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Pulling Ponies Won’t Quit Grass Grabbing In-Hand
Q: My Miniature Horse pulls on me to graze when I’m leading him. How can I lead him without him eating grass? — Allison, Ohio
A: Miniature Horses and ponies, with their strong and short little necks and incredible food motivation, can be formidable! It doesn’t take too many successful maneuvers for any horse or pony to learn they are stronger than you.
There are a few simple methods of countering the head-down grazing behavior. Rather than trying to pull straight up, pull your horse’s head to the side to turn in a tight circle or engage the hind end into moving by a light tap or swing of the end of the lead rope. Getting the horse to move forward is counter to planting his feet and nose to the ground
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Written by:
Nancy Diehl, VMD, MS
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