>I use Green green Guard Muzzle. It is pricy but it has more openings on the sides so that more air circulates . My mare gets fewer rubs on her muzzle.  I tape the holes on the bottom. My mare adjusted to it with a minimum of hissy fits. 

Ellen and Annie

March 2013

Long Island, NY

 If you have access to this type of muzzle, your horses could move around,
> drink, but not eat.... They will hate it, but if you  put a little cube
> of Timothy in the bottom when you put it on, it will help them to accept
> it. I used electric tape to turn my rectangular 1 acre  pasture into a
> grazing track to get our old Non-IR horse moving more. I can put the
> muzzle on and put my Ir horse in there for short periods to move around
> too. Usually, I stand in the middle though, and he runs around the track a
> bit, just for a change as I ride him every day anyway.... When I am on
> vacation though, this will be his only exercise for a week, so I want to
> get him used to the idea. The muzzle is frustrating at first, but start
> with short sessions and they should get used to it. Plastic Anti-Grazing
> Muzzle Tan
> |   |
> |   | |   |   |   |   |   |
> | Plastic Anti-Grazing Muzzle Tan |
> | |
> | View on www.horse.com | Preview by Yahoo |
> | |
> |   |
>
>  Best of luck, Michele & Elijah Mustang, Everson,
> Wa,Jan.2015https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/echistory8/files/Michele%20and%20Elijah%20Mustang%20Jan%202015/  

>
>Hi Paula,

      I, too, thought that Annie morphed into Darth Vader when she wore the Best Friends muzzle. I put sheepskin around the top but she still got rubs and she got a scab on the tip of her muzzle.  
      Annie has worn the Green Guard muzzle since March. I use the wide gorilla tape on the inside and bottom of the muzzle. I replenish the tape when needed. She is in a diet paddock with sparse grass so there is never a worry that the grass will grow long enough so  that she can grab grass from the sides of the muzzle. If necessary I can also tape the sides of the muzzle. She looks like she is wearing a basket but the holes are large enough that I can use plenty of tape and she can still breath.

I thought about using the Harmony grazing muzzle but I would have to soak it in warm water to make the plastic flexible enough to fashion into the correct shape for my mare's muzzle. I like things easy.

. The Green Guard muzzle is secured to her halter with 4 leather straps; she managed to lose 2 of the straps, which I replaced with baling twine. She tries to get the muzzle off but so far no luck. I think she has resigned herself to the muzzle but at least she can breath without any fear of Luke Skywaker  coming after her with a light sword.

Good Luck with your boys. May the force be with you :-)

Ellen and Annie

March 2013

Long Island, NY
>
> Hi Ellen,
> Thanks for this information. I am currently using the plastic anti
> grazing muzzles (with extra holes drilled)as inserts inside the Best
> Friend Deluxe for my two IR horses as it is the only option that has
> worked so far. I don't like how much it restricts breathing and they
> sound like Darth Vadar when we walk up the drive after turnout. Tape nor
> glue nor inserts have worked as they manage to remove, destroy or eat
> them... Can the horse really not eat grass with it? It seems like a
> motivated horse could manage to get some through the sides unless the
> grass is very short. I doubt taping the bottom would work for my boys,
> but I would be very interested in better air flow, especially for the one
> horse who doesn't sweat.
> Has anyone else tried these successfully with severely IR horses?
> Thanks,
> Paula with Cory (IR) and Onyx (IR) in Bucks County, PA, USA
>
> EC 2014 NCRplus2011
>
>
>
>