Do you catch your horse using titbits?

[Chinchilla]

Do you catch your horse using titbits?

 

[Limbo1]

Try no to as makes the pony nippy but my mare can be a pain to catch so sometimes have to resort to it.

 

[wills_91]

No, never. My horse gets really nippy with titbits she never gets anything by hand.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Do you catch your horse using titbits?

some times yes sometimes no, depends how I feel as none of mine are hard to catch so tibits are not needed.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

He doesn't need titbits to be caught but he gets them anyway.

 

[Follysmum]

I always give mine a carrot to be caught , none of them are nippy as they know they only get the one .

 

[Feival]

I'm pretty lucky that mine come to call. They sometimes get treats other times they don't.

 

[GirlFriday]

Have never done this (partly because would never have thought of, partly because herd turn out) but have always treated as I wish at other times.

Have (once) used a rattly bucket to help catch a loose horse with access to a road. But would have tried pretty much anything on those circs!

 

[Britestar]

I have no choice because he's impossible without. Lucky he's not at all nippy. I use them like a carrot on a stick lure to catch and make him walk in.

 

[milliepops]

He doesn't need titbits to be caught but he gets them anyway.

This ^^

 

[blitznbobs]

some times ... depends if I've got some in my jacket ... TBhI love being mugged for treats (this makes me a bad person I know)

 

[Hoof_Prints]

I usually give them a treat once the headcollars are on. They now come running up as they know being caught = treats, but they were easy to catch before that. I just like to reward them for being good and not making me chase them for 2 hours! I have had a couple who were a nightmare to catch

 

[vmac66]

Don't need them to catch but do use them for training x

 

[doodle]

Robin is easy to catch but he does tend to get a treat when he comes over.

 

[rara007]

Nope!

 

[rachk89]

God no. He's bad enough about food, I don't encourage that attitude. Not that he requires any encouragement.

 

[Chinchilla]

Okay so....OP here.

I'll phrase it differently
Does using treats to catch make you a bad owner/rider? What do you think?

Thanks x

 

[nikkimariet]

He doesn't need titbits to be caught but he gets them anyway.

This.

They get a sweetie when caught, and before/after being worked. That's it. And leftover carrots or apples etc go in their feed buckets, not by hand.

 

[skint1]

Mine usually walks over to me, I do usually have a treat for him but if I don't he doesn't get humpy about it. He's not nippy or bargey either, I'm lucky

 

[claret09]

my boy has lots of treats and he isn't in the slightest bit nippy. he always has a treat when I turn him out - it encourages him not to gallop off like a Lune, he has treats when I catch him - why not he is a good boy - I can catch him even if he has only been out for 10 mins if necessary - I always think about what's in it for them to come to you. he has a treat when I tack him up and when he has finished. he gets fed in the morning so he has a treat when I get there because I always used to feed him and now I don't. without fail he has treats when I leave - generally carrots and at least a packet of mints. he also gets them at random times during the day just because and no I have never had a single problem doing this. he is very spoilt but so what.

 

[JennBags]

Okay so....OP here.

I'll phrase it differently
Does using treats to catch make you a bad owner/rider? What do you think?

Thanks x

I don't see how one's method of catching a horse relates to one's riding ability!

In terms of whether you are training your horse into bad behaviour, that depends on the horse. If you have a bargy, nippy horse then giving it treats probably isn't the best method of catching. I always treat my horses, but not out of the hand if they start becoming demanding or nippy.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

No, DP canters over as soon as he sees me and Bailey ambles over at a much slower pace because he knows he is nr2 in the pecking order and there's no need to rush.

 

[Gloi]

Always catch my oldie with titbits. He comes anyway but he gets spoilt rotten. Takes them ever so politely, never been nippy or mouthy and he's been getting them for 25 years.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My grey, for some reason, known only unto her, likes to test me about once every six months. Normally she runs over to me, but if she's having a contrary day, she'll give me a 'horse catching challenge'. She actually gives up pretty easily but if I *need* her in promptly, eg the vet is coming, I take a treat. She's so greedy that she cannot resist.

I don't think that makes me a bad owner, I like to think that I've outfoxed her, but I'm sure that she'll think of a new trick to scupper me one day.

 

[Fiona]

Hubby's grey mare had home a bit feral since turned out 24/7 so at the moment we are using polo's to catch her. Son's pony in a different field doesn't get treats as he starts to nip...

Fiona

 

[rachk89]

Okay so....OP here.

I'll phrase it differently
Does using treats to catch make you a bad owner/rider? What do you think?

Thanks x

I wouldn't say it make you a bad owner at all. Some horses are more difficult to catch than others. I spent 5-10 min following a horse around a field once with a bag of turnip to catch it.

Mine is shockingly easy it's one of his few good points. He will generally come over when called too, but he is always thinking of his stomach. He doesn't bite though, he is gentle but he is so greedy. My mum likes to give him treats though for any little thing, which I do tell her no. I think he only comes over because he knows the end result of being caught will be he gets fed at some point.

 

[scats]

I don't, because it makes the Diva a bit mouthy and she starts to expect it.

 

[spugs]

One of mine doesn't have treats to catch as she's always really good but I have used them when teaching her to stand at the mounting block. My other pony is an absolute sod to catch and without food I have no chance!

 

[Sparemare]

Mine are always desperate to come in. All the horses here hang around the gates in the hope that someone will take pity on them and bring them up to the yard for a feed. They would call to the dog if they thought he could put a head collar on them. So no. Don't treat them as no need.

 

[JJS]

All of mine are perfectly good to catch and generally come to call, but all except my cushings pony still get a carrot or slice of bread each day in the field. None of them are rude, nippy, or bargey, and it makes me happy to treat them, so why not?