How do you teach a youngster not to..

[kate081]

snatch grass?

Q is now properly halter broken (2 1/2 yrs) but if he loses interest he tries to snatch the very tasty grass as he goes along. He's very bold & greedy

so jerking the headcollar doesn't stop him.

Any suggestions please?

 

[Damnation]

A smack with the end of the leadrope?

 

[Boysy]

Buy a fishing net, take the head off, take the wire out, thread an old shoelace thru where the wire was, put it over his mouth and nose and tie it back to the headcollar, hey presto, a perfect nosenet and a far kinder and nicer way of stopping ponies dragging their small riders over their heads to snatch at grass........ they try to snatch and then realise that it is actually pointless as they can't eat anything anyway...... to fix it at the front on the noseband or front of headcollar, get another small piece of shoelace and thread thru and tie to front or i have those fine plastic pieces that thread back onto themselves and fix, can't for the life of me think what they are called but you use them for keeping wheeltrims on car wheels..........

 

[air78]

Using a pressure halter would help; when he goes to put his head down he'd get a clear signal not to........... otherwise, try using a grazing muzzle, once he realises that he can't do it the habit will be broken in no time

 

[kate081]

Well thankfully it's not a habit yet as he's only just learning things. The pressure halter does help - maybe I'm being too nice?! I don't want to hit him on the nose as there's no need & it could make him headshy. Nose net might be the way forward. Would prefer him not to try to snatch at all though.

 

[TicTac]

And some of you folk think Parelli is abuse!

 

[Damnation]

My mare used to snatch grass and I would just smack her on the bum/shoulder with the leadrope, it makes more of a noise then actually hurts them. My mare is fine now. I would never reccommend smacking in the face though

 

[kate081]

Sorry misunderstood. I'm leading him in a lunge line so it probably wouldn't take him by surprise in quite the same way. I think I'll put him back in a pressure halter so I have a bit more leverage! Greedy pony.

 

[Foxford]

A sharp yank on the rope accompanied by a slap on the shoulder - has worked on all mine!

 

[Enfys]

If he is putting his head down you want to put a newmarket /dog choke chain or thin rope, (the kind of width that is on the Dually noseband, or Be Nice halter) UNDERNEATH his chin, then give that a good tug, he'll only do it once or twice before he figures that it isn't a pleasant experience if he has any brains in his head. It isn't cruel, it is just a basic lesson he has to learn.

Using a rope that puts pressure ON TOP of the nose just brings his head in or down, you want his up.

 

[Tnavas]

I generally lead my youngsters out in a lunge cavesson as I have more control over the front of the nose.