How to stop your pony snatching at grass

Does your pony stop and eat grass when you lead him in from the field or past a particularly tasty patch? This super-annoying habit can be really frustrating, plus it can hurt your hands if your pony pulls hard enough! So, if this habit’s one he could do with shifting, check out our quick guide to solving it.

Lead the way

To teach your pony to be more polite to lead, start in an enclosed area, such as the yard…

1. Put a bridle on your pony and threat a leadrope through the bit rings, clipping it to the off side, to give you extra control.
2. Start by walking him up and down the yard, stopping and turning every so often to make sure he’s listening. Praise him with whenever he does what you ask.
3. When you’re ready, ask a friend to carry a bucket down the yard near you while you walk. Distract your pony from the bucket using your voice and a treat if needed – give him the reward if he stays focused on you.
4. Build up to your friend coming closer with the bucket until your pony ignores them in favour of you and the treats you have.

TOP TIP

Make sure your pony’s getting enough to eat and isn’t super-hungry because this will make fresh grass more tempting! Remember, he needs at least 1.5% of his bodyweight in forage every day.

TOP TIP

Don’t be tempted to wrap the leadrope around your hand to stop your pony because this can injure your fingers if he pulls really hard!

Up the difficulty

When you’re ready, work up to doing the same thing on the way to the field – praising your pony and keeping his attention on you as you pass the areas he usually pulls you towards. Keep up the good work and try to reward him as often as possible so he feels positive about doing the right thing and wants to stay with you rather than eat the grass.

TOP TIP

Always wear a helmet, gloves and sturdy boots when doing groundwork with your pony.

TOP TIP

If your pony’s a good-doer, pony nuts or low-calorie balancer pellets are great alternatives to treats if they’re tempting enough for him.