Do you feed treats?

do you feed your horse treats?

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Yes we feed our Welsh Cobs treats after work and always take a carrot into the field when catching one of them, saves them walking away and then chasing them around the field, the are normally very good and this saves running back to the yard to get a carrot if you have one already in your pocket....

My Welsh cob brute, can be a real thug at times but I can get him to eat an apple in 4 pieces without any danger of losing a finger... my daughters pony who is very polite and sweet nature will take your fingers off if you are not careful.... i think it depends on the horse and we always reward after work....

The kids can go a bit mad with treats but there have been no adverse reactions....

dizz4
 
Mine will get a treat as a reward now and again, from my hand. None of them are bargy or bite/nip. I do not, however, believe in feeding treats in the field.
 
I give my boy a polo when catching and turning out. He could be difficult to catch when I first got him so a treat encourages him to come to me and the turn out one (hopefully) leaves him with a good memory. He never tries to nip or get pushy about it and accepts on the few occasions I haven't got a polo on me. I never treat anybody else's animal.

Jane
 
yes:

whisper: always gets a treat of some sort when i catch her, and usualy save one for when she gets turned back out. she is very mannerly, and ive never had a problem with her nipping me or anybody else. when you go to turn her out she waits patiently for her treat and gives you a wee whiker in anticipation! saying that she isn't dissapointed if she only gets a pat and a kiss on the nose instead!

Tego: yes i give her a treat when she is caught, as she was a bit funny to catch when we first bought her. usualy gets one when turned back out again. she too is well mannered and has never nipped.

willow: doesnt realy understand eating out of my hand yet! :p
 
I've never had any problems feeding horses treats from my hand; one just needs to avoid training unwanted behaviours. Treating randomly - i.e. not as a specific reward for some action (or attitude) just performed - can be problemmatic because one is rewarding who-knows-what behaviour! So it's essential always to be mindful of the likely effects of any rewards (or punishers) you give to a horse, even if you're feeding treats just to express general approval and/or affection.

Having said that, there are probably some horses that have temperaments incompatible with hand feeding treats - or rather, there are horses where you'd need to be super-careful of when and how you did it because the risk of creating nuisance behaviour is so great. The completely safe option is not to hand-feed at all, but the downside is that you may be missing out on the opportunity to reinforce good behaviour.
 
I've always fed my mare treats. She nips or demands, she doesn't get any, they soon learn what's acceptable.

It's nice to be able to turn out, even if other horses are galloping about like loons and have a horse that turns, drops her head for me to put a fly mask on, then waits her turn out treat and pat before going off to play...

Have also used them to reward good behaviour - standing still to be mounted, standing still to be clipped etc etc.

I don't give her a treat when I get to the yard, just when I leave, she expects it but is not at all bargy or pushy.

So I think for me and my mare its been positive.
 
Fany yes, she never becomes nippy or pushy. Cappy no, he starts searching, pushing and nipping if fed even once from hand. He has a treat ball and has a few treats in his bucket.
FDC
 
Depends on the horse. I do give my current horse treats by hand - he is far too polite to turn into a biter or jacket-burrower. But I didnt give treats by hand to my last horse who could nip or bully for food - I'd put them on the floor. I think it very much depends on their temperament, but generally I wouldn't feed by hand to any food-obsessed horses.
 
I do feed my three treats by hand, when they have done something useful. I do think you have to more careful with boys, though, particularly colts and stallions who are more inclined to nippyness (mine are all girls).
S :D
 
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I am FOREVER giving galaxy treats. I wouldn't so much if he ever became pushy or nasty for them but he is so gentle hearted that i don't see the harm!
 
Yep, I clicker train both of mine soooo :)

I deal with mugging behaviour at the start of clicker. Both mine were VERY VERY VERY muggy, and because treats motivate them so much, I decided to use this as an ally and not an enemy! I start by ignoring any mugging behaviour and rewarding for looking away....



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB45wcTY4Ac


I did the same with my boy, and we went from attacking me and mugging me to this;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV-b1pVtX6w


So I use treats yes :)


HOWEVER, I have one condition, I do not put treats in my pocket and instead use a bum bag, I do this for several reasons, especially in the initial stages of training (both mine are v. young), because I don't want them to smell treats in my pocket or the linger of treats and mug, a bum bag is detachable and easy to pull off it something goes really wrong, also, it signifies the end of the training session. I always finish by saying 'All done' and then putting a few treats down, walk away, wash my hands of the scent of treats and then go back and talk to them. Nobody is allowed to randomly hand feed mine, Shadow can be because he's polite and more advanced but my newest project isn't as she is still learning the rules (only done it 4 times so far), and she's a lot better already. The behaviour of mugging has almost gone now.


I think timing is the key. I think many people have nippy and muggy horses because they don't time it well but also there is a lack of consistency. I find the most muggy horses are the ones best to train with treats, because it really motivates them and accelerates learning. Of course it doesn't do them any harm to not be fed, but if you can put the time in and persevere for a few days/hours of mugging until it is eradicated, then you will reap the rewards!
 
We feed all ours treats by hand, now. When we first got my sister's youngster at 15 months he wasn't fed anything by hand, as he was already grabby - now he is a sensible horse at the grand age of 2, he can be trusted with the occasional treat - esp after doing something brave like putting a bridle on ;)

The others yes, mine can get pushy - but not overly and he steps quickly back into line if told off. My sisters pony who we've had for 17 years is still the most polite pony as he is a little weird and nervy still after all this time - he is lovely to feed treats to, and also puts his bit in himself :)
 
Yes I do. Carrots apples-herbal treats. Rarely polos. Other herbal treats. On their. Bday. She has a bananas.a Melon. Pineapple grapes. She also. Loves horlicks
 
I voted no. I used to when I first got him at the end of last year and found I was starting to get mugged so stopped.

I rather stupidly gave him a few treats from my hand recently and was mugged the next time...... So never again.

He does get either some carrot/apple in his dinner
 
Depends upon the horse

Some will get pushy, some nippy others bite! But the three horses I have owned have never bit or nipped despite being given treats by hand.

Inquisitive is permitted but nothing else! Anybody else's horse I would never give a treat to without permission. And some horses who are already grabby I would not treat/reward except with a pat or a rub and a good boy.
 
NOISYGIRL said:
Mine is 32 and can't have normal treats as he had lami few years back, I give him a carrot instead. If I had a youngster I wouldn't start it tbh, I do think it makes them nip and always looking in your pockets and not good behaviour if other people have to do your horse for you and ends up biting them !

As mine is the age he is, I think, well let him enjoy the time he has left, he has enough to put up with wearing the muzzle, he has to have some pleasure
Click to expand...

^ This.

Old boy had no issues with manners and treats whatsoever. New boy turned five just after I got him and there's a blanket ban on anything from the hand at all as he's so mouthy with clothes and nosey with pockets (well, nosey with everything).
 
Birdy gets treats when we're out riding on our own. If something scary like a trailer, tractor or train goes past and she is good she gets a polo. :D
 
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