Need muzzle recommendations for the horse that hates and gets out of every muzzle I’ve tried …so far I’ve tried the all in one types …shires and best friends …and also the attachable Velcro best friends …I do have greenguard for 2 of mine that do well in them but releuctant to drop $100/muzzle id these 2 turds of mine are going to destroy them & get them off within minutes of being turned out …has anyone had luck with the Thinline flexible filly ?? It’s a little less expensive that GG — looking for recommendations.
Looking at the Thinline, with the gaps in the sides, I see so many ways they can get it caught on something to rip it off. Why not try him in one of your GG first and see how he does before getting one for him?
He may not try to get it off.
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Have you tried the Best Friend that attaches to a halter? My guy has never been able to get out of that one.
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Im interested for recommendations as well. My fjord is an easy keeper and gets quite a bit of turn out which, over the summer/fall which I’ve had him, has him quite stout. The vet is making fall rounds on Thursday and that is on my list of things to ask about. We are close to switching from overnight turnout to daytime, so there will be less hours out total, plus less quality of the grass. I’m hoping I can wait for something like the grazing muzzle until spring. The green guard looks like a nice option though, seems like they can get a little more than the ones with just the teeny hole; and it comes in bright colors which would make it easier to find in a 30 acre pasture if he does bust out of it. I’d also rather start it when he is out while there are more people and barn staff around in case there are any issues before the nighttime turnout starts again.
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I have two equines in GG muzzles, one in a traditional basket muzzle (think Best Friend style, but some other brand).
My two GG muzzles are at the end of their 6th and 4th seasons and will still be useable for next year. Meanwhile, the other guy is on his 2nd basket muzzle of the year, and it’s worn out, too. He will definitely need a new one come spring.
So yeah, the $100+ price tag for a simple piece of plastic is a hard pill to swallow, but the GG muzzles LAST. They have more than paid for themselves. As for keeping them on, I don’t have any issues so long as I have good fitting halters. I have had good luck with the GG halter.
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My 24 year old Paint mare is on her second year of a GG. She does periodically get it off, she loves to roll!!! The clip on the halter is done up on the crown piece buckle, which makes the halter tighter. There is also a brow and and up to recently had the Tassel fly mask to help keep it on. I also have had Best friends, with the holes wore thru. My husband made a disc of plastic on his CNC machine, which we attached to the bottom, with a smaller hole, but debris got in between and fermented in the hot weather, so had to replace it. I bought the GG. Wished I has spent the money in the first place for one, but the cost at first put me off!!! One is kept as a spare, as I board, so if she comes in without the GG, there is one to put on until I can get up and find the other one in about 10 acre field, with long grass, last year, that was fun, in the rain, but rode her around till I found it!!! It is the Raspberry coloured one!!!
Those of you who have the GG, it wears down their teeth, any problems or recourse except a different one??
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I liked the GG until I saw how much wear my horse had on his teeth- I dont think it is typical, but his was significant. I switched to the flexible filly and have had good results. I initially had trouble with him removing it (as I have with every muzzle), but I sized down so he can’t eat out of the sides, and I use it with the GG premium halter, and that has stopped him from removing it. No rubs, easier on his teeth, he can’t remove it.
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My horse hated the Greenguard. He never took his muzzle off before I tried it, but he tore up countless breakaway halters to get the GG off and taught himself that with enough dedication, he can remove any muzzle now. :rolleyes:
He used to leave his muzzle alone, Tough 1 easy breathe, but now won’t even keep it on. I even put an old crownpiece with throatlatch on the strap and did it up snug, but nope, he got it off.
It’s taken 4 months but he is finally leaving the Best Friends all in one on. I’m now afraid to even try a different one.
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My only fear with that is if he destroys it then I will have to spend even more to replace that one …another part of the problem is that his buddy who he goes out with gets any muzzle I’ve tried off immediately as well …then he messes with my other guys fly mask, muzzle and halter …it’s so frustrating
Yes …initially it worked well …but soon as the Velcro gets wet from the grass it loses it’s sticking power and when he rubs his face on the fence in attempting to remove it the keepers come un done and it comes off…we have tried bailing twine and he now has gotten the entire halter off his head
The 2 that I have in the GG teeth are good so far and they don’t seem to have issue with it or try to remove it.
One of my mares hates the GG …like goes bizerk…tossing her head , rubbing on anything to remove it and then starts running until I take it off in fear she will hurt herself …she does better in the all in one style Velcro but she can also easily get it off
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For now he’s leaving this one on. I went ahead and ordered a new cheap leather halter and a tough 1 basket that I can hopefully rig up if that ends.
Its so hot and humid here in the summer and the tough 1 has the largest breathing holes I’ve seen. I’m a little leary of trying the thinline muzzle in case it turned out to be another gg fiasco.
My 15 year old cribber has been wearing her GG in the grass growing seasons for 6 years now. He teeth are definitely showing significant wear, but I’m not sure if it’s cribbing or the muzzle? They were already showing wear before I got the GG, but it’s considerably more pronounced these days. Whether it’s the muzzle or her cribbing, her teeth were already doomed.
I haven’t seen any teeth issues with my other one who wears a GG.
I do have duct tape around the top where the velcro finishes (there’s small metal bar thing too). Maybe try that? Your guy sounds like Houdini!
My horse hated the best friend muzzle. He snorted and rubbed his face on the fence for an entire day. Never ate a bite of grass and came in with all his whiskers rubbed off. I switched to the flexible filly and he never even made it to the paddock in it. No matter how I adjusted it I could not get it to sit in the right spot. It was either too far forward and the hole was between his nostrils or too far back and the hole was behind his chin. When he did put his head down and tried to graze he stepped on the giant bubble of muzzle and immediately broke it. I think it lasted all of 30 seconds. I finally spent the money and bought a Green Guard and I’m so happy I did. He immediately took to grazing and never had any trouble. It definitely slows him down, but doesn’t irritate or frustrate him at all. I’m really happy with it.
We used Best Friend muzzles for years and now have a couple of Thinline grazing muzzles, attached to leather turnout halters. The horses seem much happier with the Thinline muzzles, which are very light.
These are attached with zip ties and in our experience the zip ties will break, probably from rubbing on the fence, with zero damage to the muzzles or halters. I bought a pack of 100 zip ties and it’s easy enough to replace them. One horse did keep breaking the zip ties so he is back in a Best Friend which seems to suit him better.
Unless your guy has a very thick throat, you should be able to keep a neck collar on & attach muzzle/halter to it.
Love the thin line muzzles!
This! I use show steer neck collars that have a dee ring on the off and near sides, and I actually use double bolt snaps to keep it on. Furthermore, I wrap the collar around the crownpiece (the collar attaches with a single bolt snap). I clip all snaps with the openings facing the horse’s skin. The velcro crown attachment is double-wrapped with Gorilla tape. He gets it removed every night for 8-10 hours in his stall.
I had to make the decision to sacrifice some breakaway ability, for staying power- this muzzle is on a 6-year old Shetland stallion, who is pastured with my super dexterous Thoroughbred gelding. The said pony stallion has already had two laminitic episodes. I didn’t start using this setup until the horses were very comfortable at my property, and honestly- this little dude is so smart and hardy- I’ve never seen a scratch on him. Or a fly, for that matter. Anyways, I went through six muzzles (1 Shires, 1 Best Friend, 2 old-model Tough-1s, and two Easy Breathe Tough-1s), before I finally decided to put a collar on with an Easy Breathe. That model just fits and clips the best, and it has less material around the muzzle for a boisterous pasturemate to rip off.
I understand the risks of the bolt snaps and I choose to accept them, to help keep both horses happier and healthier, overall. Honestly, when I saw the little guy walk right through two stall chains with 4-inch O-screws placed in oak tobacco barn posts, and strip them out like they were in butter, I worried less about his muzzle. Sucker is stout and really capable of taking care of himself, in a very well-controlled environment, at my house.
I’m happy to provide photos of how I attach the muzzle and collar, and a link to the collar as well, if you’re interested.
