horse keeps pulling me to eat grass.

[EJ87]

Just wondered if anyone could help me break this really annoying habbit my mare has started. Shes get brought into her stable at night for a feed and turned out every morning to grass for 6 hours but to get to her turn out its a 5mins walk down a lane which she has now started to pull me constently into the verge to eat grass! she is obviusly alot stronger than me so when shes goes she knows i cant stop her! iv tried giving her a wee slap on the shoulder and saying no but it dosnt work only way i can move is to pull her headcollor but i really would like her to walk to the field in a mannerly fashion any ideas how to teach hers some manner?

 

[Flicker]

Hugely annoying - my friend's horse used to do it.
Get a slip-head (it is like the head piece only of a bridle, and attaches to a bit) and lead her in that until she's got the message. A head collar is useless if a horse really sets its mind to go somewhere.

 

[*hic*]

Put a bridle on so you have more control, keep your mind on what you are doing and stop her as she is thinking of pulling, not once she's got her head down, carry a stick with you and give her a whack (not a wee slap) if she is rude.

None of us are really strong enough to stop even a Section A if they make ther minds up to go, you have to let her know that you are in charge.

 

[AmyMay]

Does she actually have any grass in her field??

Stick a bridle on her.

 

[be positive]

You say she comes in for a feed, does she get plenty of hay overnight and breakfast before she goes out, if not she could just be very hungry.

I would either put a bridle on or get a controller halter to help.

 

[Bubbles]

Shake the leadrope in his face when he puts his head down, he'll lift his head straight up no pulling involved.

 

[Fantasy_World]

To OP how old is your horse and when were her teeth last done?
How much grass is there in the field?
Have you had it analyzed?
How big is the field and how many horses?
Does it get harrowed, rolled or fertlised?
Is it poo picked?
Does it get rested or strip grazed?
How often do you worm your horse?
How much exercise is she getting?
Do you weight tape and have you noticed any drop in condition recently.
How much hay or haylage and feed does she get at night and how big is she?
Is she overweight, underweight or at correct weight?

The reason for all the questions is because there could be a valid reason why the horse is pulling to get at the grass on the way to the field ( see above).
So before all the suggestions of bitting up and stick a bridle on firstly assess if it is because she is not getting enough nutrients and is hungry ( see above) or whether it is just bad manners.

 

[*hic*]

FantasyWorld, for safety's sake you have it the wrong way round. Whatever reason the horse is behaving like this it is not safe for it to do it on a lane and the manners need sorting first.

The OP may also not be insured if the horse is on the road with no bridle - this becomes more of a problem when she's not in control of it and it has no respect for her.

 

[Fantasy_World]

The OP has not stated if the lane is indeed a road. A lane could mean a track.
If she wants to use a bridle/bit then go ahead but the reasons as to why the mare is suddenly doing this needs to be addressed.
It is a little bit like whacking on a martingale on a horse that is throwing its head up evading the bit, without first of all checking its back and teeth.

 

[suestowford]

My big pony will try to eat, it's greed pure & simple as he has plenty to eat. He just has it bred into him to eat at every possible opportunity 'just in case'. An ordinary headcollar is no good at all, he can tow me anywhere he likes in that and he knows it.
What OP needs to do is find something which her mare respects: my pony has one of those white rope halters (like they use for showing shire & welsh cobs) which puts pressure on if he pulls at me. I found that worked a treat and we very rarely have a disagreement nowadays when I'm leading him. I prefer it to using a bridle as it's quick to put on, and I can stick it in the washing machine when it gets grubby.

 

[Fantasy_World]

Sue it might be with your horse but it may not be the case with this one. This year two of mine were doing this, one had never done it before. Reason, because the grass they were on was shite! Horses lost weight, one horse actually collapsed and was very ill, which I believe was due to poor grazing and horse sick grass. Can't prove this of course but seeing as all bloods came back as normal as they can be and I know one horse in particular was not ill before being on them fields then it all adds up.
If the OP's horse has recently started doing this then from my own POV I would be asking why?
Address it of course! But also ask why is she doing this?

 

[EJ87]

To all of the above she is 14.2 not overweight but not slim either. the lane is indeed a country track and she gets a full wheelbarrow or more of hay and haylage mixed at night. She does very light work mostly hacking and her turn out field is approx 1acre to herself.

 

[AmyMay]

How much hay does she have left in the morning??

 

[NeverSayNever]

Put a bridle on so you have more control, keep your mind on what you are doing and stop her as she is thinking of pulling, not once she's got her head down, carry a stick with you and give her a whack (not a wee slap) if she is rude.

None of us are really strong enough to stop even a Section A if they make ther minds up to go, you have to let her know that you are in charge.

FantasyWorld, for safety's sake you have it the wrong way round. Whatever reason the horse is behaving like this it is not safe for it to do it on a lane and the manners need sorting first.

The OP may also not be insured if the horse is on the road with no bridle - this becomes more of a problem when she's not in control of it and it has no respect for her.

^^^^^^^ agree with this

i have to lead my sec A in wearing a bridle, because he is a youngster who knows his strength and can be bolshy. Also we lead along a short section of very quiet single track road. I also out of habit lead my mare in in her bridle, just incase. They have bugger all grass and get limited hay but being a sec A and D they are living on fresh air and dont NEED anymore. However try telling them that! They are both greedy monsters who behave as if they are 1/2 starved - they look it dont they? (taken this week)

 

[*hic*]

Sue it might be with your horse but it may not be the case with this one. This year two of mine were doing this, one had never done it before. Reason, because the grass they were on was shite! Horses lost weight, one horse actually collapsed and was very ill, which I believe was due to poor grazing and horse sick grass. Can't prove this of course but seeing as all bloods came back as normal as they can be and I know one horse in particular was not ill before being on them fields then it all adds up.
If the OP's horse has recently started doing this then from my own POV I would be asking why?
Address it of course! But also ask why is she doing this?

I think if you read back through the OP's posts you will see why the horse has suddenly started doing this - because it can!

It's a bossy mare with an inexperienced owner and is 99.9% certain to be taking the mickey.

 

[EJ87]

She has no hay left in morning but she would never leave her food she is the greedy type who will jus keep eating till she bursts

 

[AmyMay]

She has no hay left in morning but she would never leave her food she is the greedy type who will jus keep eating till she bursts

I'd be tempted to give her some hay in the morning before you turn out then - it may well help (or up her ration overnight). She probably is hungry going out - and whilst it's no excuse for bad manners, if she's hungry - she's hungry.

 

[little_critter]

My mare does this - she will always try to grab a sneaky mouthful as I'm taking her to the field.
She is greedy - pure and simple. She can't be hungry because she has had hay overnight then breakfast and is then immediately turned out.
No suggestions on teaching her manners - mine gets a good tug on the leadrope and a slap if that doesn't work.

 

[Xanty]

I recently had the same problem with my youngster who suddenly realised that he is stronger than me so was pulling for grass on the way to the field. I got a headcollar with nose chain and it has worked wonders I can't recommend highly enough. He tried to pull once and hasn't tried again, hes only had it on for a few days and he is completly changed. I plan to go back to a normal headcollar eventually. I havent had to be forceful or anything like that with it I think he just knows to be more respectful of it. Hope this helps.

 

[Fantasy_World]

I think if you read back through the OP's posts you will see why the horse has suddenly started doing this - because it can!

It's a bossy mare with an inexperienced owner and is 99.9% certain to be taking the mickey.

Sorry but didn't have time to trawl through pages as been out seeing to my own 4 horses as it is winter!

 

[Fantasy_World]

To all of the above she is 14.2 not overweight but not slim either. the lane is indeed a country track and she gets a full wheelbarrow or more of hay and haylage mixed at night. She does very light work mostly hacking and her turn out field is approx 1acre to herself.

Thanks for replying. So it seems that she is the ideal weight then. Haylage and hay mixed sounds good as it has moisture and fibre from the hay so is a good mix for horses imo. Mine have mixed from time to time as well.
Is her hay/haylage netted or fed from the floor? Just asking with you saying she has a wheelbarrow full. I don't know her breed but is she a native or native cross with you saying that she is greedy?
I don't know if you use nets but if it is that she is hungry and wolfing it down during the night then a net may help slow her down. Sometimes if I am feeling kind I will take some of it out and put on the floor when the temperatures really drop and they get hungrier when coming in, but the rest is left in a net.
The field size sounds ok if is just your pony in there but I would advise if you don't already do so to poo pick as paddocks/fields can become sour especially if left out 24/7 in summer when they have toilet areas ( not sure if your mare is out 24/7 though in warmer months).
I do agree with Amy May though and perhaps a small net or even a feed in the morning may take the edge off if she is indeed hungry. Doesn't have to be a hard feed, if you're worried about weight gain, chaff or hifi will do the job if you're in a rush and yet won't pile on the calories.