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Is there anything worse than when your horse resolutely decides that "I must have that tuft of grass!" – with a bit in its mouth? Some even believe that the horse is at risk of choking on the grass because of the bit; however, we haven't been able to find any examples of this. Regardless, we can agree that the combination of grass and a bit in the mouth isn't good, as the horse's mouth isn't designed for it. Therefore, here are three different tips on what you can do to avoid it.
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It's well known that a horse's teeth are made for eating and not for holding a bit in the mouth. Yet, our horses have learned to accept us putting a bit in their mouths in an attempt to communicate with them. But we should also remember that the horse's mouth is very sensitive.
The horse's incisors are designed to tear long grass, while the molars are for chewing it up before swallowing. When the horse chews with its molars, the bit will obviously be in the way, and it can damage teeth, tongue, and gums.
Kilde: VCA Animal Hospital: Equine Dentistry.
Most would probably agree that this is a real bad habit. Usually, the horse's desire for grass results from it winning the battle to grab grass tufts at the edge of the riding arena or on the way in from the paddock too often. And as we know, it doesn’t take many times before the horse thinks, "I'll just do that!" – even though there is a person at the other end.
If you really want to solve this problem, and if you have a horse where you can't just do something we've described below, then there is only one thing to do: Never let your horse eat grass when you're leading it or sitting on it, whether it's wearing a bridle or not. Otherwise, it will get used to the idea that it's a possibility, and then you'll struggle with it for the rest of its life. Whether you want to do that is, of course, entirely your choice.
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If the horse has already put its head down to reach the delicious grass with a bit, then it's a natural reaction for us horse owners to do everything we can to get it away. This often results in a hard tug on the horse's bit, which we may know is not good, but we do because we don't know what else to do. To get the horse to release the grass, you can try one of the following things...
Poke the horse on the rump with a whip or give it a push with a flat hand. It works just like when riding: You need to put energy into the horse from behind to get it to yield in front. At the same time, it's important that you move forward yourself, and that you look up and not down at the horse – so it understands the signal best. The horse should think, "Oh, now she's moving on." This applies whether you are standing next to it or sitting on it.
If that doesn't work, you can try to shake the rein lightly until the horse finds it so annoying or attention-grabbing that it lifts its head. You must not jerk the horse in the mouth, but it should just get a feeling that something is happening. Essentially, it's the same thing you do when you accidentally pull the horse in the mouth to get it away from the grass – this is just much milder for its mouth, but has the same effect. This also applies whether you're sitting on the horse or standing next to it.
Read also: Do you speak baby talk to your horse? It actually likes it
If you're sitting on the horse, you can also choose to give it three slow pats on the shoulder. Like the shake of the rein, this will make the horse think that something is happening, something it needs to pay attention to – something more important than the grass.
The goal is for us as riders to be more interesting to the horse than the grass
Micaela Love, trainer in horsemanship.
The advice comes from a trainer in horsemanship inspired by the legendary Pat Parelli, the founder of 'natural horsemanship'. In the video below, you can see how Micaela Love performs all the exercises.
Of course, we understand if you find it a bit cozy to graze with your horse or let it have a little while you're out for a walk. If that's how you feel, fortunately, there is a way to do it without the bit getting in the way. But remember: You can't avoid the horse occasionally trying to grab some grass without permission – and then for heaven's sake, remember the methods in tip number 2 and never just yank on the rein.
Do it like this...
