Horses are meant to be outside, able to constantly move around and graze at will. Pasture turnout offers horses many benefits, but too much of a good thing at the buffet can be dangerous.
Constant movement is important not only for gastrointestinal health but also helps maintain low-level fitness and increases calorie utilization, an important consideration for the overweight individual. Group turnout allows for social interactions between horses that are not possible in most stall environments. However, turnout in pasture can result in large and typically uncontrolled intakes of forage, leading to weight gain and its associated health risks of equine metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and laminitis in some individuals.
Research shows that using grazing muzzles on ponies that were stabled but turned out on pasture for three hours resulted in an 83% decrease in pasture intake. Other studies have found decreases of just under 80%. Being on pasture, especially in a group situation, has a number of benefits, especially for horses otherwise housed in stalls.
So, how do we put a limit on the grass buffet?
Grazing muzzles are a useful tool that allows a horse or pony to receive the benefits associated with turnout while at the same time limiting the potential for undesirable weight gain. And using a grazing muzzle allows for your horse to graze comfortably while staying healthy.
What sets the Tough1 Grazing Muzzle apart?
- The innovative design of the Tough1 grazing muzzle has two larger holes placed near the nostril, which allows your horse to breathe easily while grazing.
- Set a custom fit with the five-way fit
- Easy on and off with the throat latch
- Adjustable release strap allows for safety
- Ring at the bottom to allow owners to easily clip a lead rope for leading
Three different designs offer flexibility to fit Miniature Horses, full horses, ponies, donkeys/mules and draft horses. The Tough1 Easy Breathe Muzzle comes as a halter attachment, in case you prefer using a breakaway halter. For the Houdini in your barn, the “V” nose Easy Breathe Muzzle offers two extra adjustable pieces at the nose to keep the muzzle in place and make it more difficult to remove.
How to Fit Your Grazing Muzzle
It’s important to use a proper-fitting muzzle on your horse, not only for comfort but for safety. Too tight, and the muzzle could rub sores on your horse’s face. Too loose, and it can easily be slipped off or get caught on a fence or gate, thus causing an accident. We’ve highlighted the best way to ensure your horse’s muzzle fits appropriately with our video “How to: Fit the Tough1 Easy Breathe Grazing Muzzle” on our YouTube Channel.
Here are some quick tips for fitting your Tough1 Easy Breathe Grazing Muzzle:
- On the basket portion of the muzzle, you want to be able to fit two fingers between your horse’s nose and the muzzle. The same goes for the underside of the basket and the lips of your horse.
- There are three locations for adjustments on the Easy Breathe Grazing Muzzle: Both cheek pieces, the throat latch and the crown piece. Easily slide the adjustment up or down to get that custom fit.
- The breakaway feature is not meant to be used for adjustment. It is to be used as a safety feature, so we recommend you adjust how difficult you want it to “breakaway” before you adjust the crown piece.
- If you want the breakaway feature to be harder to break open, in case of the muzzle getting caught, we call that “fully loaded” which is the most secure position, meaning have the insert all the way in for the quick grip pieces.
- If you want the breakaway feature to be easier to break open, in case of the muzzle getting caught, do not insert the piece all the way, but adjust accordingly.
4. If you’re using the “V” Nose attachment, you can adjust the two nose pieces to help with how the muzzle hangs on your horse’s nose.
Muzzle Safety
An essential point for grazing muzzle safety is to make sure that your muzzle fits appropriately and comfortably for your horse. That’s why it’s important to measure and try on different muzzles. Tough1 offers muzzles in so many sizes, because a muzzle should not be “one size fits all” and we want to provide horse owners with options.
The breakaway feature one our muzzles is the most important feature. While the quick grip closures offer you reassurance that the piece will stay on your horse, the breakaway feature will come apart, even when it is “fully loaded” with the force of the animal wearing it.
When turning your horse out with a grazing muzzle, be sure the pasture does not have anything protruding that the horse can hook the muzzle to, such as low tree branches or broken boards from fences. Do not use a grazing muzzle with a round hay bale in a ring or even in a hay net.
For horses that are more prone to rubbing, look for muzzle liners available in synthetic mink or sheepskin, which can be purchased separately. Cover the crown piece, cheeks and the top of the muzzle basket with these liners to provide more comfort.
Tough1 answers some of the most common grazing muzzle questions in the video “Tough1 Easy Breathe Grazing Muzzle Q&A” on the Tough1 YouTube Channel.
