I have a new adorable pony living in my front yard now . She came with the tough one grazing muzzle but she’s worn out the hole and needs a new one and the hole is a rectangle and seems larger. She’s in a grazing muzzle on pasture during the day and in a dry lot with it off at night with hay in a slow feed net but definitely chubby. Which grazing muzzle will restrict her grass consumption the most? A standard one with a small circular hole? The greengard one, it has more holes but says they’re not in the middle so it’s harder for them to get the grass?
In my experience, even working properly, the green guard allows a LOT more grazing ability than the ones with the little holes. With my naughty pony, I was also replacing straps left and right because he figured out how to fatigue the strap by grazing out the side of his mouth, then once the strap popped he could easily move his mouth around that side.
So it’s a daily battle of redoing the straps with baling twine because the replacement straps are stupidly expensive for what they are. I guess they now make “Houdini straps” to add even MORE straps, I haven’t tried them so don’t know if they help but at this point you might as well try the black round hole one
The downside to the black one I have is it rubs a little bit of hair off the top of his nose (even the faux sheepskin lined one), but that sure beats founder.
On the other hand, my regular horses who wear the green guards do great in them.
Thankfully it’s now hay season so muzzles are off and wrangling hay nets is in
Thanks this is helpful! Her fur gets a little rubbed as is but since it’s off at night not enough to really cause problems. I know it’s end of November but it’s been unseasonably warm and the grass is still green and doing well
You can also use the lid of a supplement container or similar inside the muzzle to reduce grazing access with a muzzle you already have. Cut to fit the muzzle, then cut a small hole in the center, zip tie the edges to the bottom of the muzzle.
I love my greenguard, and actually modified it one year using biothane strips and chicago screws to make it more restrictive.
Have you looked at Thinline? That is the smallest hole muzzle I’ve found. Hope this helps.
While the thinline muzzle has the smallest hole I find that the horses just push it to the side and eat out of the triangles on the side. If you attach it close enough to their nose that they can’t do that then it’s really close and irritating to them. I use the thinline for my QH who needed moderate restriction. Said pony is a chunky monkey so I don’t think the thinline will be the best for her.
I did the thin line but added tape to the triangles to prevent the pushing to the side. A bit different looking but works.
We did that too. I now use it on all the horses I’m responsible for who need muzzles. It sometimes requires a bit of adjustment but none of them eat out of the sides.
I used old muck boot rubber and cut circles out, wired them to my muzzles.
I got the thin line with high hopes and then immediately realized it was total garbage. The horses learn to just stick their noses out the big sides. It doesn’t matter how much you tighten it or adjust the halter.
I use the best friend muzzle that you can attach to any halter you want. Then get a thin piece of rubber, cut a small hole in the middle, and put it in the bottom of the muzzle. It will reduce the grazing a lot.
I like the ones you can attach to the halters because I find they rub less. But I also have shipping halter faux sheepskin that I put all over the muzzle and halter.
I’m sorry you’ve had that problem. We have them on four horses from a pony to a draft w no problem. We really tighten the zip ties to the halter with pliers so the pieces of the muzzle don’t move. We use the Dover cotton web halters; maybe that makes a difference. However, that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla .
I used the thin line halter as i got it as a package. Maybe my mare is just too smart. Just just pushed the plastic out of the way and ate out the side.
You know, that sure could be. I ordered the halter when I got the first muzzle and really disliked it. I don’t remember why, though. I sent it back, but kept the muzzle.
Where do you buy a thin piece of rubber? I think I can keep my current muzzle if I can modify it to a smaller hole.
You can get it at craft stores usually, but also these work really well and can be cut easily
Thank you!!