How to Stop Your Horse Pulling for Grass Using Clicker Training | The Bucket Exercise

Training on or around grass can be really hard, especially when we want to train softly, with cooperation, and give our horses as much choice as possible. But, with a positive and systematic approach, it can be done!
This video covers the Bucket Exercise, which is the first step to train your horse not to pull for grass. This is done in an arena or grass-free area so that you can control the environment to help your horse learn the cues and begin to feel relaxed and confident about leaving free food and listening to you instead.
As always, we start with easy lessons to establish the cues and behaviour and then progressively make the situation more challenging as we progress.
You can learn about the next stages including moving onto grass and transferring the training to when you're riding in the CT Club.
🐴This was filmed at Hope Pastures rescue centre. As a charity, they are struggling during this time as they've had to cancel most of their fundraising events. Please consider helping them out by sending a donation to help them feed, care and rehabilitate rescued ponies like Rafael: www.hopepastur...
➣The CT Club is an online membership site where you can get access to hundreds of step-by-step training videos on training your horse using positive reinforcement, both on the ground and for riding. You can see ALL the steps for grass training, including following the progress of our very grass-motivated Highland pony with a good knack for pulling you to the grass as we taught her to softly leave the grass when we ask both on the ground and ridden in a bitless bridle.
You can find out more and sign up here: connectiontrai...
We look forward to seeing you there :-)
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Get it on Amazon (search for 'Connection Training') or download Chapter 1 free here: connectiontrai... for a preview 👀
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[@HouseMD-wg8xo]

Thank you so much! I've been really struggling with my guy with putting his head down to grass alongside the path when i'm leading him up, and I really didn't want to yank him around all the time. This will be really helpful to work on!

[@yphonademontaigne3567]

This will be so helpful, thank you Hannah 😊

[@kathrynsmith3345]

What do you use for horse treats when you're training?

[@ConnectionTraining]

I use the healthiest, plainest treats my horse will eat! I usually use plain grass or alfalfa pellets. I'll add in some bits of carrot or apple or maybe even some pasture mix if I need a bit more motivation or want an extra special reward (especially when starting to work on grass), but mostly it's low energy, high fibre feed which is healthy for them, means I don't need to worry about overfeeding as it's equivalent to grass or hay and it helps to keep them calm about the food, too.

[@cryswhite9004]

@@ConnectionTraining my mammoth donkey loves celery!

[@susangoddard9257]

How do you stop the pony mugging you once they know where the treats are coming from?

[@emilycarr1644]

Normally that's the first thing you teach when introducing your horse to clicker training. If the horse starts to mug back away and don't feed them, when their head turns away from you and is straight and still you would click and reward for position. pretty soon the horse learns that mugging wont work and will offer other behaviors you can reward instead. Once they realize it doesn't work they normally dont have an issue with mugging again. Consistency is key.