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Linda Antipala (Alika)
| | Posted on Friday, Mar 2, 2001 - 7:29 pm: |   |
The three horses in our herd family are developing a very annoying habit of grabbing mouthfuls of grass along the trail. My arab mare hardly tried it before, but lately the grass snatching is getting way worse. My friend's arab gelding, who is getting more relaxed on the trail, does the same thing. And my husband's new 4 year old quarter horse did it from day one of purchase. I can feel my mare just edging over to the side of the road to grab a mouthful, and try to keep her in the middle of the trail much as possible. When we ride through really grassy areas, it's an ongoing feast. As you know, they get their head down quick! I ride with a side-pull halter and short rope reins (another story). My hubby and friend ride with snaffle bits. I've been told to kick side or hit the rump everytime they go down for a bite. Any other ideas?! These are pastured horses who can chomp grass at home 24/7. |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Saturday, Mar 3, 2001 - 9:08 am: | |
I know all the purest out there are winching but when a horse of mine does this I snatch the reins, HARD. As a result none of our horses do this when I ride them. But let the littlest girl get on them and they are terrible, so we have her ride in an antigrazing device rigged up by my wife.
DrO |
Teresa Alexander-Arab (Teresaa)
| | Posted on Saturday, Mar 3, 2001 - 10:20 pm: | |
Here in Nova Scotia, much of the trails I ride on are through woods. As a result, the horses aren't so much prone to eat grass but grab some leaves as we go by. The best approach I have found is a sharp "no" followed by turning his head away from what he's reaching for. In the case of grazing you would be bringing the head up. I use as much rein pressure as necessary. Saying the "no" first teaches the horse to respond to the verbal cue before you have to haul on the reins. Also, if my horse gets a mouthful anyway, I remove it from his mouth, even if I have to dismount, so that he figures out there's no point. It's an extremely annoying habit but not impossible to break.
Dr. O, for the die-hard grazers, could you describe the 'antigrazing device'?
Thanks
Teresa |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
| | Posted on Sunday, Mar 4, 2001 - 11:46 am: | |
I think the verbal clue is a good idea, I actually have a low growl. Concerning the antigrazing device: it sure makes the ride more pleasant for the gentle souls who are too small or abhor a little correction.
DrO |
Teresa Alexander-Arab (Teresaa)
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 5, 2001 - 10:50 am: | |
Thanks Dr. O, but what does it (the anitgrazing device)look like ?????
Teresa |
Mary E Adams (Ntucket)
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 5, 2001 - 11:43 am: | |
The antigrazing setups I've seen look like a overcheck from a driving harness. The adaptation I saw was on a pony - two thin lines (baling twine actually!) went from the bit on each side, up through the loop on the browband and tied to the D-rings on the saddle at a length preventing lowering the head low enough to eat grass. (This is in addition to regular reins). You can also look in some catalogs at chambon/degogue training devices to get the idea. The upward lift on the bit (rather that a set directly from bit to d-ring or girth) discourages the desire to dive down. Doesn't work for the ones who tip sideways to grab leaves or tall grass. It also has been put on lesson horses to keep the bit yankers from pulling new riders out of the saddle to graze or rub their lips on their ankles. The funniest setup I saw had the antigrazing on the front of the pony with a crouper under the tail in the back to keep the saddle from sliding forward over the pony's narrow shoulders when going downhill (or pulling down). The little %^&** still found a way to come back with a mouthful of tall grass.
One caution - this is for a quiet plodding grazer going on a quiet plodding ride. If the trail ride activity requires that the horse needs full range of motion to climb up or down hills, this isn't a safe or good thing. As with any training aid they can do more damage in the wrong hands on the wrong horse in the wrong situation than the problem you're trying to solve. |
Imogen Bertin (Imogen)
| | Posted on Monday, Mar 5, 2001 - 2:51 pm: | |
On *quiet* horses, our local riding stable uses the baler twine trick if they are being ridden out by very inexperienced tourists in the summer who have no idea how to stop them eating grass.
But they're not as sophisticated as the device described above - it's just baler twine between the bit and the girth to prvent the head going down behond a certain point.
I think the growl and jag method described by Dr O is highly effective for slightly more experienced riders... doesn't take long before they learn, but a speedy, consistent response to any attempt at chomping during the training period is vital.
Imogen |
Janette M. Oglesby (Janette)
| | Posted on Tuesday, Mar 6, 2001 - 10:15 am: | |
Hi all,
Mary describes quite well the anti-grazing device I rigged up for our youngest daughter and her Paso Fino. He was horrible about bit snatching and she just wasn't strong enough to combat him. It really did the trick. I used it all last year. Last fall Dana begged to take it off. We gave it a try and it seems to have cured Rhythm, he gave her no trouble. I liked it.
Good luck,
Janette |
