grazing with the bit: Yay or Nay?

[asb_own_me]

I don't allow it.

[joiedevie99]

Nope. I don't need any coughing, unhappy horses when grass gets wadded up around the bit. I do keep sugar cubes in my pocket, and those are the only things the horses are allowed with a bridle on. They dissolve fast enough that they could never cause any trouble, regardless of whether or not they get swallowed, or if they get stuck on the bit.

[Ready2Ride]

thank you for all of your opinions and reasons! Exactly what I was wanting to hear. I don't want to "ruin" my mare unknowingly or do anything that could be dangerous in some way, but also want to keep her content and happy. I will probably still allow her to graze with the bit very very rarely, but try not to make a habit of it or let it happen as often as I have been recently.

[katarine]

Ready just teach her a cue. Then it's your decision to cue her to eat. This mess about getting dragged off to eat? That's a come to Jesus meeting in my world if a polite check doesn't get it. The only place anyone drags me...is Montana

[Beverley]

I allow mine to graze with bit on, when I give permission. On an all day trail ride when we're taking a short rest break, they can use the feed. They wait for my cue. My gelding did, not too long ago, get himself quite a wad that he worked at for an hour- every now and then I'd pull a few strands out to see if that would help him, but the wad was pretty thoroughly around the bit- nevertheless he enjoyed slobbering on it til we got back to the barn. Whether they graze or not, the bit's gonna get dirty- I rinse and wipe mine after each ride.

[Amwrider]

Mine do not graze with a bridle on, I have lesson horses that try and a couple that are pretty annoying about it when they have an inexperienced rider on in a lesson.

It is work time, I don't want to have to clean the green gunk off bits and the rein buckles, and it can be dangerous if an inezperienced rider lets the horse step on or through the rein while the horse is grazing, or if the martingale neck strap slides up to the horse's poll ----a lot of equipment the horse can step on or through.

I will never forget the day I was at a local show that had some speed events. A young barrel racer was letting her appy pony graze and the pony somehow got a leg through the tiedown then picked its head up, panicked and flipped over on the girl. Fortunately the bridle broke and everyone was OK except for a bloody mouth on the horse.

[Roan]

Grazing -- definitely no.
Treats -- definitely yes.

At the Spanish Riding School the rule is that the noseband has to be loose enough for a horse to accept and eat sugar cubes. Never any tighter.

Works for me, but I feed my own special home-made peppermint cookies instead.


Eileen

[Saidapal]

No grazing. I'll give them a treat at the beginning/end of a ride, but I don't encourage grazing with a bridle on. Nothing annoys me more than walking down the trail and having the horse act like he's starving and grabbing at any and everything. They all have a nice grassy pasture they spend 24/7 in. They can behave the 1-2 hours they are with me. Bridle/halter goes on I expect them pay attention to me, not the greenery around them.

[Bluey]

Old cowboys would let their very young horses eat here and there, as they thought it relaxed them.

We mostly used our homemade hackamores, the nose part an old grass rope, so we could let our horses graze some when we stopped.
We had certain spots in our pastures, when we rode checking fence and water, where the horses knew we may let them graze some.
They loved it in the spring, when those were the first places to grow some green grass.

Since our horses have always been pastured where they have all the grass they want, they are not starved for grazing and so can take it or leave it, but it is a good way to relax one while we let them have a little breather.
Some times we get off, some times we let them eat a little bit and then ride off, like in these pictures with an elderly friend and the older ranch horse she rode when she came by:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a2...g?t=1250687001

There are many disadvantages to letting horses graze while being used, but done carefully, with the rider paying attention so the horse may not step on the reins, you can take those chances if you so wish.

Now, some beginners on trail rides may let the horse become a pest about reaching around to grab a bite and that is definitively something no one wants.

[Come Shine]

I am certainly in the minority here. My horses all graze with their bridles on. The jumper looks particularly funny when she has a hayseed between her teeth as we stroll along the trail for a hack. I know this drives a lot of people crazy but, hey, so does the fact I hand feed treats.

[make x it x so]

I never, ever, ever let my horse graze at shows. You never know what's walked or snotted there or what disease it might have been carrying. There's enough chances for a horse to pick up germs at public gathering without letting him go around scarffing them up

I'm assuming you go to multi-day shows where there's a stall and hay available, because if I didn't let my horse eat grass at one-day shows he'd have a breakdown. I think it's unfair to ask him to stand still waiting for a class and not let him eat and relax a little. He doesn't stand on the trailer, so even if my classes are late in the day, I have to take him down pretty early. I don't usually let him eat with the bit in because he gets it slimy enough just because he ate some grass BEFORE I put it in.

[rabicon]

When I first got my one horse he had a bad habit of wanting to stop and eat. If you jumped one jump he wanted to run to the grass and get a bite for a reward. So I actually stopped that quickly. Then when he finally had that figured out I introduced him to me saying yes you can eat. When I stop and put my hand up his neck he knows he can eat. If I stop and don't lean over and touch his neck he knows that he is not allowed to. We trail alot with nice pastures so we like to stop and take a break and let them graze so I taught him that he can eat when I say so.

[circusponydreams]

Nay nay nay! One of those Pony Club rules that I just can't let go. At shows, I'll handgraze him in a halter if we have a break. Horsey knows the rules, but he'll grab a bite every once in awhile and I swear he goes while I go .

[kookicat]

Yep, if we're hacking. No if we're schooling. Helps keep Asp chilled if she can nibble some grass.

[Mags]

I allow mine to graze with bit on, when I give permission. On an all day trail ride when we're taking a short rest break

I'm with you Beverley, If we don't cross a stream were my horse can get a drink I'll let him have a mouth full when we stop for a breather. I also clean the bit after every ride. I dirty bit is a pet peeve of mine

[lauriep]

Nope. Never.

[Alagirl]

depends on the horse...I tried to rinse the bit after every ride anyhow (kinda like a tooth brush, yucky to leave the gunk on before putting it up...)

However, it can lead to some serious bad habits. And for the wee ones dangerous. But it's - for most parts - not something I am anal about.

[fernie fox]

The first 50 years of my horse life,never absolutely NEVER, the last few years,no longer showing.

Yes,,,even out hunting,my horse is noshing at most checks.

Unless there is a handsome young man I am trying to talk to.

[Bluey]

When I first got my one horse he had a bad habit of wanting to stop and eat. If you jumped one jump he wanted to run to the grass and get a bite for a reward. So I actually stopped that quickly. Then when he finally had that figured out I introduced him to me saying yes you can eat. When I stop and put my hand up his neck he knows he can eat. If I stop and don't lean over and touch his neck he knows that he is not allowed to. We trail alot with nice pastures so we like to stop and take a break and let them graze so I taught him that he can eat when I say so.

That is what we do.
When we stop and lean and put a hand on the neck and say "eat", they do, but the rider has to keep paying attention, not forget and let the horse get in trouble or have something scare it.
Eating while on a quick stop is ok, just don't overdo it, of course, where the horse thinks it is entitled to eating as it wishes with someone on board.

[JackandMo]

My QH is AWFUL about wanting to graze in "work mode." I've had him for 7 years and my mom owned him before me. I know neither of us have allowed him to do, but he does obsess.

It's frustrating because he's used in a lesson program for very young, beginner riders and he will take advantage of them all.

When my daughter rides, she carries a crop to keep his attention.

I'm voting NO!