tacking up with haynet available??

Mr Ed

Mr Ed

Active Member
Mar 1, 2009
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Hi, as some of you know, I got my new horse on Wed - Ed - he's lovely and we're extremely pleased with him. He is a full-up 14.2 welsh section D. A beautiful boy in lovely condition. He is an experienced allrounder suitable for the more novice rider through to the more competitive.....

His only downside is is stomach :) The sight of lush grass or is evening bowl of happy hoof and carrots makes him a little strong and bolshy. Nothing nasty, it's just greed.

Each time I tack him up, we tend to do it while he is chomping at his haynet, as this keeps him focused on that rather than what I am doing. In fact, I have not yet tied him up at all with out food!! The only problem is I can groom to my hearts content and put on the saddle, but when I try and put on the bridle he is more interested in the haynet and tends to have a mouth full!

I am wondering if it ok to always have the haynet, or if I should make sure he gets used to being tied up and tacked up without food??
 
I often tack up with a haynet available - espeically if we're riding when others are being fed. Like you it stops pony being bolshy. Yes he does always take a big mouthful when he sees the bridle approaching but I've taken to putting it on anyway and letting him sort his own mouthful out. Otherwise we got into this game about "I see the bridle" "I take a mouthful" "Bridle goes away".
 
Yes, I'd start tying him for a few minutes at a time without food. If you have a stable you could do all the grooming and tacking up inside it, without tying at all ? I find that a lot easier.
 
I always tack up with a haynet. I have taught them that when I put the reins over head & undo the headcollar, they are to take one step toward me, away from net (my hand on their nose). They finish their mouthful and then I pop on the bridle and they tend not to try to eat again. With Lance wasa bit difficult as he's very food motivated, but I've found that he's a delight to play with clicker training and learns quickly.
 
I tend to have a haynet in winter but take it away in spring.

In winter she has her haynet right up until I pop the saddle on. I them take it away as this gives her time to clear her gobful of hay :rolleyes:

Then as time goes you can work on having the hay there for less and less of the time. Whilst I like a distraction (I used to use it as this as my mare never liked being tied or coming in the barn) and realise it can be useful I'd far rather my horses can deal with periods of inactivity with manners.
 
Always tack up with a haynet as it keeps him still. Then I fling it over the other side of the door (ring near door), to let him finish mouthful and then put bridle on quick and off we go.

I have to use sidereins or daisyrein to stop him diving for grass when we are out as my wrists, elbows and shoulders dislocate due to health issue. This is a brilliant way to stop them tugging you around in spring. I usually can do away with it later in the summer when there is enough in his field again.

Laminitus pony vs. rider and grass!
 
Thanks everyone! I've only had him since Wed - tacked up 5 times so far!!

Sounds like I dont need to worry too much about letting him have a haynet - seems quite common. I just need to get better at getting the bit in his mouth. He's a good boy, but he is big and strong and driven by his stomach - my somewhat lack of experience probably doesnt help as I am a first-time owner !

Thanks again.
 
I often tack up when my horse is occupied by his salt lick. I wasn't sure whether this was a good idea but I checked with the more experienced people on my yard who said that it would not do him any harm. He can be quite bolshy and the salt lick does wonders to keep him calm. I do feel a bit like I'm cheating though - as if I should be getting him to behave without his dummy! When I went to see him before buying him, he was munching on hay whilst been tacked up - thereby masking his rude manners!!!
 
The best thing I ever did was to teach Joy a cue to lower head head and then combine that with asking her to turn her head slightly towards me. She is expected to do this when having her headcollar on and being bridled. If she thinks she'll get away with it she won't do it. She'll now also accept the bit when presented without the need to insert a finger :)

The head lowering cue is great for so many other situations too and I'd recommend it to everyone.
 
Glad to hear you are getting on so well. I tie my girl up with a haynet most of the time, she is almost 2 and I have to say a bit of a fidget when tied up.

You just have to be firm with him, let him munch to his hearts content when you are grooming etc., or when it suits you. But when you want him to
take a step back to put bridle on etc., make him do it, start as you mean
to go on, he isn't a Youngster, so probably knows his stuff, bless, and is
MAYBE just 'testing the Water', lol.


He IS a Welshie, they KNOW how to 'test the water':p

If he is being a bit strong/bolshy, on way to or from field, carry a schooling whip and when he pulls to get his head down give him a little tap, AS AN
AID, as though you are riding him, and tell him to walk on, then make sure HE DOES.

You can't blame him, lol, shows how intelligent these animals are, he is just seeing what he can get away with.........ANOTHER trait of the Welshie me
thinks:p

You will get there, lets be fair, many a Horse Owner has had far far worse with a new Horse, lol.
 
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I am going to disagree!
I think that horses should learn to be tied up, groomed and tacked up as a matter of routine not with a treat for doing what they are told. They spend the other 22 hours of the day doing as they please and when they are working they should be getting on with doing what you want them to. We have one pony who was totally food obsessed when we got her and was very pushy. This sort of behaviour can be dangerous for the handler as even the smallest pony is a good deal stronger than any person. I know they seem cute and you want to give them something but you aren't doing yourself any favours in the long run. It took us a year to make her realise that life was not all about food and getting her own way. She now behaves safely and calmly when at work.
Its like giving your child a treat (that you haven't yet paid for, which is as good as stealing) in the supermarket so they behave whilst you are doing the shopping. Although it makes your life easier for a moment it doesn't teach them anything in the long run except that bad behaviour will be rewarded.
 
I suggest taking it away, maybe try polos as easier to get the bit in without a huge mouthful of hay! I did this yesterday with Beau as he can be a bit of a s*d accepting the bit. It was a happy moment for both of us! Hint-tried a mate's idea of fluoride toothpaste on the sarcoid lookalike on his armpit and then sqeezed a bit on my hand: was licked off and the bit went in no bother-tiny amount, as I'm not sure that toothpaste is ideal for ponies!
 
i tack up without - i dont like him having hay in his mouth when bridled, and i dont let him eat at all with it on. No matter hw many people tell me its ok - having untacked 2 hours later to find hay or grass wound round the bit still - i cant believe this doesnt affect the feel of the bit or your aids... i also dont like him to have stuffed himself just before i ride either...
 
all of mine stand untied and have no hay while i tack them up, however i usually tack up outside as its easier for me than trying to get my guys through all the chickens that live out side the stables. mine have all learnt that they have to stand and wait to be tacked up and never have hay whlle bridaling as hay can get caught around the bit and tounge and has been known to cut the tounge as well, so would definatly take the hay net away when your ready to tack up.
i did tether archie as it was something he has never done before and had no manners, and did not listen to anything i asked when he first arrived. seven weeks later he will stand while been groomed feet picked out and tacked up.
so glad he has settled in well for you poppy, hows your daughter after the downpour session, hope it hasnt nocked her confidence
 
I don't think that giving a haynet when you tack up is a major issue, but needing to give a haynet in order to tack up is ;) Partly because, what do you do if for some reason you can't give a haynet? Do you not ride, despite the fact that your horse has been out in the field eating all day?

I personally want my horses to stand quietly when they're tied up, whether they have something to eat or not. And whilst they are tied up, I expect to be able to do whatever I want without bribery. On occasions I will use food as a distraction, but that's generally for one-offs like freezemarking. For something that I'm doing on a regular basis, particularly something I am doing on a daily basis, I just expect good manners. If I say stand, I mean stand and we will be there until I get stand!!! Takes more time in the short term, but it pays off hugely in the long term.
 
My lad is a foodie as well,but I don't usually now,let him have a haynet when tied up.Sometimes I do if I'm going to be faffing for a while,or I'm riding in the morning straight from the stable,as he might have been stood for a while without food,but if possible I don't give him one.

Just a personal preference,but I do believe it's important for them to learn to be tied up without food,so I am trying to get my lad used to it without having to fidget for England:rolleyes:

Not saying you shouldn't give him a net BTW,is just my personal choice as I think they should be able to do without as one day they might need to for whatever reason and is nice to know they can stand quietly without the distraction of food,difficult for a greedy pone though I agree;):p
 
for me it depends WHY they are being tied up - ruby gets a haynet for clipping cos its long time to stand still & it keeps her occupied but for everyday tasks - grooming/tacking up/rugging etc i pretty much expect them to stand quietly and by & large they do - when we moved on sat - the trailer was very late - both girls were tied up & waited mostly patiently for nearly an hour [they were fussed & given the odd polo to break up the monotony] - the worry about any horse "needing" a haynet to be tacked up is what you do if you are tacking up somewhere else or suddenly have no access to the haynet
 
Thanks everyone. I think I find it easer at the moment if he has a haynet, as I am a first-time owner and things take me a long time!! Also, it means I can be a little more relaxed grooming him and putting on his saddle.

But, I do see the point that if he is tied up for a short-time only he should do it without food. I will work towards this as I get more confident (only owned him for 5/6 days).

Today, as a compromise, I let him have a haynet while I did his feet, gave him a quick groom and put on the saddle, then we took the net away while I put on the bridle (something I am not particuarly good at!) and gave it back to him once done!

Thanks again - I can see where I need to go, it's just building up the confidence to achieve it all...
 
Exactly, as you say you are taking a 'little more time' to do things at the moment than maybe someone else would and this is working for you.

Gradually as you get to 'know' your Horse and your confidence builds YOU will be able to 'make the decision' as to IF he has a haynet or not and When he has it.

I would agree with what someone else has said in that basically a haynet does no real harm if you choose to give it, or if he is going to be stood for any length of time, but don't let it get to the point that you 'need it or any other titbits' to do anything, if that makes sense.

Few weeks down the line as your relationship with your Horse develops and you become a dab hand at putting this bridle on you
will be wondering what you were worrying about;)
 
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