How are GreenGuard grazing muzzles different from traditional muzzles?

Take charge of your horse's health and well-being by choosing the grazing muzzle that is making a real difference to equine health around the world. GreenGuard grazing muzzles are changing horse owners' views on grazing muzzles and what they can do for horses, ponies, and donkeys.

The GreenGuard muzzle's unique design is proven to reduce grass intake and spur weight loss even with the easiest of easy keepers. Horses find them more comfortable, breathable, and lighter than any muzzle they've worn before. 


This video explains specific differences between traditional nylon, canvas, and rubber muzzles and the GreenGuard grazing muzzle.

GreenGuard muzzles: breathable, durable, comfortable

Nylon and canvas muzzles have a tendency to retain moisture. During grazing muzzle season, from spring through late fall, even the simple act of drinking water can make traditional muzzles heavier, hotter, and stuffier for horses. Waterlogged nylon and canvas muzzles can also become breeding grounds for bacteria and fungi. 

Made from a high-quality, food-grade polymer, GreenGuard grazing muzzles are not only far more durable than traditional nylon and rubber models, but also water-repellent. The material is designed to stay cooler and repel moisture more efficiently than the grazing muzzles that horse owners are used to. As a result, GreenGuard muzzles are easier to clean and stay drier during the warmest and most humid parts of the year. 

greenguard grazing muzzle butterbean
Butterbean was a fat Fjord before GreenGuard, passing much of his time in a dry lot.

Where traditional muzzles wrap completely around a horse's nose and mouth, blocking their nostrils and restricting their jaw movement, GreenGuard muzzles are designed to fit loosely over a horse's nose and mouth. The GreenGuard allows for greater airflow as well as more freedom of movement. One design goal of the GreenGuard muzzle is that the act of grazing should be as close to natural as possible. The loose fit also makes painful chafing and rubbing on the nose and chin a thing of the past. 

The choice of equine vets, farriers, and horse owners

Veterinarians and farriers around North America are recommending GreenGuard grazing muzzles because of the difference they're making in the lives of their equine clients and patients. Vets value them because they assist in weight management. Farriers love them because their laminitis-prone clients are experiencing fewer episodes. 

Horse owners swear by them because GreenGuard muzzles decrease the time that horses have to spend pent up in stalls or dry lots, and increase the time they get to exercise and socialize by several hours each day. A good grazing muzzle can affect many aspects of a horse's daily life -- from weight management and preventing founder to improved digestion and improved mental health -- especially when pastures are rich and lush. 

butterbean greenguard grazing muzzleWith his GreenGuard muzzle, Butterbean lost a substantial amount of weight and has been able to return to the pastures.

Having been available in Europe for over 15 years, GreenGuard grazing muzzles are beginning to make a real impression on North American horses and horse owners. Equine vets, farriers, and horse owners recognize the variety of ways that these grazing muzzles are positively impacting quality of life for horses, ponies, and donkeys. 

 


 

Melvin Peña is a researcher and writer, specializing in domestic animals. His work has appeared in the Ohio Equestrian Directory, East Coast EquestrianDogster magazine, Dogster.com, and Catster.com. This essay originally appeared, in a slightly different format, in the December 2018 issues of East Coast Equestrian.