Eating on hacks...

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CobsGalore

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...it drives me MAD!! My horse seems to think that hacking = dinner time.

When we hack through woods you can see him plotting which branch he is going to grab next, and how he is going to do it quick enough so that I don't notice/can't stop him.

A horse that is definitely governed by his stomach....!

Does anyone else's horse see hacking as a 2 hour long all you can eat buffet?
 
Mines not to bad out hacking, but he did try to take a mouthful out of a posh topiary plant at dressage recently!
 
unicorndreams said:
Mine likes to munch too but has perfected the art of keeping moving whilst snatching leaves - smart horsey knows shes not supposed to stop and eat so has found a clever solution to satisfy both our needs lol
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Yes he doesn't stop, but sometimes the branches that he grabs are massive and he walks along with it in his mouth until it snaps, and then it pings back and tries to decapitate my hacking buddy!
 
Yes! My horse is a complete and utter sod for it!!! Kind of makes me laugh, but I know that's the wrong response ;)

I normally crack him up the backside but that usually results in us going full pelt down narrow bridleway, half a tree still in mouth and in danger of said branch whipping us in the face!!

He's worse than a RS pony I tell you!
 
ihatework said:
Yes! My horse is a complete and utter sod for it!!! Kind of makes me laugh, but I know that's the wrong response ;)

I normally crack him up the backside but that usually results in us going full pelt down narrow bridleway, half a tree still in mouth and in danger of said branch whipping us in the face!!

He's worse than a RS pony I tell you!
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Glad it's not just me who has to put up with this!
 
Yes... any tree, bush and once he even sat down (with me on) to eat the lush meadow grass. It was never a hack it was a 27 course meal with a selection of deserts, he once tried to eat an abandoned tractor. A martingale sorted out any snacks above his head as he really did a fantastic giraffe impersonation and if he went to eat and didn't leave it alone when asked to move he got a tap with a crop. I actually used a dressage/schooling whip on hacks, did lose it in a holly bush once. Anyway. Keep him walking and listening, if you get any advance warning or thought of snack time get him really listening to your hands and leg by asking for a nice forward going walk or even a transition into trot. If he still doesn't listen turn him in circles, if you still get no response I'd give him a reminder with a crop. Little piglet, hope you get on okay :)
 
YES! omg she was a SOD! Anyone would think she is starved..

i now make a really irritating high pitched "eek" noise that makes her jump and trot a few paces.. i backed it up with a tap of the whip a couple of times and i think now she expects it/the noise irritates her so much shs doesnt dare!

i see her plotting sometimes.. slowly moving towards to edge of the path.. cheeky!

Gets you some funny looks if anyone is around :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
Dunlin said:
Yes... any tree, bush and once he even sat down (with me on) to eat the lush meadow grass. It was never a hack it was a 27 course meal with a selection of deserts, he once tried to eat an abandoned tractor.
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:D:D:D

I try to stop him before he takes a bite as it is easier to keep his attention on me then. I have tried using my crop too but he just pays no attention!

Good idea about a martingale, I think I will try that as the only time it is dangerous is when we are ducking under branches and his head shoots up to eat what is above us!

Yes he is a monkey. But he can't help it, he's a Cob AKA Giant Labrador!!
 
Hahahaha giant Labrador, love it. Try a dressage whip as mine was not very responsive to a short crop, dressage whips carry a little more tickle/sting (I don't mean that to sound horrible). It is a nightmare though, they are so sneaky. Mine ended up looking like a full on fat hairy racehorse as I blinkered him too. I have no idea why he tried to eat the tractor, he spooked at it so I took him over for a closer look and he chewed the front grill!
 
My old cob perfected the art of being able to snatch long grass mid canter. He has skills, it's fair to say...
 
You could try a noseband that will stop them opening their mouth too wide to make it a bit harder for them to munch. A drop or flash would do it.

Or you could try one of those nosenets that is like a total bag.
 
I was lucky enough to get my greedy coblet as a youngster so altho she will take the occasional lunge, she's pretty good. My friends pony is a nightmare.

It is important tho - the next branch they unthinkingly grab at could be yew - and a mouthful (less in fact) is enough to kill a horse. So be esp careful of any garden hedges or dark conifers esp near churchyards....
 
I swear my horse watches me out of the corner of his eye, and dives for anything edible when my attention wanders! Cheekiest trick is him insisting that he has a really itchy nose that he just has to scratch on his foreleg .... and grab a few mouthfuls of grass while he's down there!
 
not on a hack, but mine has got into the habit of when he is being brought in from the field, there is a clump of stinging nettles just by the gate. Last night he was walking onto the yard with a whole branch of stingers hanging out of his mouth!!!
 
It would drive me mad too. Mine have never been allowed to eat whilst hacking and any that have come to me thinking they might eat when they felt like it have swiftly learnt that it is not tolerated. It's pure bad manners and I cannot understand why any one would allow their horse to do it.
 
Dee O'Dorant said:
It would drive me mad too. Mine have never been allowed to eat whilst hacking and any that have come to me thinking they might eat when they felt like it have swiftly learnt that it is not tolerated. It's pure bad manners and I cannot understand why any one would allow their horse to do it.
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Yes it is bad manners. Can you please tell me how you stopped them?
 
two words......daisy reins !!!

BUT they don't help with the giraffing, and for that he gets a tap with the stick, a kick on and a growl. It does not work. ;)
 
I hack along a narrow bridle way through a woods and my horse is the same the trick is to tighten the flash up another whole or so of you know you are using a route near vegetation and eventually he will give up!
 
rockafella said:
I swear my horse watches me out of the corner of his eye, and dives for anything edible when my attention wanders! Cheekiest trick is him insisting that he has a really itchy nose that he just has to scratch on his foreleg .... and grab a few mouthfuls of grass while he's down there!
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Snap! Same tricks as coblet. Senses slightest distraction in rider and moves at speed to nearest edible plant..oh, my nose is soooo itchy..munch! Oh look I can tuck my chin in sooo nicely..hah! gotcha, just needed some slack in the reins so I can get my head down..also does supermarket sweep in trot!
I actually got him to stop by using a crop and riding him became a whole different experience for a whole two weeks :) we even got through gates without him stopping and jamming me between the gate and post while he filled his gob.. Didn't last long as his owner let him lapse so the crop stopped working. Perhaps I could try the snore alarm I bought for my OH .:cool:
 
Dee O'Dorant said:
It would drive me mad too. Mine have never been allowed to eat whilst hacking and any that have come to me thinking they might eat when they felt like it have swiftly learnt that it is not tolerated. It's pure bad manners and I cannot understand why any one would allow their horse to do it.
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Mine wouldn't dare either. It's so easy to day dream while out hacking and ride on a slack rein so to stop it happening be attentive and assertive - ride on a contact the whole time and work the horse into an outline. If it's concentrating on you then he's less likely to be sneaky.
 
Tnavas said:
Mine wouldn't dare either. It's so easy to day dream while out hacking and ride on a slack rein so to stop it happening be attentive and assertive - ride on a contact the whole time and work the horse into an outline. If it's concentrating on you then he's less likely to be sneaky.
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Thanks, will try to keep more assertive on hacks! :D
 
No, never. They'll only even graze in hand if given a signal its ok. With one that does it, I'd do as tnavas said, & keep them occupied. And as I'm usually a quiet rider I find 'oy' & a stern walk on often convince them its not happening if I am letting them mooch along.
When I was a kid, the local rs often hacked on the same bridleway we favoured. One pony would frequently remain on the first field it crossed munching away till the rest came back round the loop. It was a regular wkend sight. If the rider tried hauling its head up it used to pretend to itch its leg, then pull the head piece over on its knee, thus rendering the reins useless. According to the kids at the rs, it was the one they always suggested to clients they disliked who wanted to hack. Doubt modern h&s would approve!
 
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