Help with Horse snatching at grass verges and trees please

Whizza

Whizza

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Evening all.

im after a bit of help please.

Before I bought my horse I'd never ridden in a bitless bridle, my mare is very happy in it and listens to my leg aids and voice etc so all good mostly... we just have one problem, she is a cow for eating from trees, grass verges anything she can get hold of. I know it's bad manners but it doesn't seem to matter what I do from the saddle, kicking her on, giving her a little tickle with the whip, shouting, pulling etc. If I'm quick enough to not let her get her head down she won't do it, but the minute I release the pressure on the reins she gets her head down! I can't relax for a second. We mostly hack and it's beginning to become a chore and I find I'm sticking to roads more and more because she's less likely to eat. When I'm on the ground she is a lot better. She won't do it at all and all I have to say is 'ah ah' if she attempts it and she knows not too. In the saddle is different. My hands are so sore from the reins being constantly pulled through my fingers!

I have tried her in a bitted bridle and she's much the same. I think probably worse because I'm so worried about pulling on her mouth.

I need some help, I don't know what to do. Do I put her in a different bridle? I'm stuck :(
 
What type of bitless bridle are you using?

I will fully admit I do let mine eat the grass verges on hacks :O But he only does it when I allow him and it's never a yanking reins out of hands scenario. Are you wearing gloves? I think you're going to have to get a little stricter and not allow her to eat. As in pull her head up (and mean it!!) and maybe do a little more than tickle with the whip. I think she's taking advantage!!
 
She's definitely taking advantage! I think that because there isn't as much grass at the mo isnt helping either. She sees that lush green grass and can't help herself.

She's in a sidepull bridle which is what she came to me with. It's just a glorified headcollar really, it's just fitted to her head better.

Can you buy grass reins in horse size? ill try anything!
 
My youngster started doing this and i had no qualms in 'getting after him' be it with a growl, pulling his head away or a smack with a schooling stick. He soon learnt it wasn't worth it and believe me he very food oriented! Riding is not some form of drive through McDonalds, they have to 'work' even if you're just pootling, grass may be sparse but I'm sure she isn't starving! 😊
 
Agree with everyone else! It's not on, and I'd be giving her a good crack as she puts her head down/grabs a mouthful. Stick a neckstrap on if you think shes going to shoot forward.
I wouldn't smack her after you've pulled her head up - she's not going to understand why you've done it.
My horse has the occasional snack, but only when I stop and let him. There is the odd transgression, but he's old enough that I let it go. I wouldn't let a younger horse do it.
 
I'm sorry that's just rude! And a 'whip tickle' is neither use nor ornament ... worse, actually, because it shows her it means nothing.

Next time she dives for the grass, ask her to walk on first, ask more firmly 2nd time and if she still ignores you, sit tight and it's a sharp 'I mean it' crack down the flank with the whip.

You really, REALLY can't allow her to dictate what she will and will not listen to.

If you're faced with a dangerous situation where you need to take charge and make her listen, what are you going to do? Take charge? Or leave her to make her own mind up about a lorry bearing down on you?

These are flight animals with a brain the size of a clenched fist. They weigh upwards of half a ton and they can move like greased lightening.

It's up to YOU to be the boss for your safety, hers and everyone else's :)
 
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Some owners allow this, others don't so do have in mind that you may be trying to retrain a long held habit. If I know what an owner prefers I ride that way but by default I allow quick snacks that don't impact the pace and direction and occasionally stop for a graze. I don't allow the horse to choose when though.

Combination of pushing on and consistency. I'm not into hitting horses with sticks so just ride positively by and verbally/physically 'half halt' with emphasis on non-hedge row rein if horse's attention seems to be drifting. If you have a reasonable (bitless) 'contact' and don't ride right next to a hedge it should be fine.

For putting head down rather than just sneaking passing bits and bobs no shame at all in having grass rein for a while. I've hacked heavies in them so they definitely come in big sizes!

If you have the space I'd probably be schooling a bit at 'danger' points to distract... Serpentines, zigzag leg yields, what ever you like and you have space for.

You *could* choose to incorporate a regular small graze at a suitable point in the hack so horse begins to anticipate (and wait for) that place. I know some RS who do this with no difficulties with 'unauthorised' grazing at other points but it won't suit everyone and is more for the fun of it than nutrition.
 
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ThursdayNext said:
I'm not into hitting horses with sticks so just ride positively by and verbally/physically 'half halt' with emphasis on non-hedge row rein if horse's attention seems to be drifting.
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Good for you! But if the OP could achieve the latter bit of your sentence by simply riding positively with half-halt, she wouldn't have sore hands, feel out of control and be needing to be post for help on HHO.
 
Mrs B said:
I'm sorry that's just rude! And a 'whip tickle' is neither use nor ornament ... worse, actually, because it shows her it means nothing.

Next time she dives for the grass, ask her to walk on first, ask more firmly 2nd time and if she still ignores you, sit tight and it's a sharp 'I mean it' crack down the flank with the whip.

You really, REALLY can't allow her to dictate what she will and will not listen to.

If you're faced with a dangerous situation where you need to take charge and make her listen, what are you going to do? Take charge? Or leave her to make her own mind up about a lorry bearing down on you?

These are flight animals with a brain the size of a clenched fist. They weigh upwards of half a ton and they can move like greased lightening.

It's up to YOU to be the boss for your safety, hers and everyone else's :)
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This. Whilst not ridden yet, my bog pony is a serial grass diver. He gets a sound smack & a loud NO! He's slowly learning that it's less hassle to wait til he's in his field.
 
Generally my mare is very good, does as she's told and I can't fault her. It's not very often I have to tell her off but her snatching at grass is really getting to me. It's literally every few minutes while we are out in fields. Its become a bit of a standing joke with the people I ride with now! And it's not enjoyable as I can't relax for a second, I come back with blinking sore hands and my back kills me.

I think that because she is usually so well behaved in most other things that's why I feel reluctant to give her a good smack. But if that's what I need to do then I will do. She is getting the better of me...

Thank you all for pointing me in the right direction :) much appreciated x
 
Mrs B said:
I'm sorry that's just rude! And a 'whip tickle' is neither use nor ornament ... worse, actually, because it shows her it means nothing.

Next time she dives for the grass, ask her to walk on first, ask more firmly 2nd time and if she still ignores you, sit tight and it's a sharp 'I mean it' crack down the flank with the whip.

You really, REALLY can't allow her to dictate what she will and will not listen to.

If you're faced with a dangerous situation where you need to take charge and make her listen, what are you going to do? Take charge? Or leave her to make her own mind up about a lorry bearing down on you?

These are flight animals with a brain the size of a clenched fist. They weigh upwards of half a ton and they can move like greased lightening.

It's up to YOU to be the boss for your safety, hers and everyone else's :)
Click to expand...


Thank you. thismis what I needed to hear :)
 
Mine learn early on that eating when they have a headcollar/bridle on means no eating. Manners are important with these beasts!!!

Rather than grass reins if you are riding bitless you could try a daisy rein - attaches to headpiece instead of bit.
 
Cortez said:
Out of interest, where are you going to attach grass reins to on a sidepull?
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I haven't tried this but was thinking that with a snug fitting side pull (the sort the looks like a normal bridle rather than a loose rope halter style one) they'd be OK on the joint of noseband+headpiece? The daisy rein idea is probably better though.
 
Mrs B said:
Good for you! But if the OP could achieve the latter bit of your sentence by simply riding positively with half-halt, she wouldn't have sore hands, feel out of control and be needing to be post for help on HHO.
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That is /exactly/ what the OP is going to achieve though.

I don't imagine anyone on this thread is going to hope OP will be aiming to need to hit her horse every hack, every time it sees a patch of grass.

The end point is going to be the same, it is just that there are different ways of getting there which suit different mindsets.

I'd go for positive (and daisy reins, probably better idea than grass reins) over hitting. If I was getting nowhere I might ask a different rider to take horse out a few times as if OP is feeling that the grazing is inevitable it pretty much will be. Change of rider attitude can do wonders but be hard to achieve in oneself.

At the end of the day the horse is bigger and stronger than OP so it has to be mental control that makes the difference.
 
Thank you everyone.
I have purchased some daisy reins online and I will be trying these next week when they arrive.

I'm honestly not one to be cracking her with the whip every 2 minutes but I certainly will be giving her a good smack. As it's not something I usually have to do I'm kind of hoping that after one or 2 smacks she will quickly realise that I do indeed mean business and that may be enough. She really is usually so good. It's just this one thing. She's very food orientated and a bit of a pig at feed time but she does listen and doesn't barge or get nasty. She can sometimes get a bit excited when dinner arrives if I give it to her in the field she occasionally can do an excited buck but that's about it.

Thanks for everyone's replies. Very muchly appreciated x
 
Where did you find Daisy Reins that were not pony sized- I have this problem too and find that I cannot give a good whack as the bushes each side of me stop me getting my whip out far enough.
 
My highland is like this too, I have to be quite switched on all the time we are hacking (which is no bad thing really). We have managed a compromise of sorts...if he can grab a mouthful without stopping or falling out of the pace, or dragging me into a hedge or under a low hanging tree, he is allowed to eat it. I have gone as far as hauling his head round to face me and pulling his ill gotten gains out of his mouth before now!! I always ride in gloves which gives me a much better grip and stops sore hands and if he does get his head down he gets a proper crack across his more than ample bum. He is very food orientated and if he has to go more than about half an hour without eating, thinks he's dying :)
 
Yardbird said:
Where did you find Daisy Reins that were not pony sized- I have this problem too and find that I cannot give a good whack as the bushes each side of me stop me getting my whip out far enough.
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From what I've seen they generally come in one size, I'm hoping they will be big enough. I'll keep you posted!
 
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