Is your horse easy to deal with when Going Across Grass?

In addition to the use rewards that are more valuable than grass when we are training horses to cross it on cue, we use techniques to create the positive habit of crossing grass on cue. If it's available to you, one of the easiest ways to head off the difficulty crossing green grass with your horse, whether in hand or under saddle, is to make sure that your horse has access to plenty of grass on his own time so he doesn't feel deprived. We realize this isn't always possible for a variety of reasons and that other strategies are important to have in our training tool box and as part of our communication with our horses.

The horse in this video is clearly communicating that he wants to go out to the green grass. We make it a habit to let him out to graze freely anytime we can, but purposely only let him out this particular gate when he going out to graze freely. This can be a reward at the end of a training session or simply something we do at random times. Either way, it's very clear to him that the grazing party is on and sets up the habit of grazing in this particular context.  The routine of using this particular gate for this purpose prevents him from thinking he should leave the area when being worked at liberty if we go out of a different gate and also prevents him from feeling deprived and desperately grabbing grass during grooming,  leading or training at liberty or leaving me to graze when we are playing at liberty or riding out. 

There are simple techniques to request and reward horses for walking and riding across grass without eating or pulling or simply refusing to go with their human on a line or at liberty.

• Having liberty leading cues confirmed and also leading on a lead line when not near grass set a strong precedent for training on grass.
• We also use an up cue to ask him to raise his head, just a verbal and a wave of my hand
• and then a graze cue when training isn't occurring or if we want to cue him to graze at any given time within or outside of a session.

This brings a lot of clarity to our relationship and prevents confusion. Plus, it allows grass and grazing to be used as a reward for behaviors well done. After all, asking your horse to walk across green grass might be similar to you walking across a field of $1,000.00 bills!

For more on teaching your horse to go across grass on cue, check out our online course and community and coaching programs and you can both be gorgeously going across grass in no time!