UPDATE - End of my tether...

dwi

dwi

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I posted two days ago about snacking on hacks, people's comments and guidance gave me the confidence to really go at it again. I rode the hole hack like I was riding a dressage test, giving her no time to think of anything else, lots of trot and a careful eye on her eyes for signs that she might want to eat. We had a lovely hack but she found it very exciting to be ridden like that in an open space and twice cantered off with me unable to stop her. I came back thinking, well at least she wasn't eating, we can work on the brakes.

Today I thought we would hack into a nice enclosed space in case she tried bombing off with me again. put her into a nice trot and she stopped dead after about 10 strides, plunged her head to the ground and ate like she'd never seen grass. Much growling and smacking later I got her head off the ground but she continued to do this every couple of minutes for the whole time we were out. When I managed to guess what she was trying to do and caught her in time she proceeded to bunnyhop and try and bolt in protest.

I'm supposed to be doing a walk and trot dressage on grass in two weeks time but I will literally die of embarrassment if she stops to eat during the dressage test.

She never used to be like this, I'm sure its her way of protesting at being in a starvation paddock but she still needs to lose a little more weight and she has never looked so good. I can't be bullied into allowing her to be obese just so she is rideable.

YO was very sympathetic and agreed that the whole thing is mortifying. She suggested feeding her bran to make her feel full so I'll try that.

I'm not sure there's any advice that anyone can give, just need some cyber hugs really with the whole situation.

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i havent read your previous posts...but i was just wondering whether you could try grass reins? i know it sounds a bit 'pony club', but i knew many ponies who soon gave up on the habit once they found themselves restricted. the rein just goes from the bit to the D on front of saddle. have you thought of this?
 
I did get desperate enough to consider this but my understanding is that they are dangerous for fast work. I had no intention of cantering yesterday but we ended up going flat out throught the woods, swerving trees and bucking as we went. I don't want to take the risk of injuring her
 
try side reins then - with elastic in them so that the horse is not so restricted that it injures itself, but meets with enough resistance that it is made to think again! if you dont mind me asking, how big is your horse/pony?
 
15.2, built like a rhino.

I'm well aware that stopping dead to eat is something that only naughty lead rein ponies are supposed to do but unfortunately Daisy doesn't know this.

I'm far too embarrassed to go the dressage for fear they'll think I have the riding capacity of a small child
 
bless you, dont feel ashamed, its no different than any odd little problems that we all have. you musnt feel bad, you just have to keep trying to find a solution! it sounds to me like you are a little scared of her - and again, this is something that yu must not be ashamed of. we've all been there! i think, if it was me, i would forget about schooling and competing for the short term, and concentrate on getting her to understand that it is possible to hack out without food being an issue. perhaps use side reins, and just walk for the meantime? also, you could try a bit that may give you some decent leverage, both to help you keep her head up and to help you if she tries to run away again! dont lose hope
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My first pony was good at embarassing moments too, we were stood in the line up for an in hand class once and he lead down and went to sleep! We were lined up another time in a working hunter class waiting for the individual show part and he turned round and started munching on the brush fence next to us!
 
Could you try feeding her good quality barley straw as "filler" without the calories so she doesn't feel starved?
 
Don't worry - it is true like MizElz says that we've all been there. Slack side reins might help and giving her straw like Druid says might help a bit as well.

Perhaps if you would like to compete in the meanwhile you can do your dressage test in a show that has a sand or indoor arena?

A lady I knew overseas who had a very big/short necked strong cob (fjord type) actually recommended lots of push-ups & sit-ups to increase core body/upper body strength. She did dressage up to a pretty decent level on hers, I think it equalled elementary/med classes in the UK - and she found the riding quite physically demanding :-)
 
Sorry, I didn't read your original thread, as I thought you probably meant human snacks!!!
Just want to say, don't feed bran too often, it can be quite bad for a horse. feeding straw is a good idea, but not barley straw as it is a bit too 'sharp' for feeding, instead, try some wheat straw. Oat straw has too much goodness for a fatty.
 
I do sympathise, when my son took the Highland in to do a dressage test on grass he didn't dare give her too long a rein on the free walk - we all knew what would happen!

Speedibeet is not bad as a filler with chaff and makes them think they are getting something, maybe a small fibre based feed a little while before you ride might take the edge off the need for snacks
 
Firstly I would not be sticking side reins on as if she objects strongly you could have a bad situation on your hands if her head is restricted. Secondly I am not sure we are tackling the real cause of the problem here. If she is on a starvation paddock and that hungry that this has started to happen then she obviously needs more food to fill her up. Are you not able to give her hay in her paddock? You may be doing this, I don't know but if not, it is not wise to let a horse go for long periods without fibre...yes it will get the weight off but it is not good practice. I may be wrong asd not seen your previous post but your horse does seem to be telling you something!
 
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Sorry, I didn't read your original thread, as I thought you probably meant human snacks!!!
Just want to say, don't feed bran too often, it can be quite bad for a horse. feeding straw is a good idea, but not barley straw as it is a bit too 'sharp' for feeding, instead, try some wheat straw. Oat straw has too much goodness for a fatty.

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oat straw too much goodness???? what a load of old tosh.......chaff based laminitic feeds are based on oat straw - what straw has too much lignin in it making it difficult for some horses to digest.
a mixtrure of well sdoaked hay, and oat straw is an ideal diet for fatties with a vit/min supplement.
i am getting increasingly worried by this latest trend in starving horses, no wonder incidences of gastric ulcers is off the scale - trouble is people let the weight creep on and by the time they've really noticed it the poor horse is starved as a result.
 
Stick with it, but I'd give the bran a miss, it's not good for their digestive system as it leaches everything out, how about something like Spillers Happy Hoof? Low calorie but with everything in he needs, I agree with you lilym, starving your horse is not good & I too am sure that this is leading to the increase in ulcers, restricted calories & fibre I think is the way to go. My 2 natives are slim & trim, shiny well muscled, but not starved.
 
You will probably be horrified by this but - stick her in a pelham - and the next time she does it give her a crack on the neck!
 
I was always taught that a curb bit lowered the head and a gag bit raised the head (and also provides brakes)

If you get a 'traditional' gag with the leather cheekpiece running thru the bit rings you can ride with two reins - one on the gag (which will act as both brakes and will raise the head) and another rein on the normal part of the bit to use when horse is behaving itself

as for bran - it isn't in itself bad - it puts an imbalance in the calcium/potassium ratios in the body - it's high in potassium and leaches calcium out - so you need to feed extra calcium (think I've got this the right way round) to keep the mineral balance correct. Other than that bran does no harm at all
 
A pair of side reins clipped onto the bit then crossed over at the wither and onto the D-rings. Keep them on until your dressage test and hopefully they should break the habit. They dont need to be tight.
 
Thanks for the ideas everyone, in my original post I did explain what she is fed. I don't advocate starving horses and am well aware of the risks of gastric ulcers. She is given a good amount of hay twice a day as well as 1/2 scoop of happy hoof to carry her vits. her starvation paddock does still have grass in it, just not as much as she would like.

I think the problem is not so much that she is desperately hungry but that the grass looks a whole lot more appetizing than the hay she is given. Unfortunately if I give her what she wants she would eat well over a bale of hay a day and I've been assured that she doesn't actually need this much. It wasn't me that let her get fat. She was fat when I bought her and as an unbelivably good doer a starvation paddock seems to be the only way to get the weight off. She is ridden 6 days a week and is going 20 - 25 miles a week, mostly in trot and canter
 
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I'm well aware that stopping dead to eat is something that only naughty lead rein ponies are supposed to do but unfortunately Daisy doesn't know this.



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Lance does it with OH!
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and he is a warmblood!

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Have you tried feeding any of the simple systems products? I feed lucie stalks which are very low in cals and fill them up. Both of mine get several big scoops a day and ad lib hay and are not gaining weight and they are similar type to yours.

Try giving her some hay or lucie stalks before riding so her tummy is not empty - you can feed and ride with lucie stalks. If she still continues, I would put a strong bit in for brakes, and give her a good hard pull up and if needs be a smack on the arse.

Gypsy cobs, whilst a wonderful breed, are very intelligent, can be cheeky and take the pee. Once made very clear this behaviour has unpleasant consequences, they normal behave themselves.

Chancer went through a stage of this and after a couple of visits from Mr Whippy (though I have not pulled his head up hard as (a) he is a baby and (b) Mr Whippy worked just fine he has so far stopped trying to eat when being long reined. Under saddle (so far) he has been very good.
 
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