Good doer + spring grass = panicking mummy!

[nelle]

Sonny has been moved to a new field since Sunday for about 6 hours per day and I'm sure he's already putting on weight. I have a grazing muzzle on order, hopefully it'll be here soon as I'm panicking already.

He's never had laminitis and I don't want him to get it this year. OH thinks the muzzle is cruel, but as I said it's either that, restricted grazing or risk lami - I don't have a lot of choice really.

How's everybody else coping?

[Showjumper]

They're chucking out green poos so they're clearly getting grass but are eating their way through a bale of hay a night and are on two meals a day and not gaining so I'm sticking to this. As soon as they start leaving hay I'll chop that down and go down to one feed a day, then when they're ignoring the hay or starting to gain weight, hay will go and the one feed a day will be cut.

Luckily I have my own paddock at the yard so can rotate and manage them that way :)

[nelle]

You're lucky to have your own land Showjumper, I don't have a lot of choice with the grazing being on livery. Last year the horses stayed in their winter field as it was so wet and trashed it wouldn't have recovered in time to make hay. This year they've moved onto their summer grazing and the winter paddock will be rested for hay making.

I did ask whether we could stay in the winter paddock as I was able to manage his weight last year without too much problem. Fingers crossed he will get on okay with the grazing muzzle, I don't know if he's worn one before!

[Showjumper]

I wish it was my own land - I'm on livery too but managed to convince the farmer to give me my own paddock as I'm paranoid about my pones :)

[wonkeywoody]

I want a plough! Tee hee...............

[kturner]

I had to start my pony on a grazing muzzel last year after his 5th bout of laminitis. Someone else was giving them 2 wheelbarrow loads of haylage at 6am every morning. The owner knew he was not allowed any, but ignored that and said only hers would eat it, as she was boss mare. My little guy was always standing with her as he was the smallest in the herd at 11.2 others were all 14.2 16.3. As she allowed him to eat with her, he went down with it again.

His first experience of a grazing muzzel, we put it on everyday, plastic one on normal head collar. We had a one or two hour fight everyday, not even getting to the field. When we did get him outside with it, he was extremely pannicky. Rubbing it everywhere, tried to drown himself getting it off in the water bath. I had to pull his head out the water (lead rope still on incase he ran off panicking). I was in tears and exhausted everyday.

Someone told me about the webbing one with rubber at the bottom. Uses velcro and no head collar as that was a worry as well. I cut a bigger hole in the bottom so he could get more, and put on a dog harness with PLASTIC cllips on top, as he soon worked out how to get it off.

Harness works very well. He loves his muzzel. No problem from day one. Tried it in the stable first, he dived into his dengie before I could get it off, and ate with it on. Hay as well. I dont do this everyday, but when given dengie, he took to it straight away.

If you find one muzzel doesnt work try another. I think because it is canvas and not hard plastic it doesnt bother him. He knows he has to have it to go out in summer, and puts himself straight in it to get out quicker!!! First plastic one was £33.50, gave it away. Second one, £10, webbing.

[Peanut]

I cut a bigger hole in the bottom so he could get more,


What a brilliant idea! My horse couldn't get to grips with her muzzle last year at all, but this may just be the answer. I'm going to give it a try - thank you! :)

[nelle]

I've got the Shires one on order. I'll let you know how he gets on :)