mares front teeth down terribly. Frustration lasted 10 minutes when she first ever had it on. Now she shoves her nose in it quickly as she knows it means she is off out.


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## Copperpot (22 June 2013)

Cos horse will jump out to get to the good grass!


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## Lotty (22 June 2013)

I use a Greenguard grazing muzzle with the halter for my mare, she's worn it for 3 years now 

I turn her out for 5-6 hours with the muzzle, then she comes in for the night on soaked hay. I know if I took the muzzle off my girl would gorge and at the moment the grass where we are is very lush.


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## Mongoose11 (22 June 2013)

Copperpot said:



			Cos horse will jump out to get to the good grass!
		
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Ooooh I forgot that one.yes, agreed!


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## milliepops (22 June 2013)

Billie1007 said:



			Ooooh I forgot that one.yes, agreed!
		
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Yes, and also means they can go out with other horses that don't need restricting   My mare hates being on her own but her buddies don't need to be in a fatty paddock.


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## Roasted Chestnuts (22 June 2013)

When we move then fields onto better grass cobby gets her muzzle on during the day out with the others then she's moved to the fatty paddock with her friend at night. The oldie and the TB come in


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## Holly Hocks (22 June 2013)

My native has the shires deluxe grazing muzzle on overnight - so for about 12 hours.  But my OH did make the hole a bit bigger as it really was tiny and not even near her mouth!  Then during the day I put her in a starve patch or in her stable without the muzzle.  She is looking fabulous. The new shires deluxe one is good as it's padded with sheepskin all the way round.  She has got a couple of rubs from the one I used before, but I can cope with a bit of fur rubbed off.  It's far better than laminitis.


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## SO1 (22 June 2013)

Because as others have said if you are on livery you often can't just make your own field to the size you want them or some horses are not good on individual turnout. Unfortunately we don't all live in an ideal world.



MagicMelon said:



			I dont really understand why people use grazing muzzles, surely they really frustrate the horse?  Why not simply electric tape off a chunk of field?
		
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## Rhodders (22 June 2013)

MagicMelon said:



			I dont really understand why people use grazing muzzles, surely they really frustrate the horse?  Why not simply electric tape off a chunk of field?
		
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never had a fat horse? they'll jump a 4ft electric fence no probs


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## noblesteed (22 June 2013)

No probs leaving them 24/7 in a greenguard. Mines been living out the past 3 summers in the big field with his mates, in his greenguard 24/7 apart from when he's being ridden. He's still alive, he's never starved or dehydrated. His weight still needs watching with his muzzle on! Vet was happy about this too. Apparently greenguards only reduce grass consumption by 40% - they have much bigger holes than the shires ones. If he puts on weight he'll have to come in at night or go in the starvation paddock (but he'll just pull the fence down and escape.)


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## HashRouge (23 June 2013)

Me and my sister have our two out for about 14 hours in their muzzles, then bring them in during the day for a bit of hay and a sleep. My mare isn't fat, but she has cushings and is very very sensitive to the sugars in grass. I'm trying to get her to the stage where she can have a steroid injection for her SI problems, so unfortunately muzzling her is my best option. I tried having her out at night on short grass without a muzzle, but tbh I found it  less effective, as she still managed to eat too much, and actually she seems happier out in a larger field with a muzzle than in a tiny one (on her own) without one. She has surprised me by how well she has taken to the grazing muzzle, she doesn't seem to mind so long as she is out!

I'm not sure if I would leave her in it 24/7, as she has such fine hair on her nose (she's an Arab) that I really worry about it rubbing. I've lined it with fleece, but I still think it's a good idea for her to have a period without it on every day. I would consider leaving her out in it for longer though, given she seems quite happy in it.


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## Spotsrock (23 June 2013)

Mine wears it all the time when out but comes in and has it taken off when she or other horse is ridden.


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## SO1 (23 June 2013)

Unfortunately my pony was found by YO not wearing his muzzle this morning when she did her early morning checks. She put it back on him again but told me that when she found it the clip was undone.

It is very unlikely that my pony would have been unable to get the clip undone himself as it the same sort of clip you get on rugs and headcollars and as the muzzle was on the grass not near any trees he had not rubbed against a branch so we suspect someone felt sorry for him and took it off. So I have now wrapped vet wrap around the clip so it harder for someone to unclip it - a walker probably felt sorry for him and took it off him yesterday afternoon after I left the yard. We have a footpath running through the field and my pony is very friendly so easy to approach so walkers tend to like him.

Luckily whoever took it off did not decide to take it with them or through it away.


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## MagicMelon (23 June 2013)

Copperpot said:



			Cos horse will jump out to get to the good grass!
		
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Then your fence isn't tall enough... I managed to stop a 17.2hh show jumper from jumping fences by simply adding an extra line higher up so it was about 5ft high.


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## Copperpot (23 June 2013)

Lol. He wouldn't bat an eyelid at 5ft!


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## sophiebailey (23 June 2013)

I've never seen 5ft fencing stakes, did you use normal wooden posts to make a fence that high? Most of my electric stakes are 3ft tall so easy to pop for a hungry cob!!


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## The Fuzzy Furry (23 June 2013)

MagicMelon said:



			I dont really understand why people use grazing muzzles, surely they really frustrate the horse?  Why not simply electric tape off a chunk of field?
		
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Have you ever dealt with tiny ponies?  They make Colditz prisoners look like amateurs  
Field taped off AND muzzle on - safer all round that way & figure still a little on the large side........


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## smellsofhorse (23 June 2013)

The best time to leave it offf is at night when there sugars are supposidly less.
So muzzle on at in day.

Could you fence a bit of so he has a smaller area at night but more in the day when the muzzle is on.

Ive never used a muzzle though!
(on my horses)


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## WelshMisfit (23 June 2013)

SO1 said:



			It is very unlikely that my pony would have been unable to get the clip undone himself as it the same sort of clip you get on rugs and headcollars and as the muzzle was on the grass not near any trees he had not rubbed against a branch so we suspect someone felt sorry for him and took it off.
		
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Our little shetland always managed to take his off and we used to find it in the middle of the field, which made us wonder how he'd managed it. Until the day my daughter and I had a picnic on the field and watched one of the donkeys taking it off for him!


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