nose diving for grass!

Ok so when I walk my horse in from the pasture, like a lot of horses, my horse nose dives for grass! He lifts his head up once I ask him, but its pretty annoying when he does it everytime he sees his fav plant. He also does this when I ride. I no this is a pretty common prob, but I really would like to get it fixed before I start trail riding. I was also wondering what a good way is to teach ur horse to ground tie. PLEASE HELP! Thanks so much!

I found these two websites that may help with ground tying your horse. As for diveing for grass I think you need to keep his mind busy so he doesn't think about the grass (easier said then done,eh?). So when you think he's going to go for that piece of grass or whatever ask him to move or to bend at the pole anything just to redirect his attention. Hope some of this helps a little.

Training ~ Ground Tying
Ground Tie Your Horse

Under saddle, if my horse reaches for grass, she gets a firm "no" and I ask for forward motion. If I ask her to keep her feet moving, she can't graze, and she soon realizes that she doesn't get to graze while she's resting - or walking - because I'm going to ask her to move out.

Walking on a lead, I again will give a firm "no" and keep walking. If you stop every time your horse stops, you are telling him that when he wants to eat, you stop. Just keep moving, and tell him no. It might even help to jog - he'll be taken aback by the change in pace and it will shift his attention back on you. It also, again, sends the message that grazing, instead of listening to you, will only result in more work.

While leading: Put a feel on the halter (I suggest you get a rope halter), kiss to him once, wait a second, then flick him under the flank or on the sheath. Not hard, just enough to cause a reaction. Then walk as if nothing happened. Soon he will stop that altogether.

While riding: Don't yank on his head. Simply ask him to trot off. Simple and very effective. Each time he tries to eat increase the speed of which you ask for the trot by a little bit.

When our horses dive for grass, for example when I am shutting the gate, so I have my hands full, I bump their nose with the toe of my boot. As long as you are consistent and never let them eat grass they get out of the habit quickly if you do that. I try not to let them see the boot coming, do it fast, so they kind of think there is a boot in the grass. Now they both stand patiently while I latch the gate.

OMG GUYS thanks SO MUCH! Those remedies seem so easy! (we will see) im goin to the barn tomorro and will start that immediately! Thanks agin but if any of you guys have more advice please post! :)

You can also grab one rein (when he nose dives under saddle) and bend him away from the grass; sometimes with super stubborn horses, simply asking them to move foward isn't enough...I prefer to pick up a rein and ask him to move away from the grass, then put him to work more, if necessary.

I'm actually having this issue with my 2 year old. She just seems to think she can yank me wherever she pleases. I've taken to jangling the lead shank (it's a standard poly lead with the large metal clip, attached to a halter that has the additional ring on the bottom) so that the metal clip pops her in the bottom of the jaw. If she still wants to yank me around, I give her one or two sharp jerks on the leadrope and then make her back up.

However, this is a method that works with my horse. She's very "unsensitive" and will ignore mild forms of reminder that she's supposed to be listening to me. It's not a method I'd use on my Arab for example since she has an extremely sensitive face. Haha, I'm not quite sure what I'd do if my Arab tried, she's smarter then to attempt it She's voice activated to move forward to a clicking noise (like you'd use to ask a horse to move forward in the saddle), which is how I like my horses because even if I'm hand grazing her all I have to do is click to ask her to walk off with me and she does without hesitation.

My best advice would be to make sure you anticipate it. Don't let him get his head to the grass, reprimand him as he's yanking you away so that it just doesn't become worth it to try.

As others have said, consistancy is the key. You decide when (if ever) they are allowed, and they will learn quickly. Until they are trained the way you want, keep them on a short lead while walking and (as mentioned) anticipate when riding....it's much harder to correct them if you let their head reach the grass and they'll still have the idea that they can grab a quick bite when they want.

I can't wait to try all of this! :)