Grazing muzzle for mini

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Cathy_H

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I am trying to get some weight off of our stud. He eats grass faster than any horse I have ever seen. Anyone know where I can get a grazing muzzle? Don't like keeping him in the dry lot 24/7 so I thought a muzzle would allow him to stay out longer in the pasture.
 
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I found this muzzle at Sate Line but I'm thinking that is not going to keep a horse from getting any less grass. Anyone use one like this & does it limit the grass intake?
 
There are instructions on the Miniature Horse Club of Ontario website on how to make some if you are interested in that. I know Eve Dexter, who came up with the idea uses hers and they work well for her.

MHCO
 
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Most of the miniature tack suppliers sell muzzles - try Supreme Equine Design, Mini Express, Ozark Mountain, etc. Most have a velcro strap that goes over the poll like a halter, but I had one that actually velcroed onto a halter. I'm not a fan of leaving anything on a horse's head on the chance they will get it hung on something, but most of these muzzles come off pretty easily.

Jan
 
Steph. Thanks for the sight. I did check it out but I need one that will allow the horse to still graze but not be able to grab so much grass in every bite. I have some muzzles with a large hole in the bottom but I was looking for something with bigger open areas but slow down the grazing some so I could leave the horse out more than 10 minutes. It did give me some ideas though to make my own................ Jan, thanks also. If I do get oneI will be keeping a close eye on him in the pasture while wearing it.
 
Hi Kathy, I got my Grazing muzzle for mini's, from Valley Vet Supply in 04. I really like it for breeding time with one of my stallions... I used it initally to make sure that he did not nip at a "first time mare" but when I discovered it kept his teeth from getting knocked out by her unexpected kicks, I use it more often now when breeding, although it is intended for limited grazing. It is the most heavy nylon/ rubber constructed muzzle I have seen yet, with break away latches. I bought the complete muzzle, but it was available as an attachment as well. There # is 1-800-356-1005. (I think I paid 59.) They will send you a catalog. It is a good one with a small hole in the center for grazing and drinking. (The other muzzle posted almost looks like a cribbing muzzle to me.)
 
Margaret I will check it out.......... Perhaps a cribbing muzzle is what I want then. I just don't see how a horse is going to get any grass through that hole in the muzzles that we have. Perhaps I can make the hole larger if I can find a larger grommet. Thanks.
 
I understand,.. They will probably allways be controversial to use. The vets that saw my mare in her overweight condition recommended it last year to me. Although I no longer need to use it as she is much slimmer now I am still glad i have it as it has come in handyfor other reasons. The hole is about the size of a quarter, and looks like you could shave it larger with the blade of a knife if you wanted. If you reconsider, the # of the mini complete one is item # 27043.
 
I personally would opt for five to seven miles of roadwork and full time grazing before I put a muzzle on a horse. Give him the exercise he needs and forget about the muzzle. You derive the pleasure of using the horse, he gets to be out of the stall and pasture, you get to show him off to the world and he gets lean and trim. Everybody wins !!!
 
justaboutgeese said:
I personally would opt for five to seven miles of roadwork and full time grazing before I put a muzzle on a horse.  Give him the exercise he needs and forget about the muzzle.  You derive the pleasure of using the horse, he gets to be out of the stall and pasture, you get to show him off to the world and he gets lean and trim.  Everybody wins !!!
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I got my grazing muzzle from Best Friends Equine Supply.... I didn't see how the metal one like the picture you showed would stop them too much b.c of all the holes but these seem to work really good with only one hole at the bottom. My miniature doesn't mind hers now at all...for about an hour or two when she first had it on she was a bit unsure of what was going on but now she is a pro and will stand still not being tied or anything to put that muzzle on...shes so good
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Lol...anyway heres the link to the website:

http://www.bestfriendequine.com/grazing_muzzles_2.html

Jessica

Oh and I saw where you said you weren't sure about how they get grass well I tested mine myself Lol...basically the grass has to be shorter so when they press down there nose to the ground it sticks up threw the hole and they can reach it.
 
Cathy, that is actually exactly what she uses it for so that her minis can be out all day and not eat as much with every bite. She said it's funny to watch them as they soon learn to graze by pecking at the ground up and down and they look like a bunch of little chickens out there grazing.
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justaboutgeese- Roadwork would be great if it were possible. Our roads here are very curvy, narrow & unsafe even for humans. Our mailbox has been knocked down 4 times & a teenager killed close to our house.... The side road is big gravel & rocks... Our 4 acre pasture is rolling up & down, rugged, bumpy & uneven. Lee & I tried walking in our pastures for exercise ouselves but had to quit because we were turning our ankles or stepping in gopher holes too much (which I keep filling in with gravel)......................... Omega is a retired supreme halter horse so we are not interested in showing him any more... He spends his days in a huge dry lot big enough for running in. He is turned out for grazing morning & evening for 30 minutes at a time which is still too much for him as he eats faster than any horse I have ever seen. Just trying to find a way to leave him in the pasture longer........................ Steph / Jessica, I will try the one I have. Probably will let him graze for 20 minutes then put it on & see what he does then perhaps can leave him out for another couple of hours........... Added - Joyce- I will check with her. Thanks for the compliment. Gotta love those grandbabies!
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One of the reasons a horse that is turned out for short periods of time eats as though it is dying is, because, in the horses head IT IS!!! If you could "bite the bullet" and turn this horse out 24/7 he would settle down. As you must know horses are designed to eat 22 o/o 24 hours a day- it does not have to be good grass, it usually is not!! BUT that is the way they have evolved, and, if it does not happen their brains tell them they are starving. SO the way to get laminitis is to limit the grazing, the way to get a fat horse with laminitis is to limit the grazing. The reason I have fat horses without laminitis is that they are out 24/7 and have no need to stuff 24 hours of grass down their throats in two hours (causing a HUGE overload of just about everything!!) So long as it is not life threatening, why should a horse notbe fat?????
 
One of the reasons a horse that is turned out for short periods of time eats as though it is dying is, because, in the horses head IT IS!!! If you could "bite the bullet" and turn this horse out 24/7 he would settle down.
Couple years back we did leave him out all day for quite awhile, late summer into fall & winter. Looked like he was carrying triplets. Our pastures are lush & his grazing area is huge. I cannot leave him out all day & take a chance on founder.................... I will continue to give him several small feedings of hay every day, scattering it out over his pen with a short treat of pasture grazing...... I figure that is still better than some of the stallions I know that are stalled 24/7 that don't get grass........................................

So long as it is not life threatening, why should a horse notbe fat?????
Because we are down to two mini broodmares thus do not need a stallion. I am trying to get some weight off of him so we can sell him next year.
 
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