"A Time to Heal" by Judy Larsen
Best Friends Grazing Muzzles are recommended by equine health professionals to prevent, as well as treat, laminitis, founder, obesity, colic and other diet-related diseases. The small opening in the bottom allows horses a limited amount of grass, yet unlimited water. Rather than being restricted to a non-grass environment to control intake, horses are free to exercise and socialize as part of the herd.
Best Friend Muzzles are guaranteed to be the highest quality muzzles on the market.
Deluxe Horse Grazing Muzzle - $46.95
Our most popular muzzle, the Deluxe Grazing Muzzle is an all-in-one design that does not require a halter and uses a breakaway plastic buckle in the headstall for safety. The replacement buckle (included) is attached without sewing.
Click here for demonstration video
Standard Horse Grazing Muzzle - $41.95
The Best Friend Standard Style Grazing Muzzle is a good choice if your horse is a "Houdini" who can get out of almost anything, or if your horse is difficult to fit. This muzzle attaches to your safety or breakaway halter with four velcro attachments. Most horses wear the same size as their halter.
Click here for demonstration video
Q: Which muzzle size should I order?
Normally your horse will wear the same size as its halter. The Best Friend Grazing Muzzle should not be tight or restricting and should allow room for grazing and chewing. Leave a small space (1/2 to one inch) between your horse's mouth and the bottom of the muzzle. You should be able to fit two to three fingers sideways between the grazing muzzle and the horse's face. The Standard muzzles have a slightly closer fit. Having the proper fit and adjustments will help avoid rubbing and prevent the muzzle from coming off.
Q: How should the muzzle fit? How do I adjust the muzzle and keep it from coming off?
Sizing:
- Having the proper fit and adjustments will help avoid rubbing and will help prevent the muzzle from coming off. The Best Friend Deluxe Grazing Muzzle has a roomy fit; it should not be tight or restricting and should allow room for grazing and chewing. Normally your horse will wear the same size as its hater.
- In addition to six sizes, the halter on the Deluxe Muzzle has five adjustments to help you get the best fit.
Adjusting the muzzle:
- Leave a small space (1/2 to one inch) between your horse's mouth and the bottom of the muzzle to allow the grass to enter.
- Leave space for two to three fingers sideways between the grazing muzzle and the horse's face. If you can easily fit your fist inside the muzzle is too big.
In the summer, using a fly mask helps keep the muzzle on. If your horse is difficult to fit or is a "Houdini" that seems to get out of everything, we recommend the Best Friend Standard Grazing Muzzle used with a separate, well-fitting breakaway halter.
- Adjust muzzle straps to fit like a well-fitting halter with the throat latch behind the horse's jaw bone and the side rings in the crease of the neck. Ideally the cheek pieces should be parallel to the cheek bones.
- The most common mistake is shortening the straps attached to the "bucket" instead of shortening the crown strap. Start with all the straps fully extended and adjust the crown strap first. Unless your horse has a short head the other straps may need little, if any, shortening. Quick check: Stand in front of the horse, reach between the ears and grasp the crown; if you can pull the halter forward and off the head, it is not adjusted properly.
- Note: Not all the photos on our website show proper adjustments.
Q: How much grass can the horse get while wearing a Best Friend Grazing Muzzle?
It's difficult to say how much your horse would be able to get through the small opening, but we estimate that it cuts intake by an average of 50% to 75%. The opening may seem small at first, but most horses become quite proficient at getting grass through it. Keep in mind that if the muzzle or safety halter breaks away in the pasture your horse will have free access to grass. If your horse is in danger of founder s/he should be monitored regularly while grazing.
Q: How is my horse going to react to the muzzle?
Don't expect your horse to actually like wearing the muzzle, just as we humans don't like going on a diet. However, most horses adjust quite easily. In fact, the March 2006 issue of The Horse Journal described it as a "non-event" for most horses. We've had many customers tell us that their horses associate the muzzle with being able to go out and graze and be with their friends so they put it on quite willingly. Your attitude will make a big difference. Act matter-of-factly when you put it on your horse. Don't apologize!
Q: How long will a grazing muzzle last?
Grazing muzzles take a lot of abuse so expect to replace it periodically if your horse uses it for extended periods. Many horses use the same muzzle for several seasons, however, if your horse wears a muzzle the entire season he/she may go through one or two a year. It depends on factors such as the amount of time it is worn, whether you have a gentle eater or a more aggressive eater and the age of the horse. (Since the teeth on older horses protrude, they may wear out a muzzle more quickly.)
Compare the life of a muzzle to the life of a pair of running shoes. If you wear the shoes simply for shopping, they will last a very long time. If you run several miles a day, you must replace them often. While grazing, your horse's teeth are scraping the rubber bottom many thousands of times a day. We continually look for ways to make the muzzle more durable while keeping your horse as safe as possible. Our 2007 model has a thicker and stronger bottom, a reinforced noseband (to prevent side stitches from ripping) and improved fit. The Best Friend Grazing Muzzle is the original Grazing Muzzle and the most durable muzzle on the market. Guaranteed.
Q: Will my horse be able to eat hay or grain while wearing a Grazing Muzzle?
Most horses are not able to eat hay or grain with the muzzle on. If you want a free-to-eat muzzle we suggest our Best Friend Cribbing Muzzle.
Q: My horse is pastured only. Can I leave a grazing muzzle on 24 hours?
We do not recommend leaving a grazing muzzle on for 24 hours, however many of our customers report that they have been doing this successfully. Any drastic diet change should be discussed with your veterinarian. If you choose to do this, be sure to introduce your horse slowly to the muzzle, gradually increasing the amount of time in the muzzle. Check regularly for any signs of rubbing, make sure your horse has access to salt licks, hay or daily grain requirements and remember that if your horse gets the muzzle off while not being monitored he/she will have free access to grass.
Q: Are there any harmful substances in the rubber? Is it dangerous if the horses eat the rubber?
While cows have four stomachs and can digest almost anything, horses only have one stomach and cannot throw up. So what goes in one end must come out the other. That is why it is a critical situation when horses get a stomach ache (colic.) It certainly is not good for a horse to swallow rubber, however, thousands of rubber bits have b been sold with no ill effect. To our knowledge there is nothing caustic in the rubber.
Q: Why is the "bucket" on the Deluxe model larger than on the Standard model?
The Deluxe model is deeper and therefore comes up higher on the horse's face. Since the horse's face is larger at this point, the circumference is about two inches greater on the Deluxe model.