Green Guard muzzle or alternatives for horse prone to rubs

[Small_Change]

I have three horses here wearing the GG muzzle. The pony and the CSH don’t get any marks at all, but the big ISH with the corresponding big ISH muzzle does get a rub on his chin each year when the muzzle first goes on. He toughens up, and then is fine for the rest of the season. I have tried putting padding in there, but because mine are out when the grass is wet, he actually gets into worse trouble with damp padding in there. I feel badly about his chin for the few weeks it looks a bit tender, but it is far better than his feet falling off…

I have tried other muzzles for him, and they either are a worse fit, don’t control his intake, or are so heavy in comparison. GG is the best choice for him, despite the mark on his chin.

[DMK]

My determined Fjord figured out the green guard. It took a couple years, but he’s in it for the long game. Same end result as yours, that back corner became damaged/gone, however he figured out how to flip it ever so perfectly so that his bottom jaw was on the outside, then he used his top teeth and that lower inside corner to graze. The only problem is that with only the upper lip to “select” grass, he failed miserably and by the time he came in in the morning the whole muzzle basket would be jam-packed full of undesirable grass and substance because he couldn’t select the right blades. He still managed to gain enough weight that he did not look like a fjord who was wearing a grazing muzzle.

However this year when I bought a replacement muzzle I watched some of their videos and put a little bit of thought into it and now we have this version of green guard. It’s his Hannibal lecter Green guard muzzle! We’re 8 weeks in and so far he has been thwarted!

I also use gorilla tape on the back to stop chin rubs, and tons of fleece. The funny part of this is that the other horse who wears a muzzle is a chestnut thoroughbred with paper thin skin and somehow he just wears a muzzle, no drama, no rubs. I put some vet wrap around the nose band and I do keep a nose fleecey on there but that’s mostly because that muzzle straps have long been replaced with zip ties and they tend to rub more than the straps. The Fjord is covered in fleece on any place that touches his skin. But that’s because the thoroughbred goes out and just eats what he can with a muzzle on while the fjord dedicates every living moment of his grazing existence to figure out how to eat more with a muzzle on!

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[Texarkana]

The only thing that has ever rubbed with my GG muzzle is the buckle under the chin if I don’t have it adjusted correctly. Otherwise the muzzle itself has never caused a single rub for my horses. Only the halters themselves have rubbed, and I wrap them in flannel to prevent that.

[quietann]

Hi, can you explain in the photo what extea parts were added and where you got them? Is tjis the underside of the GG?

My mare is moving and I will need a muzzle for her. I’m pretty sure she’s as clever as your Fjord, and given her violent behavior toward small hole haynets, I suspect she will do everything she can to defeat a muzzle. (Thus anything with a hole that she could chew on to expand is not an option.)

[DMK]

Zip ties and electric tape or thin strips of gorillas tape.

First I attach the muzzle with the 4 straps that comes with it. Then I wrap the side hardware with thin strips of a white flannel wraps (or strip of an old polo) and just tack it down with glue and wrap a piece of electric tape around the ends. It lasts for a season (only necessary if your horses gets rubs).

Then once you know it fits right you can add the extra stuff. I would let them wear it a few days because new halters and those straps stretch, also if you horse is new to muzzles maybe just use it that way for a few weeks or until they figure it out. Once you know it fits I would wrap the straps with electric tape to ensure straps don’t get loose.

But if you have to add the extra “armour”, hang the muzzle up so it’s nice and level and add zip ties half way between each strap. I make sure the locking nub is on the outside of the muzzle, not inside! And not up on the halter. They will tear a hole in your horses face overnight so you want them stable and unable to move. Slowly close the ties and make sure they are the right length when you pinch them closed because you are going to wraps them with tape tightly so that nub can’t move (strips of gorillas tape lasts longest). Then after that is done I took zip ties and created crossbars on the two back corners and wrapped that. That might be overkill but since my guy already learned how to get grass out of those corners, so necessary!

The other thing I find useful is that pad on the halter chin. It’s from thin line. They sell it to go with the flexible filly muzzle. I bought a pair and use one on the nose to go with the FF muzzle, and the other on the chin for the Fjord. Since he dedicated his summers to trying to evade or rub off the muzzle, every bit needs to be padded or fleeced.

[tabula_rashah]

I have green guard muzzles on two of my air fern ladies. I wrapped with straps and buckles in Mueller athletic tape. They wear them 16 hours a day and I haven’t had a single rub. They also don’t run and hide from me when I put these on them like they did with the best friends muzzle

[quietann]

Do or don’t run and hide with the GG? This mare will do just about anything for a treat.

She won’t ever be on grass for more than a few hours even with a muzzle. We’re starting with 30-45 minutes unmuzzled as that’s roughly equivalent to what she’s getting now. But she will need a muzzle eventually.

[tabula_rashah]

Oops missed a word ( I edited it thanks )
They don’t run from these
My guys are out 24/7 in a huge field and get them on 16 hours, off the other 8. It seems to be a good balance. I usually throw a couple outlast treats in the basket when I put the muzzles on

[greywithchrome]

This is nice to hear! My mare is on outdoor board for the first time ever, so while she’s worn a muzzle for years it was just for turnout before. My plan is to try a 16/8 schedule with her as well and see how it goes. I know it has been said that they will just “make up for lost time” while the muzzle is off but I want to try it this way before doing 23 hours muzzle on.

[tabula_rashah]

I’ve heard that said but at least with my girls I haven’t found it to be true. They both have been slimming down slowly on the 16/8

[Maude]

I have all 3 of my horses in the Green Guard without problem. I’ve been using it on 2 of them for several years now.

[Pico_Banana]

@DMK

Zip ties and electric tape or thin strips of gorillas tape.

I use the Houdini straps that GG sells for extra security. I only need two, which I put on the two corners on the left side of her muzzle. Without them, she can manage to stick her nose out, but I haven’t had any issues once I put on the Houdini straps.

They are now about a year old and I can see one is about to break from wear. I might just replace it with some twine.

[JB]

@Pico_Banana

I use the Houdini straps that GG sells for extra security.

I had no idea they had those! They are sold out currently, but you could easily do something similar with a few wraps of Gorilla tape (half width), or industrial velcro strips

[DMK]

Yeah, I watched the videos which had those or suggested zip ties. I went with the Supplies On Hand approach!

Pro Tip: two Houdini straps does not deter a Fjord!

[TheJenners]

@greywithchrome

I had a mare in my barn who’s chin rubbed with the green guard, so I just fastened a piece of fleece on the bottom where the chin sits!

I did that year one with my Very Angry Pony who rubbed her chin fitting with the muzzle. No issues this year. Let me see if I can find the video of her having a hissy fit day one with the muzzle last year…

@JB

@NaturallyHappy

I think the Green Guard is quite heavy. I wonder about poll pressure w them.

Heavy compared to what? It’s super lightweight compared to traditional basket styles

It seems much lighter than any other muzzle I’ve seen, plus absorbs no dew from grass or water while they drink.

I have three, one for the abovementioned pony, one for the 28 yo Cushingoid horse, one for my easy keeper IDSH. However he is doing well this year and I may have to put it on my coming 2 yo IDSH/Dutch WB who is a portly little thing. I don’t like muzzling a baby but damn…

[TheJenners]

Found it. The camera is in the arena on the mounting block because I was trying to catch the coyote that kept pooping in there… Don’t ask

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNYbvvSA8No/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

[FjordBCRF]

Not a rubbing issue, but a new one for me none the less.

Fjord is on a mostly dry lot. There are sad patches of grass the horses will pick at and some weeds they leave alone. BO has been bringing in round bales semi-regularly. We got new round bales yesterday so I had his greenguard on him and he managed to break two of the 4 straps overnight. I’ve not been there to check things out, but I imagine he got it caught up in something for that to happen. Given he did that the first time he’s had it on at the new barn, my confidence is low that it won’t happen again. And I don’t want him to get himself in a jam.

He doesn’t really need the muzzle. The vet was out for bloodwork last week and said he is looking great, and down another 60 or so pounds from when he saw him in the spring. I would however, like to try and regulate new bale consumption if possible AND I really want to have something that gives me some confidence if I do end up needing it in the fall, it won’t fail.

He’s also out overnight which makes me more inclined to just leave it off for now in case he really gets himself hung up somewhere. At the last barn, the only time he broke one of the straps was when he got it caught on the fence and pulled an entire fence post up with him. That was during the day and was noticed right away. Go big or go home.

Any thoughts? Different type of muzzle maybe?

[JB]

Heavy duty velcro strips work well to replace the straps the GG comes with.

Zip ties too, sometimes you need to wrap with tape to soften the edges.

[greywithchrome]

If it was my horse I would feel that regulating the round bale consumption is a good idea even if the bloodwork is looking good. My mare will just not leave a round bale, her friends will take breaks and go walk around or just hang out and she will just stay there and gorge herself. Not helpful towards weight loss lol.

If he is breaking the Greenguard I don’t imagine a different muzzle type would help much, I would keep replacing the straps and see if he learns. Maybe use something cheaper in the meantime like zipties as JB suggested. I wrap my greenguard straps in Vetwrap to keep everything a little more tucked in.

[FjordBCRF]

@greywithchrome

I would feel that regulating the round bale consumption is a good idea even if the bloodwork is looking good

I should have clarified, bloodwork is unrelated to diet restrictions! Checking Vitamin E and Selenium. He doesn’t completely gorge himself, he will take breaks and will lay down and sleep in the old hay piles.

I’m just worried about whatever he’s getting caught up in that broke the straps; any worries about that being out overnight for the extended hours? Will the Velcro or zip ties break as easily?