Posts Tagged ‘fall
How to Choose the Best Grazing Muzzle for Your Pony
A common saying among those that own Chincoteague Ponies is that they can get fat on a cement slab. Which pretty much means they can get overweight just by looking at grass!
It’s true that they are easy keepers, but they also love to eat in excess. Too much grass is not a good thing, and can cause laminitis among other issues.
Over the years of owning Chincoteauge ponies we’ve tried many methods to manage their weight during the months when the grass is very lush (which in our area can even be early spring and late into the fall). I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of all the different types of muzzles, along with their pros and cons, that we have tried over the years to help limit their grass intake. So remember these tips the next time you visit a store selling western tack.
Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post, but it does contain some affiliate links. We are not biased towards any particular muzzles, and only chose the ones that work best for our ponies.
Pros:
- inexpensive
- comes with an attached halter with velcro breakaway
- mid-height sides for the ponies that like to escape
- will stay on with added attachments for ponies that easily get out of muzzles
- “just” fits inside of Nelson automatic waterers
- several sizes available
Cons:
- causes rubs with extended wear
- less breathability
- horses wear through the hole faster since plastic is thinner
- velcro on halter eventually wears out and needs to be taped
Pros:
- inexpensive
- comes with attached halter with velcro breakaway
- extra high sides for ponies that like to escape
- will stay on with added attachments for ponies that easily get out of muzzles
- “just” fits inside of Nelson automatic waterers
- fun pink color (if you like pink)
Cons:
- causes rubs with extended wear
- less breathability
- horses wear through the hole faster since plastic is thinner
- velcro on halter eventually wears out and needs to be taped
Pros:
- Stronger plastic that appears to last much longer than other styles
- Holes can be customized for more or less access to grass
- can be molded to fit your horses’ unique shape
- Breathable design adds more air-flow
- several sizes available
Cons:
- Expensive (but would likely last longer)
- difficult to mold (need hot water)
- we’ve had problems with horses that are really good at escaping getting these caught on things and even stuck in their mouths
- Have to purchase your own halter to attach it to
- does not fit inside Nelson automatic waterers
- can cause really bad rubs if not adjusted properly
Pros:
- inexpensive
- has large breathing holes for extra comfort
- base is a mid-weight plastic that will last a little longer than the Shires or Best Friends muzzle
- shorter sides for improved airflow
- will stay on with added attachments for ponies that easily get out of muzzles
- “just” fits inside of Nelson automatic waterers
- can be purchased with or without attached halter
Cons:
- short sides make it easy for ponies to escape (adding an attachment to the front can prevent this)
- causes rubs with extended wear
- not as many sizes available
Greenguard USA Grazing Muzzle:
Pros:
- Stronger plastic that appears to last much longer than other styles
- Breathable design adds more air-flow
- several sizes available
- Loose fitting design adds comfort for horse
- Designed with more holes to give horse the feeling they aren’t being limited on grass
Cons:
- expensive
- need to purchase a halter to go with it
- will cause rubs with extended wear and if not sized properly
- scooping sides are not ideal for ponies that can easily slip muzzles
- more holes give access to more grass
Tips and Tricks we’ve learned:
- Accessories for Ponies that Like to escape: check out our handy guide for how we add attachments to all our muzzles for the ponies that like to get out of them (ahem, Minnow)
- Rotating muzzles to eliminate rubs: there isn’t a single muzzle out there that isn’t going to rub your horse. When they’re wearing something all the time it’s going to rub them. We’ve found that by having 2 muzzles per pony and rotating between styles our ponies tend to get far less rubs, and stay happier in the long run.
- Add Padding: some of our ponies are more prone to rubbing, so we closely monitor which muzzles are hitting them where and have a stash of sheepskin and other accessories we duct tape onto the muzzles in these spots.
- Giving them time in a dry lot with little hay: no horse wants to wear a muzzle 24/7, so giving them a break in a stall or in a dry lot with token amount of hay keeps them happy. Our ponies spend their days in their stalls with access to a dry lot during the summer months.
What do we recommend?
After testing pretty much every muzzle on the market, we have picked out ones that work best for each of our ponies. Here’s our recommendations:
Minnow – our pony that can (and has) slipped every single muzzle we’ve tried on him. It’s a constant battle, but switching them up on him seems to do the trick. He wears the Best Friends Muzzle & the Tough 1 Muzzle currently.
Blitz – less inclined to slip a muzzle, and a pony that gets worked enough that sometimes he doesn’t have to wear his as often. He wears: Greenguard USA Muzzle & Best Friends Muzzle currently.
Boomer – he’s pretty tolerant of the muzzles, but every once in a while decides to slip them. He wears: Greenguard USA Muzzle & Best Friends Muzzle currently.
Know of any muzzles we haven’t tried yet? Send your recommendations our way, we love to hear about new products on the market!
New Paintings & Cards
Fall (along with winter) sometimes proves to be a difficult season to paint with the ponies. Not only is the weather unpredictable (rain & snow) – but the cold sets in. While the cold proves to be no deterrent to the boys, I on the other hand suffer from cold fingers and an overall lack of motivation to lug out the paints and easel.
So as we head into the cooler weather, the number of new paintings the boys do will begin to dwindle as we all prepare for a “hibernation” of sorts. We’ll do our best to keep the paint flowing!
Here is one of Chincoteague Minnow’s latest paintings, “Whispering Wind“.
Ammo the Dachshund launched a new line of Christmas Cards with his adorable mug on the front. These have been selling rather quickly, so if you have a favorite, stock up now before they are sold out!
Sometimes you Fall
Minnow minus me - USPC Nationals Lexington, VA
Yes, its inevitable. You can’t be a horse person having never experienced the almighty fall from your mount’s back. In fact – it makes you a better rider. Are you brave enough to remount, can you learn from the mistakes you made?
There are falls to laugh about – like the tumble into the water jump your horse disliked, and there are falls to cry about – like the day you broke your arm. We all pray they never become tragic, but its always a risk we take when mounting up on an animal with a mind of its own.
Me on the ground after being dumped by Blitz
I’ve seen my share of spills. At 10 I watched my friend break her femor on a cross-country jump – at 20 I watched a friend tear her acl after hitting a fence. I’ve been dumped over fences, onto fences and under fences. I’ve missed dismounts and face planted in the sand in front of thousands of spectators. I was even flipped over a row of fencing when a horse decided to go over backwards on me. Thankfully none of my sustained injuries ever kept me from my love of horses for too long.
On Monday evening, my mom was not so lucky. She decided to take Blitz out on a short trail alone – just her, Blitz and the dog. I wish I had been there – things might have been different – but alas I was not. On the way home Blitz decided to act like the 7 year old (immature 7 year old I might add) that he is and make a break for home. Amidst the bucking (and the fact that my mom was riding bareback) she decided to emergency dismount to avoid something serious from happening. If you have never done an emergency dismount, its something that every horseback rider should know how to do. Essentially it is being able to unmount from your horse no matter what speed there are going (and land safely on your feet). Perhaps I will do a post later on the proper techniques.
About to faceplant off of Minnow
Anyway in dismounting my mom must have landed too hard on her right leg, because it buckled under the pressure. Blitz took off in a flash for the barn and left my mom on the ground with the dog. Her knee had completely given out and she was unable to walk and in excruciating pain. Thankfully she had a cell phone on her and was able to call for help. Luckily I was in the area.
Xrays later showed nothing broken, but an MRI confirmed multiple torn ligaments among other things, leaving her knee literally hanging on by a thread. She will need surgery and likely won’t be riding for a while. This sounds very serious, but I am so thankful that nothing worse happened!
My mom lives for her horses. She’s at the barn every day making sure they are well cared for and everyone is healthy and happy. Its been 2 days and I can already feel her sadness from being kept from her animals. I pray for her swift recovery and her return to the horses. And as for Blitz – he’s getting coal for Christmas.
Flower Pony
I think its safe to say that Chincoteague Minnow was the first ever “Flower Pony” in a wedding. True there have been many horses in history that have made their debut in weddings. We’ve all seen the horse drawn carriages and even the crazy brides who attempt to ride their horse down the isle in a princess wedding gown. Lets just say I wasn’t that brave. No I chose to do something a little different for my October 4, 2008 wedding to my highschool sweetheart.
This post is a little late – but I was just so proud of my little Minnow that its worth mentioning again. I trained Minnow to walk down the isle throwing petals out of a basket as he went. He performed his job flawlessly and even calmly posed for photos afterwards. Too bad there is no use for this amazing trick now that the wedding is over – unless someone wants to rent a chubby Chincoteague Pony to throw flowers at their wedding. 🙂
Chincoteague Minnow walks down the isle with handler, my sister Laurel.
Chincoteague Minnow gives me a kiss. What girl doesn't love her pony more than her husband! 🙂
-KD
