Food Glorious Food!

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horserider26

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Recently started to do some inhand practice with my boy, at first he was very very confused - he has now got the hang on it perfectly well in the arena. So yesterday we moved into one of the empty paddocks, first thing he does is head on ground & eats. I get his head off the floor for a second then he runs in the opposite direction (me in tow) and finds another bit of grass to munch on, we did this for half and hour before I finally got his head up long enough to drag him back to his stable

Second attemt today, me armed with a schooling whip, stronger bit & a pocket full of polos. All of which made no difference. The only thing he thinks of is food. Any ideas how to get him to not eat long enough to go into the arena compete and get out again at a show?

The fact he's in a starvation paddock probably doesn't help, but to much grass & his hooves hot up very very fast + he's still rather tubby & is prone to laminitis. so has to stay in the starvation paddock.

Please help! No idea how to stop him, can't stop him eatting or dragging me around - he is ridiculously strong even for a traditional cob (he is a 9 year old 15hh shire x irish cob).
 
Try practising in the starvation paddock, or keep a treat in your hand so he can't get it but knows it's there, if he keeps his head up for a short while he gets the treat, or you could try walking him out with a treat in your hand, standing for a little while, then treat, he should cotton on quite quick as to what is expected of him
 
Save for giving him a sharp word/slap each time he goes to eat I don't know what you can do really! Just keep perservering?

Are you working with a lunge line? If you are I find you get extra control by running it through the inside bit ring and clipping it on the outside ring! Puts pressure on their poll :)

Good luck!
 
If he's anything like my cob (eating machine), tellling him off a thousand times won't sink in if he's hungry.
Can u not stick to the school or his bare paddock?
If he's on a diet and in a starvation paddock its gonna be like giving candy to a kid but telling them they can't eat it :( x
 
This is no help at all but I sympathise. I can't seem to walk the short distance from stable to field without horse trying to eat anything in his path the whole way...
 
ok me i would put lunge roller on and side reins - reins long enough for him to be happy but short enough to be there to stop him grabbing bit or taking conrtrol( i hate side reins tight grrr) - with this work with transititions halt walk halt all time very random - be consisctent (sp) even when in field - use voice again be consistent but never harsh use your body to show your the leader - hun so so many things you can do and the good ones - ie listen to the horse - do work :) been there and well im smiling :)
 
I am practicing for in hand showing & seeing as the show is on grass practicing on grass is necessary really (hoping he will be to interested in what's going on to think about food, doubt it though)
 
+ he's not hungry just greedy, he gets a haynet in his paddock/there is grass in his field just not much/plus this was half hour after he'd had his dinner so he can't of been that hungry
 
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