[buck1173]

oh please, someone tell me that breaking a horse to a grazing muzzle is as pathetic and heart breaking as I discovered today?!?! pleeeeeze....

poor guys, I got each one accustomed to it, then took them out to try... both were pretty spooked about being muzzled, but took it with grace... but then trying to eat... ugh!!!!!!

as I took each one out hand grazing, they were sloshing their heads frantically, my morgan actually snapping his mouth inside the muzzle... both puzzled and frustrated by not being able to eat all the luscious grass right under their noses.

Both, ended up resigning and just standing there, staring at the grass. Me on my knees poking bits of grass up through the holes... it was just pathetic.

They both were able to eat a blade here and there, but it was luck, they haven't gotten it figured out yet. I kept leading them back to mowed sections where the grass pokes up easier, but the grass would actually poke in and surprise them and they'd snort and sneeze.

going to keep at it, but oh, I feel so badly. So tempted to make the little hole a bit bigger.... soooo tempted...

[AppalosaCowGirl]

I dont see what the big deal is, I never had to break them to it. I just stuck it on and let them figure it out on their own. My horses were fine. I used it for Caesar, who was getting to much grass... and Sori who was chewing on the wood in his stall (was a temporary fix) why are you using a grazing muzzle?

[JBandRio]

Yes, it's as pathetic and heartbreaking as you are seeing

The first time Moose had one on he literally spent an hour trying to sneeze it off - MAN that was annoying. Now he spends a few minutes of every of the first few days of the muzzle season trying to sneeze it off again.

Rio looks at me like I just stole his firstborn

Make sure they are on grass that is short enough. Once they figure out that grass CAN come through the hold, they will figure out the longer stuff. But, if it's too long, it just won't work.

You can put a treat in the bottom if it helps getting them to accept it. You can also pick some grass and stick it through the bottom hole if that helps them figure out where the food comes from.

Otherwise, just turn your back and just don't look

[HorseBliss]

I agree, it is as sad and pathetic as what your seeing. lol First time I tried to put a muzzle on Stanley, he flipped out. Every time his nose touched the bottom or tried to eat, it freaked him out. And when I tried to feed grass to him blade by blade, he didn't understand and continued to flip out. lol Then he got mad, and started striking the ground. Like this:

And that day when I put it on, he just plain refused to even try and eat. He'd stand there, looking sad, yet angry with me. lol I caved unfortunately.

But this year if he gets too fat, too bad. He'll have to learn to figure it out. Poor old man hates change. lol All these crazy contraptions, not meant for the wild horse that he is.

[JBandRio]

Great picture HorseBliss!!

[kaitlyndzn]

haha all the horses at my barn HATE them...when i put them on the almost seem to get this look like NOOO i thought you just might have forgotten...hehe

A new horse here just got muzzle for the first time...she protested for a few days and would stand at the gate like "hello someone forgot this...i need to eat..." but she eventually figured it out

haha it is heartbreaking but it def. helps that grass tummy...i agree with the post on making sure the grass is short enough, sometimes if its too long its harder for them to get to

other then that id say try to leave it on, and introduce treats or grass in the hole...eventually theyll get it. some people ive seen even make the whole larger but watch out for that since some horses can even make it larger and then it really serves no purpose other than to rub

[Goonhorse]

I'm glad other people feel the same way I do! I haven't even worked with Breez that much, because I feel sorry for her, and all she does is stand around. Plus, when she does try, she just rubs her nose around on the ground, and no matter how short the grass is, it lays flat. If she would stick her nose straight down it would go through the hole, but oh no.....

[buck1173]

oh thank you all soooo much! I thought I was the only one!

I went to see a friend a few weeks ago, and her horses were muzzled and just la de da de da. I said to myself, 'eh, this'll be a piece of cake'.

Yes, I have been putting a treat in the muzzle, I don't want them to resent when I (or someone else) approaches with it, so I've been putting a tidbit of carrot in, so they dive their noses in.

Goon, thats exactly it... I brought them out to a pasture to graze that is mostly high grass but there is a big freshly mowed lane. They just kept wandering back to the tall grass, trashing their noses around, I'd lead them back to the short grass and help them lower their noses, they'd wander back to the tall grass... so sad.

I was like a goofy horse cheerleader, hunched over with them trying to help them press the muzzle down to allow grass to poke up, and cheering and praising when they'd grab one little blade.

[sigh] we'll get there, it was just so heartbreaking the first time around. I'm shocked frankly that they're as tolerant as they are.

thank you all so much!! I'm so glad I'm not the only one!

[Goonhorse]

Originally Posted by buck1173

oh thank you all soooo much! I thought I was the only one!

I went to see a friend a few weeks ago, and her horses were muzzled and just la de da de da. I said to myself, 'eh, this'll be a piece of cake'.

Yes, I have been putting a treat in the muzzle, I don't want them to resent when I (or someone else) approaches with it, so I've been putting a tidbit of carrot in, so they dive their noses in.

Goon, thats exactly it... I brought them out to a pasture to graze that is mostly high grass but there is a big freshly mowed lane. They just kept wandering back to the tall grass, trashing their noses around, I'd lead them back to the short grass and help them lower their noses, they'd wander back to the tall grass... so sad.

I was like a goofy horse cheerleader, hunched over with them trying to help them press the muzzle down to allow grass to poke up, and cheering and praising when they'd grab one little blade.

[sigh] we'll get there, it was just so heartbreaking the first time around. I'm shocked frankly that they're as tolerant as they are.

thank you all so much!! I'm so glad I'm not the only one!

Lol! Same here. I was also the horse pleader. I would pat the ground and say "Just TRY Goon! PLEASE, just try!"

I even tried holding the grass stiff (though it really was short enough, if she wouldn't rub her nose over the grass) and trying to get her to come down just right so it would go through the hole. It never worked.

[buck1173]

Originally Posted by Goonhorse

Lol! Same here. I was also the horse pleader. I would pat the ground and say "Just TRY Goon! PLEASE, just try!"

omg! that is precisely verbatim what I was doing yesterday! hahahahaha...

thank you soooo much, I'm so incredibly relieved I'm not the only one! thank you thank you!