So my air fern PRE needs a muzzle. I have never used one before - what are your favorites, secret tricks, etc etc. He will wear it while on our fabulous Florida pasture, probably night time turn out (I assume they graze less at night? I can restrict hay in the stall… and he gets Outlast to help …)
I love the Greenguard muzzle for my elderly paint-- he tolerates it very well, hasn’t figured out how to get it off, it has worn like iron-- second year and only one small crack (that happened when I tripped over it…derp!). There have been a few discussions recently about various brands-- a search might help you!
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We used it on a lamenitic horse who was know to have temper tantrum’s in a muzzzle. He didn’t care one bit
Greenguard is what 80% of the muzzled horses at our farm use. Some use Thinline Flexible Filly, but it seems to be less restrictive. Both are very lightweight and breathable. The greenguard I use has held up well over the last few years. I bought the whole halter that fits with it and the fit is great with minimal slippage. The only complaint I have is that the little leather straps that keep it strapped to your halter are made of sh*t leather and will break sooner rather than later (i.e, you’ll have to replace at least one strap every year or so). I’m not a leather snob but the quality is so bad my nose (metaphorically) wrinkles every time I touch it. Otherwise that’s a small price to pay for excellent restriction while maintaining my horse’s comfort.
Greenguard is my preferred muzzle. One laminitic pony would be traumatized when I put a regular basket muzzle on him and would do whatever it took to tear it off. He accepted the greenguard muzzle without problems. My 28 year old hates the greenguard as much as any other muzzle, but he also hates fly masks.
The greenguard can rub more than basket muzzles but the company is really helpful about working with your photos to get the right fit. I found gorilla tape to be a better rub prevention than duct tape. KT tape was even better, although it’s a bit pricey.
Another vote for GreenGuard
That being said IME, Bahaia pastures will need to be kept mowed fairly short or the grass just folds under the GG. Bermuda seems ok if it’s a little longer.
Yup, GreenGuard all the way! My horse tries to remove anything from his head and the regular basket muzzles would be off within an hour. The GreenGuard is both harder to remove and less annoying to wear, since it allows more air to circulate and still lets them graze in a natural pattern. He’d still get it off here and there, but it was a random occasion instead of multiple times a day. And yeah, the thing is super durable too.
Another vote for Greenguard. I’ve never had any trouble with the muzzle causing rubs, but every halter I’ve ever used has rubbed. I put duct tape on the halter where it rubs, and that solves the problem. Sometimes the buckles on the straps that attach the muzzle to the halter poke the horse and cause rubs. I wrap the buckles in electric tape to keep that from happening.
Don’t be surprised if your horse hates the muzzle at first. He may stand around and sulk until you are convinced he’ll never learn to use it, but be patient. He’ll get it eventually. Put a treat in the muzzle when you put it on to help him accept it. I put a Bob’s Sweet Stripe peppermint in my horses’ muzzles every time I muzzle them.
Keep in mind that if you let your horse graze unmuzzled, he’ll likely stuff himself to make up for lost time (ask me how I know). Also be sure the muzzle will fit into an automatic waterer, if you use those. And, since he won’t be able to lick minerals through the muzzle be sure he has access to minerals when he’s unmuzzled.
I stall my horses at night and give them as much hay as they want. I feed hay from summer grasses (bluestem or bermuda where I live) because they tend to be lower in sugars than cool season grasses and supplement with a forage balancer formulated for easy keepers. I’ve never had a problem with them overeating the hay. There’s always some left in the morning, and both horses are at ideal weights.
I’m a cheapskate, so I got the less spendy Tough-1 Easy Breathe for my Wannabe Laminitic mini.
He wears it from 7A until 4P, when it comes off for PM hay & grain (TC Sr) - then back on until ~10P. He’s unmuzzled overnight & out on my less-than-lush pastures.
That one lasted over 2yrs, until he wore the opening so wide it was ineffective.
I replaced it with another similar - but without the wider nostril openings - from a friend.
I wrap the cheek pieces & top of the nose in brightly colored duct tape.
All the better to find on pastures when he gets it off < happens very rarely.
Stateline had cheap muzzles on sale for $12, so I got 2 for backup.
He promptly lost the one he’d had on in weeds as tall as he is - 34" 
Replacement has been on a little over a week & is staying put 
I give him a low-sugar treat when it goes on in the morning & he’ll stick his nose out for the muzzle.
Flipside: he trots up to me at 4 & night time demanding it Come.Off.NOW!
He’s easily able to drink from his bucket & my 50gal barrel trough wearing the muzzle & can worry grass & hay into it as well.
He has remained sound on this program 
Greenguard 
My horse tolerates it so well. I liked the flexible filly in theory but she didn’t 
I did search. Didn’t find much.
What did you use?
I tried the Greenguard muzzle with a previous horse and that horse really hated it and it caused rubs. He even got rubs on his lips when he wore it, as well as rubs where the muzzle strapped to the halter.
Right now I have a mini that is wearing a Tough One Easy Breathe muzzle and he is totally happy in it. He has had no rubs either.
I use the flexible filly. Fitting it initially was a pain - I had a peanut gallery for that - but my mare doesn’t seem bothered by it and has less rubbing than when she had a nylon basket style muzzle. Downside is the clear plastic discolors if your horse is smart and discovers how to bend the fins so it can act like a hard pallet to eat out of the side.
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I like the best friend muzzles. I like that I can easily put them on any halter, and they (usually) don’t cause rubs (one of my horses is between the cob and horse size, and he gets a little rub on his nose, so I pad the muzzle there)
Two of my horses have thin line ones. They are ok; I like the idea but some horses are too smart and realize they can eat out the sides. They also can be difficult to get adjusted properly.
The green guard ones worry me because they don’t look like they restrict enough grass intake. I like the idea of all the ventilation, but paying $100 for a muzzle that doesn’t look like it will be restrictive enough makes me worry.
Tough One Easy Breathe user here. I generally get about a year out of each one before the hole gets worn too big. I get them locally from Chick’s and keep an eye out for sales. Even at full price, they’re cheap enough that I don’t feel bad replacing them.
Another vote for the GreenGuard. I do have to put tape on the bottom of the muzzle or it rubs her chin. The tape has started to rub off there and I’ve noticed that her chin has just gotten a bit “firmer” almost like a callous. I have the halter, too, and have to tape over the buckles and put fleece on the chin pieces, but it really helps to keep the muzzle on versus a regular halter. Oh and I also use the houdini straps to keep her from eating over the corner.
Reading that it sounds like it’s a pain to use, but it’s really not once you get it set up right.
I first tried the flexible filly, which I really liked, but was really difficult to get adjusted right, and then after a year or so of use, she started eating out of the side and no amount of adjusting fixed it. That’s when I switched to the GreenGuard.
We used the Green guard. I put carrots in it the first few times I put it on him and he never protested at all. He grazed and drank normally as if he did not have it on
Another Tough One Easy Breathe here.
