Grazing muzzles

[zara]

Tordi is fat He is such a good dooer and could live on fresh air! He's currently turned out for 7 or so hours a day on not great but enough grass, in at night with a hay net and he's fed 1/2 scoop HiFi Lite and Spillers Lite balancer twice a day. I try and ride him 3 -4 times a week and he is scholed once a week by an instructor. I am terrified of lami, I have got to do something and I am now starting to think I have no other option but to muzzle him during the day. So which muzzles are the best and cause the least trouble?

[pboy]

Hi. I can't help on muzzles as I've not used one since Pocholo was over, and I think they've come on a lot since then! Sol had one for Pete for a while I think. It certainly sounds like a good option for Tordi.

Is there any possibility of nighttime turnout instead of daytime? Grass sugars are 25-40% lower at night so it could make a big difference. I know some yards don't offer it though.

[zara]

pboy I can turn him out at night that isn't the problem but sadly no-one else but me can catch him in the morning to come in I can do it at the weekends though as I can be there so I may leave them out tonight and bring them in in the morning.x

[solomon]

Pete had the Dinky muzzles. One on one in the wash! Never rubbed him but did cause much standing about looking sad. Can't believe you would be able to do it to T. Better option for you would be leave them out 24/7. Catch him if you want to ride him. Ditch the chaff give him balancer once a day and ride him lots. Good luck I know it's a struggle but lami is heart breaking to see as you know. Not convinced he is heading for it but you just never know.

[haffyfan]

Is there not a bare field he can go in? Silly question i guess or he's be in it, or any chance of sectioning current one to make a barer patch?

My experience of muzzles is they all rub, where just depends on the make! The ones with fur noses make them hot and are easier to get off but no rubbed nose - just the chin! I found putting a headcollar (quite tightly fitted) over the bucket style and then fastening them together with string helped keep them on most of the time and once i'd adapted/padded they did stop rubbing quite as much.

The greenguard rubbed the chin and mine could eat too much through it - again i had to pad the chin on it (i used zilco gel relief pads) but the new bucket style greenguard is far better than the old 'net' (think making a cube out of card) style they use to be as mine could squeeze their muzzles out the corner of those.

All 3 wore buckets last year and all had to have the holes made slightly larger before they would attempt to eat. Luckily this year i've managed to keep it bare and not had to use any as yet.

[pboy]

Jun 26, 2015 14:11:24 GMT zara said:

pboy I can turn him out at night that isn't the problem but sadly no-one else but me can catch him in the morning to come in I can do it at the weekends though as I can be there so I may leave them out tonight and bring them in in the morning.x

Oh dear, cheeky monkey!!

[racaille]

Is the hay he gets good hay? Then the easy thing would be to stop the hard feed, however little it seems, he doesn't need it. Then what about 24/7 turnout? If he could have that he'd be moving around all the time and it does them no end of good.

[brigadier]

Zara, Toudle is the same- his crest is rock hard and he is fat fat fat. He works hard twice a week. He is out with Basil 24/7 but also gets haylage. He gets a bare handful of chaff and cool mix when I feed Basil. I think I will have to feed Basil his haylage in a net and Toudle may just get the whisps. I cant stand to see them in muzzles and I think starvation is counter productive, but something has to be done. So following Tordi's progress also.