Talk to me about anti-grazing devices.

[Yip]

Two Sundays ago when little Molly came and rode, we played folloe-the-leader around the yards. When we got to the front yard, which looks green, Rose put her head down and started grazing many times. I yelled at her, "Heads UP!" and she listened but it didn't keep her from doing it again next time. Molly was fine, but that's a dangerous stunt and it has to stop. If she had been riding Cookie, the same thing could have happened.

What is available to keep the horse's head high enough so she can't graze? Please point me there. I don't even know what they would be called much less what they look like.

I just made a nice pair of sidechecks for longlining. Could I possibly make anti-grazing devices myself?

[TandB]

Why couldn't you use the side checks for riding too??

Driving harnesses have them so the horse doesn't head dive. Rose and Cookie are both smart enough after a couple bumps they won't be doing it again.

[ride4fun]

back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and we were wee tikes with a shetland pony his bridle had an over check with a loop over the saddle horn. I think it was a strap that slipped over the top of the headstall with a loop and it had a conway buckle to adjust the length I don't think it would be hard at all to make one.

[AmberC]

I don't know why you couldn't use the sidechecks or make something similar. Do a search for "anti grazing rein" to see some examples. I know I saw one in a catalog, it snapped to the bit, ran through a ring on the browband )at the cheek area), and I think at that point it snapped to a dee on the saddle. You can adjust it so the horse can still put her head down, just not far enough to graze. You don't want it too short, or it will interfere with balance.

I'd think even plain old side reins would work as long as they weren't short enough to interfere and only came into play if the horse put her head down too far. I did something similar with Sara when I ground drove her. I think she could get her head down to about knee level.

[AmberC]

www.doversaddlery.com/anti-grazingdevice-/p/X1-1243/cn/1679/ I remembered it slightly wrong. Here's the one I was talking about. I'm sure you could make it for way less than $30!

[cathie]

A friend has one that does thie. She takes a tie down and instead of it going to the girth, it goes to the horn of her daughters western saddle.

it works well.
Cathie

[Yip]

No horns for help on my saddles, hehehe.

Thanks for the link with the picture, Amber. That looks almost exactly like what I just made. It is at a slightly different place on my bridles, but that wouldn't make any difference that I see. I attached a loop where the crownpiece, browband, and cheekpieces intersect, and the rein goes through that loop and on down to the bit. I actually just thought of rings I already have that might be better.

I made them to fit Cookie in the surcingle rings. I couldn't figure out a way to make them very adjustable, so my set might not be long enough to use on Rose because her head & neck are so much longer, and she normally rides with a pretty low head. Cookie already knows what hers are for (or against!) and she doesn't approve! It works though. It was so nice for me to not have to keep saying negative things to her - I enjoyed watching her figure it out for herself.

All I need to do is buy a few more little clips and maybe some nice mtn. rope and I'll be all set. I made the *working* set out of whitepolyester rope. I can do better for riding out.

Thanks, everyone! I was wondering if I could use the extra *pieces* from our breastcollar sets. I don't know what else to do with them.

[linda]

Why don't you just put her grazing muzzle on? One of my friends who has a pack string uses one of my old muzzles for a horse that likes to bite the horse in front of him. It works great--and should work great for you as well.

[Yip]

I suppose I could give it a try because it never occurred to me, thanks, Linda. I can't imagine it would fit over her bit and it's pretty heavy.

[Mary Ann]

An anti-grazing rein (that goes over the poll and to the gullet) would work; but I would caution you against riding in side reins. There's only so far laterally that a horse can go in even the loosest ones, and suddenly you have a pulling back activity in their mouths. If you're trying to cultivate an educated mouth, this really messes with it. The anti-grazing rein isn't activated unless the horse's head goes straight down.

The muzzle might not work either, if the horse sticks it's head down and insists on *trying* for grass. The issue is a kid can rarely get their head up again, and they might be stuck on a non-moving, trying-to-graze horse. And again, the weight of the muzzle on the bit, and the difference in how the bit works in their mouths with a thing on their noses, really messes with the educated mouth idea. If the horse isn't particularly highly trained in the mouth and is a little dull there, then it would work. But do remember that it alters one of your primary means of communication.

[RideNSlide]

I agree, MA. I have a hard time with things like anti-grazing reins. God forbid something happens on the trail, your horse falls over or gets stuck in something, it could take away some ability to move. I am the same way with things like tie-downs and martingales on the trail, just too risky for me. If it were me I would probably go with a grazing muzzle, hope that discourages them, and then deal with each separate incident individually. I know it can be bad, Angel is a grass-diver.. she especially likes doing it on our way DOWN a steep ditch with belly-high grass. I just have to rein her up and usually that is followed by a pop on the butt. Its been so long since I took her out on the trail, I will admit I even miss the grass diving LOL.

[Yip]

MA, please tell me more about this overcheck type of device.

I am picturing a single strap that attaches to the browband (how?), , also maybe the crownpiece, runs down the crest, and attaches to the gullet (how?).

Maybe the saddle end needs to branch off into 2 with clips on each to attach to the front Ds?

I could use flat nylon webbing to make that type, and would be able to incorporate a slider-thingy for lots of adjustment.

I do like that idea better - not attached to the bit and doesn't engave till it's needed.

[Yip]

Oh, and just a PS -
The kids would be riding either in the *op* or out in the open grass - no trails, if that makes any difference.

[Jenni]

You attach the strap to the top center of the crown piece of the headstall then run it down the crest through the mane. Make a loop in the headstall end of the webbing that buckles for easy on/off. Keep it on the top of the crest by including it in a couple of ponytails or braids in her mane. Then attach it to the saddle. I'd envision a strap that goes from the dee on one side to the other and this piece attaching to the center of that.

We do this with twine at the riding stable I work at with some of the horses. The best kids horses often develop the habit of going into the field and grazing since they quickly learn the kid isn't strong enough to pull their heads up. So we take a chunk of twine and attach it to the headstall and run it up to the saddle horn at a length that allows them to have their head in a normal position but not lower. Usually it doesn't have to be done every time, just occasional reminders if they start getting bad. It works until the corn along the trail gets tall enough to eat at normal head position, LOL.

[RideNSlide]

OK Yip... sorry, I am just a worry wart lol. I would be interested to hear your experience with an anti-grazing device that doesn't attach to the bit. Someone needs to post a picture of this device!