Spring is a beautiful time of year... the grass starts turning green, flowers are blossoming, and warm days are ahead. While spring may be a joyful season for us, it can bring some risks for your horse. Horses that gain weight easily (also known as easy keepers) are at risk when grazing in the pasture. Overweight horses can be at risk for conditions such as Laminitis, Insulin Resistance, or even Equine Metabolic Syndrome.
Why Use a Grazing Muzzle?
Managing your horse's weight is very important for their health and well-being. Many owners turn to grazing muzzles to help manage their horse's forage intake. Some owners may feel that using a grazing muzzle is being mean to their horse, but it is helping their horse be healthier.
If you want your horse to be able to have access to their pasture and be mobile rather than being in a stall, a grazing muzzle is a great option. Grazing muzzles allow your horse to move freely in the pasture while restricting their forage intake.
Which Grazing Muzzle is Best for My Horse?
There are many options for grazing muzzles, and a majority of them resemble a basket. If you live in a hot and humid climate, be considerate of the weather conditions when choosing a grazing muzzle, as you want your horse to be able to breathe easily. Grazing muzzles are also designed to allow your horse to still be able to drink water. A few popular grazing muzzles are the GreenGuard muzzle and ThinLine Flexible Filly muzzle.
Introducing the Sweet Net Grazing Muzzle
A new style of grazing muzzle has recently become available on the market, and this is the Sweet Net grazing muzzle. Unlike other traditional grazing muzzles, this muzzle is lightweight and comfortable for your horse. This muzzle reminds you of a hay net, as the material is soft flexible ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Made in a bright orange color, this muzzle is easy to find if it were to get lost in the pasture. As with any other grazing muzzle, it is important to use a breakaway halter with the Sweet Net grazing muzzle just in case your horse were to get caught on anything.
Jennifer Kraemer, the creator of the Sweet Net grazing muzzle gives us an insight to how she created the Sweet Net grazing muzzle and explains the benefits it offers for your horse.
Q: What inspired the Sweet Net grazing muzzle?
A: "When grazing muzzles came out 20+ years ago, I thought how fantastic this would help prevent laminitis and obesity in my pony and horses. Soon I found that there were more problems with grazing muzzles than what it was worth. I thought there had to be a better way. I noticed that more equine muzzles coming out after the Best Friends Muzzle. Still, I could see the problems and issues that these new muzzles would cause. Then hay nets became a new thing. Eventually, I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool to have a net on a muzzle?" I started to play around with the idea about 8 years ago and since then I have perfected what I have come up with."
Video by: Sweet Net Grazing Muzzle
Q: How does the Sweet Net muzzle compare to other traditional muzzles that are on the market, and how does the material make it a much better option compared to other muzzles?
A: "The traditional muzzles on the market happened to be either super restricting, cumbersome, heavy, hot, hard, and uncomfortable for the horse. The Sweet Net can also be used with loose hay. It encourages natural grazing while restricting intake.
The material of the Sweet Net is made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. This material is the next-generation material used for bulletproof vests. It is lightweight, airy, washable, and soft on the horse's muzzle. The grazing openings come in three sizes: 2-inch, 2.5-inch, and 3-inch openings. I do have the ability to make a 1.5-inch size for special orders. I chose the color orange not only because it's my favorite color, but you can also see it from a distance if the horse is still wearing the Sweet Net or if happens to lose the net. Because of the color, you can easily find it in a large pasture."
Q: Some horse owners may be cautious about how this muzzle can be safe for their horses. How would you suggest it be used safely to ensure that the horse won't get caught on anything?
A: "When it comes to horses, I am a safety nut. The Sweet Net must be worn on a quality breakaway halter. The halter must fit properly for the Sweet Net to work correctly. You never know what a horse is going to get into. For horses with front shoes, I highly recommend that they be up to date on their farrier care. Ensure that the clinches are nice and tight, and I do recommend putting on a rubber bell boot just for safety reasons."
Q: Can the Sweet Net be used on any breakaway halter- whether that be nylon, leather, or a rope halter?
A: "Yes, as I mentioned earlier the horse should be wearing a proper breakaway halter. It's very easy to take any halter- whether that be beta, nylon, or leather and turn it into a breakaway halter. I have some photos of how to do this that I want to put on my website. Just a reminder, the double stitch halters or leather halters in general are not necessarily breakaway halters. As for rope halters, I've learned that there is a way to make a rope halter a breakaway... so I am in the process of figuring that one out."
You can learn more about the Sweet Net grazing muzzle here.
Note: The halter pictured is not a breakaway halter. Be mindful to use a breakaway halter when using this muzzle.
What if a Grazing Muzzle doesn't work for my Horse?
Grazing muzzles are a very beneficial tool to have for your horse, but some horse owners deal with the struggle of a horse getting the muzzle off in the pasture. If you have tried various methods to keep a muzzle on your horse and still don't have results, you may have to put your horse in a dry lot. If using a grazing muzzle is not a good option for your horse, a dry lot is a great alternative. Creating a dry lot for your horse still allows them to move freely without the restriction of a muzzle.
However, when having your horse in a dry lot, it is important to provide your horse access to hay. This can prevent issues such as ulcers or colic. The key to managing your horse's weight when using a dry lot is to provide access to low-calorie hay that won't add extra pounds to your horse. Horses are designed to graze and constantly eat small meals throughout the entire day. Using a hay net also helps your hay last longer and reduces hay waste. Head here to read about why I prefer HayChix nets.
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