Once the muzzle is fitted to the halter and the horse can wear it daily without hair loss or discomfort, it is best to keep the muzzle attached to the halter as a single unit. Adding reinforcement straps that attach with buckles rather than Velcro is a usual modification. In addition to retrofitting grazing muzzles for utmost comfort, caretakers also apply zinc oxide cream if hair loss is noticed.Īlthough there are several types of grazing muzzles on the market, few of them will remain in place using only the attachments provided by the manufacturer, due largely to the mischief of the horses wearing them. “To help keep horses rub-free, we use duct tape and lambskin or synthetic fleece to pad the parts of the muzzle that come into contact with the horse,” said Whitehouse.
“If muzzles are adjusted with too much play, to the point they’re fitting loosely, then horses find a way to get them under their chin or even get them stuck in their mouths.” For optimal comfort, Whitehouse suggests a width of about two fingers between the bottom of the chin and the grazing muzzle.ĭue to the fit or construction material, some grazing muzzles rub sores under the chin and on top of the nose. “I like to fit the muzzles snugly but with some room at the bottom,” said Whitehouse. Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., is one employee responsible for the care and comfort of the research horses, and that extends to properly outfitting each horse with a muzzle. One reason horse owners become frustrated is the difficulty in fitting grazing muzzles comfortably on their horses.Įmployees at Kentucky Equine Research are thoroughly versed in the fitting of grazing muzzles, as many of the studies conducted at the company require horses to be on strict feeding schedules, which sometimes includes the use of muzzles. Let’s be candid: few horses enjoy wearing grazing muzzles, and most owners find them exasperating, at least in the beginning of the season. One of the most widespread methods is the use of a grazing muzzle, an appliance that hooks to an ordinary halter, covers the entire muzzle of the horse, and allows only limited intake through one or more holes in the floor of the device. Sugar-filled grasses cause problems for many horses, most notably easy keepers that have a predisposition for acute or chronic laminitis or metabolic diseases.ĭifferent management strategies have been employed to restrict the intake of fresh pasture by these horses.
While some horses can graze springtime pastures with wild abandon, other horses cannot. Nothing heralds the onset of spring for horse owners more than the retiring of winter blankets, the shedding of a woolly hair coat, and the greening of pastures.
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