minis: more cruel to use muzzles or to only keep in sacrifice area?

[AmarachAcres]

Our pony has been in a muzzle for years. We bought him from a family that kept him on a dry lot. They battled his weight and still had founder issues.

We popped that muzzle on and he was able to run and play with the other horses. He dropped to a healthy weight and went from living on the constant edge of founder to having an minor episode once in a blue moon. (Until cushings set in, fun times).

Does he like the muzzle? Nope. But I don’t like not being able to eat as much chocolate ice cream as I want either. The difference is he doesn’t understand the grass hurts him, and I do.

Now that he has cushings we put duct tape on to make the hole microscopic and allow a few hours of turn out for fun a day. Then he goes back to dry lot land or in a stall. It is worth it to see him run and frolic.

[gloriginger]

[QUOTE=ayrabz;7831721]
HA! gotta love it. Gloriginger frantically waving back at you! I’m older, and feeling it every day! but how about you!??[/QUOTE]

EEEPS! I’m older too…I’ll message ya! I want to hear about your mini!

[Emilia]

Our minis have the same management as our riding horse, meaning, they are out from 6/7 am till about 5/6 pm, then in a stone dust paddock overnight (no muzzles, of course, and with night hay feeding).

In the growing season, they spend basically the entire pasture time in a muzzle, though I often leave them the first hour for grazing without.

I can do that, because they are two and they play rough with each other (so they do burn some calories).

When we only had one mini, he was in a muzzle the entire pasture time.

Our riding horse is very kind, does not play rough, and they all seem to enjoy each other. I know, there is a risk involved with combining the big and the little ones, but I am willing to take it, considering the temperaments of animals involved.

What I like about the pasture turnout is that they get to travel, investigate, and be a herd. I think, it is more stimulating that sitting in a paddock all day. I think, they need the stimulation.

I make sure, muzzles are well adjusted and clean them daily.

I give everyone treats through the hole, when putting the muzzles on.

Our horses tried to escape muzzles (after initial first day of put-on) for only a couple of days. I would make time to just calmly walk them down and put it on. No punishment for escaping and treat through the hole.

We have been using muzzles for a couple of years now and everyone just accepts it as a matter of fact. They seem to look forward to the treats.

We generally muzzle March- December (minis). Normally, we don’t need muzzles for January and February at all.

Last year, when winter was harsh, minis had their time off for about three and half months. They loved it.

[ayrabz]

Emilia: thanks…that was really helpful! I will not ‘always’ be able to put her in a ‘with the herd’ situation, but I would like to try it once in awhile. I will have to rotate each of these guys just to teach ‘alone’ turnout is ok and will be needed at times. (not just the mini)…but with a muzzle the mini can live sometimes outside of the sacrifice area, so that would be a big plus for versatility and rotations. Does anyone have a ‘this is the best mini muzzle’ opinion? she is QUITE the escape artist and is HARD on stuff…

[Emilia]

We use Best Friend one that attaches to a halter.

It is sturdy and it has a small hole (we need that!). They enlarge the hole through time, then it is a new muzzle time.

We could not go with Tough One because the original hole was too big for the way, we manage them.

I forgot to mention, we never put muzzles on in snow, but I guess, it is self-evident.

[merrygoround]

I’m not dealing with mini’s but several horses that must be on restricted grass, but not all can be out together. I use muzzles. The are free to move about romp and exercise in their respective pastures, but it has held their intake down. Studies have put it to a 30% reduction in intake over 24 hours.

A search about muzzles should bring up a posting by Deltawave, on keeping muzzles on.

And no, I don’t consider muzzles cruel, but they are a nuisance. I use Skin Glide to prevent chafing.

[GoodTimes]

I thought the OP’s first post was pretty clear, not sure why so many people jumped on her right out of the gate.
Mini’s and ponies are still equines, just because they’re small doesn’t mean that shouldn’t have a large space to roam around in. I’m also a firm believer in group turnout, there have been studies done that show the horses were happier having a buddy to actually touch and scratch with vs. just being able to see them at a distance.
Yes accidents happen, but I don’t think putting a mini out with the big guys is really that different from putting a small pony out with the big guys.

So to answer your question OP, I vote for the muzzle. Hopefully a well fitting muzzle, the larger turnout, buddies, and some well timed treats will outweigh the alone time in the sacrifice area for your little mini.
Like the others mentioned, search for the thread by Deltawave for some tips.

Best of Luck!

[ayrabz]

Thanks so much! I will indeed seek Deltawave’s post/info on muzzles!

[goodhors]

[QUOTE=ayrabz;7831078]
Our widdle one is just so sad in the sacrifice turnout ‘only’ when my guy is in another spot having grass…but she ALSO hates her halter and will rub and rub it on the post to try to get it over her ear! AACK! Can only imagine what she’d do in a muzzle. I know others have told me theirs hated the muzzle so much they’d run the other way, became very difficult…I would expect being ‘on’ the grass, and not able to eat it something that would drive her nutz. But at the same time, I’d love to allow her a larger romp with a friend once in awhile! Any mini managers with this experience on a farm shared with big guys, please chime in![/QUOTE]

My reading of this post, using baby talk, using the word cruel, expanding on how the MINI FEELS about things, put poster into “I love them SO MUCH, CANNOT resist big brown eyes, her hurt feelings” type of owner. I figured OP was GOING to put mini out regardless of health issues, so go ahead and use the muzzle!! Best option for a mini being managed by a person who goes with feelings as a horse management tool.

Now LOTS of information from OP on how much they know about keeping horses, but I wouldn’t have guessed it reading that post above. Putting everything on the mini, in HER FEELINGS, reading WAY more into that than is truth.

Guess I will add this OP to my list of folks who should not be responded to, waste of time. Sure was NOT clear that what OP wanted was this question answered:

" MY QUESTION WAS: for those of you with minis you have on your own property, and would like? to turn out with big horses on grass (not to eat, but for a change with a muzzle on)…do you feel it is better for their frustrations in ‘HOW YOU MANAGE IT’ for “THEIR BEST’ to limit them to the dry lot, or to allow them turnout with a muzzle.”

[ayrabz]

JEEZE Gooodhors NOTHING? better to do but keep AT it? Yes, please do remove me from any !!! reply to any of my inquiries. Lots of other people totally understood my question, very obviously. it was very clearly stated she was in a sacrifice area. I was asking about two options: her in there and unhappy and her outside with the gelding but with a grazing muzzle on (and most likely unhappy)and me trying to get experienced people with horses in those two options weighing in…and for your other slam? I love calling her my widdle one and if that makes me an idiot in your eyes, please carry on elsewhere. Talk about wasting our time…