Training Tips

QUESTION: Sylvia, My horse is constantly grabbing at tall grass or branches on the trail. I ride a lot on paths through the woods and I don't mind if a horse takes an occasional bite but this horse makes it a priority. I have to keep after him all the time or he will just bury his head in a tree branch - even if it's over his head. Or he tries to wander off to the side for a bite of tall grass. I have to ride two-handed to keep his head straight. I make him trot or try to occupy him to keep his mind off the snacks, but this is not always possible due to a narrow trail. Although, even at a trot he's good at grabbing a bite. Any suggestions? Thank you.

REPLY: Hi. Thanks for writing. It's rude behavior for a horse to eat on the trail until we (their leader) allow it. You're making the mistake of letting him do it "sometimes" when you should never allow it ever. Very important to set up clear, consistent black & white zones for acceptable horse behavior. White zone is when they are doing what you want. Black zone is when they are doing what you don't want. Pressure is applied in black zone, no pressure is applied in white zone. They don't understand "grey areas," because grey areas just become "acceptable" white zone areas to them and you confuse them. Set him up to do it again and when he reaches without your permissoin, take one rein, pull his head to the side, as firmly as needed, and also if needed, shake that one rein repeatedly for disciplining, and at the same time make a very loud, annoying "SHHHHHH" sound (which will be a cue you will plant in him that means "stop it!" in his brain). Be real consistent there. Meaning: always do this. Don't allow eating on the trail without permission ever. So, create a very clear black & white zone for this behavior. Make the right thing easy, the wrong thing hard. When he's not reaching for food, let slack in the rein, take pressure off, leave him alone. If/when he does reach, repeat the above. Bump his hindquarters over if needed (on one side), to disengage them, to stop him, too, and use your one rein disciplining measure and that sound. Pretty soon he'll think it's a pretty lousy idea to reach for grass without permission again.

It would be wise to spend some time in a schooling session, like in an arena, so that he gets very responsive to "soft feel" in the reins first. Stand at a standstill in saddle with him. Apply a tiny bit of pressure in the left rein, hold the pressure steady, asking for the head. Just wait. The second the horse gives even an inch in the right direction you are asking, release the rein instantly. Repeat. Do this until you can ask for the head all the way over, using just that "soft feel" pressure/release. Do this on the right side as well. Then head out on the trail for your "don't eat" lesson. Very important to have full control of the horse's head in the first place so you have that to call upon when you need to, to ask his head to get away from the grass or trees he's snatching.

After I've worked on the above "soft feel" neck gives and the horse is real responsive to that, I like to take those with this grass grabbing problem out right smack into the middle of a field of tall grass, me riding them, to tempt them and to set them up to flush out that rude behavior. I stop and if they reach for grass without my permission, I do the above, taking back the head, shaking the one rein annoyingly, and making that "Shhh" sound and disengaging the hind quarters if needed. As many times as it takes. Soon they are just standing there, grass even inches from their lips and they don't try to take a bite as they wait more politely for permission. Once I've got them doing this, them just standing there politely awaiting my next instruction, then I press on their neck downward as my cue for "ok, go ahead and eat now, thank you for waiting." Teach your horse that will be your cue for letting him eat. All other times when you're riding he may not make that decision for himself. Before long, just their preliminary thought of reaching for grass can be halted with your "shhh" sound and he'll think twice and straighten up, listening to your directions better.

By the way, my husband's horse, Cody, used to do that too bigtime, just like you described, when we first got him years ago, and that's exactly the route I took that fixed that behavior. To some horses like Cody, and probably yours, food is just their top life priority, but that doesn't mean we can't train them that we are the director/leader even there! :-)