Leading issue with strong mare

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Mollysue

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Hi
I'm having an issue leading my mare in from her paddock.
We have to walk up a grass track and as soon as we walk on the grass she sticks her head down to eat grass!!! This is getting so bad I now have to bring her in in a bridle. But even with the bridle on she sticks her head down and locks her neck and I really struggle to get her head up and moving forward. I used to use a rope halter but that was even worse.
She was fine in the summer but for some reason she now thinks she she can graze when she wants. There is plenty of grass in her paddock so she isn't hungry.
She's a cob and is so strong, I don't know what to do. The bridle helps but I don't like to pull too hard as I don't want to hurt her mouth but she swings her back end round and plants her head down and I just can't get her to bring her head up.
Any suggestions please???
 
Carry a stick and lead her on a longe line. When she puts her head down, trot her around a few circles. Stop her and walk her. Every time she puts her head down to eat make her work. It's only ever taken me a few days of this before a horse realizes the wrong thing is harder than the right thing.
 
Hat, gloves and back protector for you Use the bridle/head collar that helps your horse to understand who is the boss.
 
Rope halter, schooling whip with a flag attached to the end every time she goes to put her head down flap the flag and make her back up a few steps then carry on as normal.....repeat as many times as needed until just the turning of your body will stop her from doing it.
 
You have her in a bridle, so use it. Keep your hand close under her chin and keep the contact, that way you can feel the minute she thinks about putting her head down and pre-empt it. Don't worry about hurting her - you won't.
 
Thank you for the suggestions, I'll give them a try. She's always been a ****** to bring in but since I started using the bridle a few months ago she's been fab. It's just this last week she's resorted back to her old way.
 
My friend has a cob who is quite capable of locking her neck and taking you grass skiing even in a dually, but, if you give her headcollar a swift tug the second she thinks of going for grass even though she will try again by about the fourth try she realises that you mean business and and will listen, it is no use at all trying to just use brute strength but swift tugs really make a difference.
 
LD&S said:
My friend has a cob who is quite capable of locking her neck and taking you grass skiing even in a dually, but, if you give her headcollar a swift tug the second she thinks of going for grass even though she will try again by about the fourth try she realises that you mean business and and will listen, it is no use at all trying to just use brute strength but swift tugs really make a difference.
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It's the neck locking that's the problem and she's so quick getting her head down lol I know brute force isn't the answer cos she knows she's stronger than me and telling her off is a big no no, she'd just kick off if I used a stick. I'll go back to the rope halter and give her a try with that again...thank you
 
Mine is a thug. He used to set his neck and tow me about in walk if he felt like it. The only thing that has ever worked is a Dually. You need to do a little bit of groundwork to make sure they understand it, but once they do it works. Mine only wears it for loading now as hes pretty much spot on the rest of the time but I wouldnt hesitate to get it out if he started pushing the boundaries
 
Mollysue said:
It's the neck locking that's the problem and she's so quick getting her head down lol I know brute force isn't the answer cos she knows she's stronger than me and telling her off is a big no no, she'd just kick off if I used a stick. I'll go back to the rope halter and give her a try with that again...thank you
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I agree, sticks are best used for dogs to chase and retrieve,
 
I'm also a fan of the dually. My mare was an absolute cow to lead when I first had her - spinning, crashing into you, pulling in all directions - now I only have to rattle the dually in her direction for madam to decide to mind her manners.

I'm about to buy one in draft size because my otherwise saint of a draft has recently realised that other horses have their breakfasts left outside their stable doors in the morning - and tows me over to check what's in their buckets. Obviously checking means tasting and it's getting embarrassing. In his normal head collar I'm just going along for the ride.....
 
She is usually a good girl despite being a cob mare. She knows when to take the pee and I'm fully aware that's what she is doing at the moment. But when a 550kg animal wants to eat and you are 62kg there's only one winner lol
I don't think a change in routine has helped as we are now bringing in a night but she can't carry on dragging me about.
I will definitely think about a Dually if going back to the rope halter doesn't work.
Thank you for the advice
 
Dually and rope halters are useless on my tank. Lemieux headcollar with a chain across the nose did the trick though, she leads in and out like a lamb now :)
I just needed something to help break the habit and I didn't want to punish her mouth with a bridle or chiffney.
 
milliepops said:
Dually and rope halters are useless on my tank. Lemieux headcollar with a chain across the nose did the trick though, she leads in and out like a lamb now :)
I just needed something to help break the habit and I didn't want to punish her mouth with a bridle or chiffney.
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I use the Eskadron chain one on my warmblood. He would bog off if the mood took him.
I let him pull against it a couple of times, I never jerked it. They very quickly learn that they can 'engage' it or not.
 
Regandal said:
I use the Eskadron chain one on my warmblood. He would bog off if the mood took him.
I let him pull against it a couple of times, I never jerked it. They very quickly learn that they can 'engage' it or not.
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Yes, quite. I use the headcollar daily but these days I clip the leadrope to the standard ring so the chain is passive. Easy to swap if you have a whoopsie though. I'm happy to leave it for other people to use if they have to get her in, too, whereas I wouldn't want to leave a chiffney . Too easy to go wrong in inexperienced hands.
 
amymay said:
You have her in a bridle, so use it. Keep your hand close under her chin and keep the contact, that way you can feel the minute she thinks about putting her head down and pre-empt it. Don't worry about hurting her - you won't.
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This whether it's a bridle or halter. But to feel the minute she thinks about putting her head down you need to be absolutely focused on your mare - particularly her head! Your horse is focused on the grass and you and the moment she feels that you are not focused down goes her head. I've been there and I thought I was focused but there's focus and focus. Once I started focusing on my focus I realised that it was rather too short lived so I really focused! Sorry bit of an overdose of focusing here but that's what worked for us.
 
For the record, I will not be smacking her...
When I turned her out this morning she tried to go for the grass but I kept a contact and as soon as I felt her going for the grass I pushed my hand on to her chin and ta dah, she kept walking and didn't put her head down again till we got to the paddock. When I brought her in I did the same think, kept the contact and she tried for the grass and again I brought my hand under her chin. It was kinda funny cos she looked at me with her wall eye as if to say ok you win and walked the rest of the way without any problems.
Arzada...you are right, I kept looking at the gate not at the ground and wether it was psychological or not it, it seems to work :o))
Thank you to everyone for the advice
 
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