Hi Dr. Valentine
I haven't posted in awhile as John Henry has been doing great. Unfortunately he has figured out how to break his muzzles and literally can destroy one a day. Needless to say that isn't working:):)

I have him up 24 hours a day but was wondering if anyone can suggest any grazing muzzles that can really hold up to destructive horses. He did fine for two years and then figured out how to destroy them and I haven't been able to catch him in the act to see what he is doing.

I hate leaving him up but if he gets too much grass he immediately gets sore feet and then the muscles problems will start! Don't want to go there again.

Anyway appreciate any advice anyone can give me. Thanks in advance
Andi

Well, I guess you have to give him credit for being creative. Hopefully some of the folks here can share grazing muzzle experiences, and you can find one that John Henry can't figure out!

The Best Friends model that velcros to a regular halter might be stronger--you could put it on a very stout halter, and tie it in place with rawhide or something strong that will break in an emergency, in addition to the velcro, maybe. The ones that have the halter attached are pretty flimsy. I guess if the bottom part is intact you could just attach that to a halter to see if it stands a chance of working! Other than that, I can't help--lucky for me Tink has never objected to her muzzle, and has never figured out how to get it off.

Thanks Tina for your suggestion. I did get a Best Friends but with the halter and the first two days he didn't break it but was able to get either the front part or back part off and into his mouth like a bit:):)
I have now had to tie it with baling twine in different spots to keep him from doing that but so far so good it is working!!!!! Tina you are right that the Best Friends is tough. Hopefully it is John Henry tough!!! So far so good.
He is definitely a challenge but as my husband says he is worth it as he brought my confidence back and he just spent his days off putting up more fence to keep him in a bigger area without grass part of the day.
EPSM is a challenge but I have to admit there isn't enough money in the world to buy him from me!!
Thanks again Dr. Valentine I don't know where we would be without you.

Yeah, the way the ones with the attached headpiece only have two or three attachment points is inadequate for smart-alecks who figure out how to get it off their snouts! The other ones have 6 or 8 velcro attachments to go onto a regular halter noseband--THAT isn't coming off, but the velcro fills up with dirt and grass and stops holding as well--you just can't win! We had the velcro-to-a-halter model for my friend's mare, and I remember she could not budge it. But the velcro started to fail, so we tied it--problem solved! Until the rubber wore out, anyway!

Hi Andi, I have the Best Friends muzzle with the attached headpiece and Coco got creative about chewing through it. I think her fastest record was a week though, so John Henry wins! The local shoe repair solved the problem by sewing pieces of leather into muzzle where she was breaking through. I also needed to glue pieces of sheepskin onto the upper edge of the muzzle as it chafed her.