Grazing muzzle

[Cat]

Okay - what exactly am I doing wrong? I can't keep Toby's grazing muzzle on him. I was told to have it should have a little room between the bottom and his nose - which it does, but just barely. One hole tighter and it will be constantly touching the end of his nose. However - every time I got check on him he has the dang thing hanging off his neck and happily gorging himself on grass. Help!

BTW - we are trying the muzzle again (the first time we tried it a couple years ago he destroyed it within 15 seconds - dropped his head, stepped on it and yanked up - effectively ripping the nose piece completely off beyond repair) because he has developed a nasty habit of going through the hot wire to get to the big field. Otherwise I have him drylotted for most of the day. And yes - we checked - the hot wire is hot and not shorting anywhere.

[vicklynn]

Does it have the part that goes under the chin, like a halter?

[Cat]

It does, but it sets a bit forward compared to regular halter. Here is a pic and its actually one notch tighter now than in this picture:

http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/32568/2046020500058074505S500x500Q85.jpg

[AUEquine]

I'm assuming it is the standard black web halter muzzle (all one piece). If this is the case, the problem with these is the muzzle is supposed to act as the nose piece, but with some horses to get it to the right level it's either to low on the nose and they can pop it off, or too high and tight on the muzzle. What you can do to fix this is to put a regular (breakaway if you wish) halter under the muzzle. And then use a small piece of tape or string (something that will break with enough pressure) and attach the muzzle to the halter. You may also need to tie a string from the front of the muzzle up to the nose strap of the halter.

[AUEquine]

Other option (costs a little). Take the muzzle to a shoe repair place. have them sew in a 'nose strap' a few inches above the muzzle part, and then attach the muzzle to it. Basically extend the muzzle area up a bit, but you won't need all the extra webbing, just a strap across the nose and one to connect it to the muzzle.

Something like this:

[vicklynn]

Hmm, looking at the pic, Im stumped.
I have a full web one, no leather over the top.
I guess Im lucky, Myst dosnt bother it.

[Cat]

Thank you AU - excellent ideas!

[Cat]

Hmm, looking at the pic, Im stumped.
I have a full web one, no leather over the top.
I guess Im lucky, Myst dosnt bother it.

This is the Weaver one. I had a full web one before, but that was the one he destroyed. Its just Toby - if its on him or another horse he has to mess with it. I sorta saw this coming, but I was hoping it would have lasted a little longer before he figured it out.

[AUEquine]

Thank you AU - excellent ideas!
Oh when it comes to redneck rigging because of sneaky horses... I am queen! I swear every horse that comes in here has a new trick. I actually had to double muzzle one last week. We had the plain mesh soft muzzle on him because we just needed for him not to eat. Well he decided to chew through the bottom of that, so I put one of those muzzles like you have on, and in about two seconds he had it full of shavings and chowing down on them. So he had to wear the rubber/nylon halter and then the mesh halter over it. I've also had ones that will lay down and drag their muzzles across the floor sideways to fill them with shavings, and then eat from them like a feed bag.

[vicklynn]

AUEquine, that cracked me up. Silly horses.f

[Cat]

OMG - don't give Toby any ideas!!!!

[Toodlestoo]

I swear by Greenguard muzzles. My old ones kept falling off too! Haven't had any problem with these at all.http://www.theponytackshop.co.uk/var/ezwebin_site/storage/images/for_pony/headcollars/greenguard_pony_headcollar_greenguard_pony_headcol lar/3921-11-eng-GB/greenguard_pony_headcollar_greenguard_pony_headcol lar_medium.jpg (http://www.theponytackshop.co.uk/layout/set/popup_img/for_pony/headcollars_halters/greenguard_pony_headcollar_greenguard_pony_headcol lar)

[RipSpark]

Sometimes the ones that come with the halter are easier to get off. You could try some different ideas with that one. I went as far and putting a halter under it and duck taping them together, lol. His buddy still got it off.

I don't have as much trouble with the ones that attach to your own halter. However, one of the boarded horses has gotten really good at pulling them off over the fence, grr! He grabs the velcro and rips each one. Finally it seems like he has left them alone. Some horses are just really hard on them.