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joosie

lifelong sufferer of restless brain syndrome
Oct 28, 2004
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I always let Annie snack a few times on a ride (why not, we are never in a hurry!) but we went a little overboard this afternoon and a 50-minute hacking route took us almost 2 hours :rolleyes: Ironically I'd been planning to do a 2-hour route but then decided on a shorter one because the weather was horrid and I didn't want to be out for that long :p She has never been a snatcher and she only stops to eat when I cue her, and then walks on automatically when I pull her head up because she knows that means snack time is over. But today every time I got her head up she just turned around and glared at me like this o_O I was bloody freezing by the time we got home... such a soft touch!


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What do you mean not allowed? I dont let horses eat when being ridden or in a bridle (or head collar unless grazing in hand) but that is because I was Mark Rashid trained! You and Joosie can do as you like.
 
we don't allow ours to snack when in bridle in hand or ridden at all, give an inch they grab a mile - not a good look in the show ring manners wise if having to pull head up all the time. what you do with your own is your call :)
 
Thanks skib and Lemme for your permission, you don't sound judgemental at all :rolleyes: I don't know if you actually READ my post Lemme but I actually said she is given a CUE telling her she is allowed to eat, she doesn't graze without my permission and she does not "put her head down all the time"... her manners are great thank you very much!
 
I don't know whether it's the 'done' thing out hunting either. Most people don't seem to let their horses eat, but I think it's a long day for a trickle feeder to go without food, especially when they're expending all that energy, plus it's usually cold. and with Raf potentially being immune-compromised because of his Cushings, I do let him eat at stops. He's in a snaffle with no flash so he can eat short grass with his bit in quite easily. Although I see Annie doesn't have a bit to get in the way at all - what bridle is that?

She is gorgeous and so is your hacking :)
 
What do you mean not allowed? I dont let horses eat when being ridden or in a bridle (or head collar unless grazing in hand) but that is because I was Mark Rashid trained! You and Joosie can do as you like.

You do make me laugh @Skib!
Just out of interest what does Mark Rashid have to say on this?
 
I don't know whether it's the 'done' thing out hunting either. Most people don't seem to let their horses eat, but I think it's a long day for a trickle feeder to go without food, especially when they're expending all that energy, plus it's usually cold. and with Raf potentially being immune-compromised because of his Cushings, I do let him eat at stops. He's in a snaffle with no flash so he can eat short grass with his bit in quite easily. Although I see Annie doesn't have a bit to get in the way at all - what bridle is that?

She is gorgeous and so is your hacking :)

I don't think there's much chance Annie and I will ever go out hunting, but if we did we would definitely be snacking (both of us!). She is a leisure horse and I'm a leisure rider so I feel no need for that degree of "discipline". we are just out to relax and have fun and I would much rather be out on a horse with nothing but grass in her mouth than one that's just expected to act like a robot all the time ;)
Her bridle is a scawbrig from Libby's, I opted for webbing rather than leather so I can just pop it in the washing machine when it gets grubby. and it's super handy because it doubles up as a headcollar and when I'm ready to ride I just have to put the reins on.
 
Rashid says no eating when a horse is "working" for you which includes any time with a head collar or tack - or being led. Tho in the UK, situations arise when of course one needs to be flexible on this. As Rs horses are often left tacked up between rides.
 
Yes I did read your post in the same vein I cannot see where in my reply I suggest yours is bad mannered ,
Mine on the otherhand will and do take the P given half chance and it can be a pain to put right so we instil discipline were we can you have just reminded me why I limit my ramblings to my diary -wrist duly slapped x
 
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Mine is allowed to snack at two places. I need to dismount to lead her through somewhere narrow, she gets to nibble whilst I sort out the stirrups and get back on.
If I fall off she classes it as a dismount and stands just stays eating. I would rather she do that than take off.
Today after the loose schooling session, she snacks around the school whilst I put away the pole barrier. That's a sort of tears/ session finished thing of ours.

Thinking about it in the summer months we stop to chat to people outwards and not homeward. I know others who don't but we are both social beings and doesn't snack but she will like an itch.
 
Yes I did read your post in the same vein I cannot see where in my reply I suggest yours is bad mannered ,
Mine on the otherhand will and do take the P given half chance and it can be a pain to put right so we instil discipline were we can you have just reminded me why I limit my ramblings to my diary -wrist duly slapped x

In that case I apologise for being offended where no offence was meant! I misread your post & thought it was a dig at me not that you were thinking aloud about your own horses. I get that some horses will take a mile if you give an inch but maybe I am lucky because Annie is not like that! (Mouse on the other hand would be a right nightmare if he was given the amount of freedom I give her!)
 
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I dont let horses eat when being ridden or in a bridle (or head collar unless grazing in hand) but that is because I was Mark Rashid trained!
I don't believe you have been trained. I believe any independent thinking as a horseman has been removed, because without quoting what he does you can't function.
I do like his ideas, have read his books but I do what works for me and my horse at the time. If I decide not to allow something I do not need to have been trained not to!
 
I'd like to let my share stop for a little munch but he is definitely one of those give an inch take a mile chaps. It's probably one of his only vices tbh and he will pull towards anything edible if allowed :rolleyes: Plus I'm not his owner so have to respect his owner's wishes of course. It must be tough for them to see all that temptation, if I saw bars of chocolate everywhere when I was out and about I'm sure I'd struggle to resist :p
 
Done thing or not @joosie it works for you and you're both happy. I'm all having fun and doing what suits you! Lovely horse, I have a soft spot for a grey.

Mine doesn't eat when I hack but she never wants to. She just likes to go forwards,forwards, forwards and that suits me.
 
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Jealous of ypur daylight hacking :)

I purposely let Pete eat on the way home. He's naturally quite bracy but forward thinking and going 'home' really emphasises this & letting him eat helps naturally slow him down, without causing him to brace as he thinks it's a wonderful idea!

I let him eat in his snaffle or his sidepull - he never struggles :D
 
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LOL!
Mine could eat a horse with her bit in:D I trained her however to only munch when I say "brouter" (graze)

Haha, I was thinking of my friend's pony who has a tight flash. If he gets a mouthful of grass he can't chew it and my friend ends up fishing it out of his mouth ...
 
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