Do you ride dangerously and.....

So What do you think?

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parsley

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allow your horse to stop and have a munch on some grass while riding?

I was a bit gobsmacked today when on the way home I stopped on the bridlepath to let my boy have some of the weeds and grass there. An old lady came up and gave me a huge ear bashing about endangering other users of the track by behaviong dangerously. I had never considered this a riding dangerously although I can see that if he was a spooky sort I might be a bit cautious about letting him but now I wonder if I am a dangerous rider
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I don't think it's dangerous to let them stop and eat on a bridlepath, but can't do it with either of my girls as they then try and turn every hack into a picnic outing.
 
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I don't think it's dangerous to let them stop and eat on a bridlepath, but can't do it with either of my girls as they then try and turn every hack into a picnic outing.

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LOL! I can see that would be very annoying
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My boy only usually stops to eat if hes invited to although he did once screech to a halt on the road because he wanted to eat a bread roll that was embedded into the tarmac. I took me quite a while to realise what was wrong as he just stood stock still rolling his eyes down to his feet
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He would have had to lick it off the road it was so flattened.
 
I do it occasionally with mine to help him relax and enjoy the hack. I have to be careful as he can be spooky, so I would make sure no-one was near him etc. I don't see how it's dangerous - some footpaths go directly through fields with horses in - surely it's no more dangerous than that??
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I dont stop and let Baron have grass, simply because he can nap, if I let him stop there is no way I would get him forwards again.

If we are going somewhere in particular I will get off him at the destination and let him graze for a while.

I dont think its dangerous. But like with may non horsey people, unless you own one there are many things you dont understand. A lot of people are scared of horses and see then as big uncontolable animals, which I guess would be how this woman felt so she was just getting a bit defensive.
 
Calling it dangerous seems a bit extreme, but I wouldn't want the Moose getting the idea that its OK to stop and graze with her bridle on. I voted for "it causes bad manners" as thats how it seems to me.
 
ooops sorry I didn't look at the options properly and woted " no, it's dangerous" when what I wanted for vote for was - no it's not dangerous..!
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Wouldn't do it, because work is work. If I wanted to, I'd graze mine in hand (saves cleaning green grass spit off a bit too).
But I'm strict - I don't even let mine rub their heads on me...
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not in the way you describe, although the nutty yard manager at my old yard used to both hack and walk out her horse in hand and let it graze at the roadside with it's arse into the single track road and expect vehicles to squeeze past without even pulling it's head up!!! talk about giving horsey people a bad name!! she used to say it was so they could bond and so that her horse could eat the natural herbs in the hedgerow. uttercrap, that would be the ones that have been splashed with muddy puddles and gassed by tractor diesel fumes then!

she used to come back and rant about the abuse & dirtly looks she got from the drivers. I have to say, i sympathised with them!.

on a bridlepath, i wouldn't call it dangerous, as long as you squared your horse up to let people pass and not expect them to squeeze round either end.
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Wouldn't do it, because work is work. If I wanted to, I'd graze mine in hand (saves cleaning green grass spit off a bit too).
But I'm strict - I don't even let mine rub their heads on me...
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I'm strict too; mine are so big they would knock you over if they rubbed on you. I do give them polos when they've done something well though - they usually head straight for someone with their hands in their pockets when they come out of the ring, looking for treats.
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although he did once screech to a halt on the road because he wanted to eat a bread roll that was embedded into the tarmac. I took me quite a while to realise what was wrong as he just stood stock still rolling his eyes down to his feet

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Sorry Parsley - that suggests it teaches them bad maneers and that it is dangerous - Who wants their horse stopping on the road like that
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The Anglo doesnt stop for anything, much less grass, and the baby spends most of his time napping so dont really have this problem!

I used to school a cob for a lady whose daughter used to let her eat out on hacks - she used to bolt, throw the daughter off and then stand there next to her eating. She tried that exactly once with me.
 
Mine is not allowed to eat whilst being ridden - not because I think it is particularly dangerous - but it is work time. She is not allowed to rub her head on me either - but knows if she stands still I will scratch her face and ears for her when the bridle comes off. She has to stand still to be tacked up, tie up and stand quietly, walk nicely in hand and never ever drag me or pull. She knows the boundaries and I have a nice polite horse that is a pleasure to do. We all do things differently though and I am not disagreeing with others that have different beliefs.
 
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I do give them polos when they've done something well though - they usually head straight for someone with their hands in their pockets when they come out of the ring, looking for treats.
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I was at dressage a couple of weeks ago and the judge came to talk to us after we'd done our (dire) test, and he offered Brooklyn a polo...how many points do you lose in the collectives if your horse tries to take the judge's hand off?
 
Silly woman she is!! and how rude...
If I'm out hacking and I choose to let my horse eat some grass then I will. If he were to try and stop and help himself he'd be made to walk on..simple and no big deal.
 
Sometimes I do, particulary in winter as our grazing is not good and the green lane is wide and full of lovely grass all year round. Certainly not a problem on a nice wide bridleway but I would never let them eat on the roadside.

I make it clear that I am allowing them to eat. I halt, put the reins on the neck and say "go munch". I have big steady eating machines - they are not spooky types and food is very important to them.

I don't have a problem with them trying to eat on the move when being ridden as they quickly learn that to do so gets being told off and if nicely behaved and waiting patiently they will get a reward munch at some point. I also never graze in the same place all the time - not fair to them.
 
I used to ride with a girl who let her horse do exactly as he wanted - stop to eat whatever took his fancy, break into trot/canter at his whim. He was also a nightmare on the roads as she never did any conditioning work with him. I don't ride with her any longer ...

I voted 'no - bad manners'.
 
I am told it is bad practice to let your horse eat while out hacking by my OH (who owns both of ours), but occasionally I let H have a nibble after he has done something well.

It may be a bad habit to let them get into, but I cannot imagine how it is dangerous on a bridle path.
 
I have said No, depends on the type of horse your riding though and your personal circumstances.
Can't say I've never done it before when I was younger, ie changing my stirrup length as kid but I wouldn't do it now though because you kinda see the dangers now I guess.

Either way I wouldn't ponder too much on it, she might of been a bit harsh giving you an ear bashing but then again it might of done some good and make you realise a few things too.
 
I used to let F snack on route if I was walking on a long rein. I once took him scrumping for windfallen apples at the end of the season (NOT rotten ones and we soon gave up, he was more interested in trying to eat the trees!)
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He has never turned it into a problem wanting to stop or eat somewhere inappropriate like on a road or when working, but I did put a stop to it when it grew into every tree or bush we passed becoming like a child stealing sweets in a sweet shop! Plus the daft sod took a liking to the taste of bracken. Now he knows he's not allowed and its fine again.
 
Ours do it when they are allowed to and not at other times, they do know the difference. I do not think it teaches bad manners, as it is not a case of doing what they want when they want, but it would be teaching bad manners if they were not stopped from snacking when they chose.
 
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