It’s taking me awhile to post about this …6 weeks ago my Friesian gelding managed to get his Greenguard grazing muzzle partially off over his ears but the top strap/crown piece of the halter got stuck across his eyes over night and was digging in very tightly resulting in significant trauma to his eye and causing a huge corneal ulcer. He went straight to New Bolten Center where Dr Scherrer placed a SPL catheter into his eye …he’s been getting 6 different medications around the clock and has been at their layup treatment facility for for almost 7 weeks now. He’s doing great and the ulcer is healing up nicely -it’s a slow process but he should make a full recovery. I’m scared to death to put a grazing muzzle back on him once he’s home.
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Oh poor guy. I’m so scared of your bill.
What if you hooked the grazing muzzle up to a bridle, like a bit, and then it would have a throat latch that would help keep
It from sliding so much?
You could use pony cheek pieces or have them cut down if he’s big?
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I’m so sorry this happened. Horses!
But isn’t Dr. Scherrer the best?
Eye stuff just sucks.
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I actually have the throat latch attachment from Greenguard which was supposed to prevent them from being able to slip it over his head …because of that it got stuck across his eyes …I don’t know what to do …and any other types of muzzles he gets off almost instantly
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Your fear is beyond valid.
Can you use some sort of eye-protecting mask under the halter?
Like this:
Or they make those REM sleep masks with plastic over the eyes. I swear there used to be a brand of fly mask with firm bug eyes, too, but I can’t seem to find it.
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Maybe braid it into his mane.
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Yes, I was wondering about those… I might have to try something along those lines… I’m also thinking he’s going to probably need UV eye protection as well for in the future… I’ll have to ask Dr. Scherer about this
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Ugh, so sorry!! I’m glad he’s healing well.
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I had a mare with an SPL line for 6 weeks, she had a ulcer go south. We had her home and I did the treatments, it was a long haul and I’ve had eye anxiety with my guys ever since.
About the muzzle, is there any possibility that he could go into a different paddock where he doesn’t need to wear one? Like a semi-dry lot? That’s what I’d do if it was an option.
Jingles for your boy. I’m sorry this happened to him.
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Gosh, how terrible. I’m really sorry. We use thin line flexible filly muzzles. For the one horse who can/does take his muzzle off, we have a belt (mine) that we gorilla taped to the crown piece of his halter and buckle it like a cribbing collar. We’ve used it for years very successfully.
The nice thing about the FF muzzle is if they do catch it on something, the zip ties come undone.
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We built a paddock just for our horse with a corner of the pasture so he could be out but not where he could eat much grass.
He was very contented in there for many years watching the other horses come and go and visiting with them over the fence when they went by.
Worked better than muzzling would have for him.
Could that work for your horse?
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I am so so sorry. Eye trauma is so scary.
For UV structure protection please check out the whole equivisor line. They’ve got a lot of products that may be helpful.
I wonder if the mask is zip tied to a halter with 1-2 intentional flimsy connections it could be a good safety measure. You may have to replace the fuse or other break point but at least it’ll give?
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I am so so sorry. Definitely new fear as my pony wears a grazing muzzle.
Could you use a dry lot and just ditch the muzzle?
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What a nightmare! I opened up a new field last week and put the Greenguard on my pony, and today he came in with a big stick stuck through it - probably 18" x the diameter of the muzzle holes. Luckily it didn’t seem to do any damage, but I could see that being an eye injury as well.
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Thank you everyone for your responses and suggestions…I hate to not let him have grass …he does get ridden /worked daily so I’m hoping that’s enough …I still can’t believe this has happened-he’s worn the same grazing muzzle for the past 2 yrs without any issues.
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