Does anyone feed their horses treats on a regular basis?

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TheoryX1

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As it says really. This thought came about at the weekend. My daughter, who events, has a new SJ trainer, who events at 4 star level. After a very hard lesson, the trainer (who is fab by the way), gave our mare a couple of polos as a treat. I thanked her, but also requested that she didnt give her any more treats as she can be a bit nippy. My horse is the same - both my daughter and I have found that its better not to feed them both treats, as if we dont have them on us, we have both had some fairly hard nips. I would add, we do feed them succulents - but in their feed buckets. What do other people do?
 
Mine gets polo's very regularly, they are a good reward for her as she is very food orientated, and looks for them if she knows she has been good. She isn't a nippy horse though! I like to reward her in a way she understands
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The only time G gets treats are when she gets back to the lorry/stable after competing, when she goes into the lorry (to make it a nice place to be), and when Mum puts her to bed. Have said repeatedly to Mum not to, but she ignores me... G's very lippy and I don't want it to turn into nipping.
 
My lad always has treats and its stopped him being quirky funnily enough.

He was abit bolshy in the stable when i first got him, same for having his feet done, he soon learnt that if he behaved himself he would get a treat. This stopped us having to keep telling him off....

Same goes when you first get on him, he used to fidget badly and get annoyed when you dont let him walk forward straight away, just him being moody, now when i get on he will stand perfectly, let me do the girth up and will not move until he is asked, when he does all the above he knows he gets a treat.

Its worked wonders for him, its great to have a greedy horse, he would jump of a cliff for a pony nut bless him lol x
 
When I put the bridle on while I'm bobbing the bit in, they get one little horsey biscuit thingy.

And one when I untack, but thats it.
 
Mine gets them all the time!
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When I catch him, when I've brought him in, after a hack, after dinner, after doing well/being good. He doesn't always get them each time (so not every time I catch him) but does get a fair few!

He is not nippy though, maybe a little inquisitive about pockets if you'be just given him something, but not bargy or pushy about it. Depends on the horse I think. I could give our old TB a treat every hour of the day and he still wouldn't become nippy/bargy - he just doesn't have that gene
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I give Dibbs 2 spillers treats after I ride, and ask him to stretch left and right for them.

This means he knows he only gets a treat when he stretches so doesn't ask all the time, and his neck is lovely and flexible.

I ask people not to treat him other than this as I try hard to keep weight off and I don't like bad manners caused by too many treats.
 
Does broccolli and carrot count? If so, yes. Only other thing is sultanas (i know, mad horse or what) when clipping. Of which horse has pathological fear, partially overcome if he can suck on sultanas!
 
I tend to give my lot a horse treat(those dry, turd looking things) when they are turned out, because if I am turning all three out together they don't bugger off with their headcollars on and plough me over, they wait for their treat and I can get out of the way!
I give mine and OH's polos after hunting and competitions as they have been good, although my coloured absolutely HATES polos and only really eats fruit treats.
None of them nip, apart from my one mare.
 
Lucy gets loads of treats but after all she's been through she deserves them. I have taught her tricks that she does in order to get treats. The very first one i taught her was to say please. (she turns her head away from me and whickers) That way instead of nipping me she says please when she wants a treat.
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Zoomy gets LOADS of treats. She is too cute to resist! Her favourite is a whole banana, skin and all!

She has NEVER nipped me and I've had her 2 1/2 years. She will root through your pockets but wouldn't dream of biting.
 
My boy is almost drip fed polos.
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Carrots as well, though apples he won't touch. Loves those herbal treat things too.

Don't think he's nippy as a result though
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mine get loads of treats and aren't nippy at all, they are rather determined pocket-searchers though if the polos aren't forthcoming when they've been good, but i don't mind this. they don't bite.

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Mine do this, especially when I have carrots, my coloured will nuzzle me and shove me all over trying to find them. I would be lying if I said I didn't love the attention they give me when trying to find a treat. (apart from all 17hh of OH's gangly pointer knocking me over the other week for a XXtra strong mint!)
 
I give all mine treats. My friend never gives hers treats so I have to sneak them to him when her back is turned.
My youngster will go through your pockets but is quite polite, Sienna is very ladylike & will usually also chance her luck at a bit of mutual grooming along with the treat.
 
My lad gets treats, either the dry grass / turd things, or lately polo's (as we were given loads for free), I use them as a reward. My OH does the same with her mare, who is an accomplished pocket mugger when polos are involved. Neither of them bully or nip for treats.
 
Mine can be a bit nippy, but always gets a treat for being caught and for going in the trailer - I've had too many horses that won't be caught/load so I'm showing him that I appreciate him being such a good boy!
 
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My lad always has treats and its stopped him being quirky funnily enough.

He was abit bolshy in the stable when i first got him, same for having his feet done, he soon learnt that if he behaved himself he would get a treat. This stopped us having to keep telling him off....

Same goes when you first get on him, he used to fidget badly and get annoyed when you dont let him walk forward straight away, just him being moody, now when i get on he will stand perfectly, let me do the girth up and will not move until he is asked, when he does all the above he knows he gets a treat.

Its worked wonders for him, its great to have a greedy horse, he would jump of a cliff for a pony nut bless him lol x

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this is similar to Raff. he used to be a monkey to tack up/rug up and mount... a few carrots later he is a different horse.

i tried making him stretch before a treat... but he became stretch obsessed and started break dancing whenever he thought there was a chance of a treat... literally.
 
I give a polo when I catch my boy to bring him in, another when I turn him out and always when I put his bridle on.

If on a long hack I will get off to rest his back and get rid of my numb bum by walking for a while and he has a polo.

He has never become nippy after 9 years.

Jane
 
yeah prince gets a carrot or polo. he gets one when he comes in and after he has been ridden!
 
I am always giving mine treats but they luckily arent nippy. Using treats has been a godsend with my little mare who I have had some bonding issues with. She actually nickers to me now and looks pleased to see me (well the food but its progress!) I usually give them when I go to feed first thing or if I need to adjust rugs in field or something and also when saddling/ after a ride / after a bath etc
 
Mine gets carrots when i go to see him/after a good ride- hes not nippy though, but having said that we give all of ours cube nuts as a treat... never had any problems with them becoming nibbly etc. so never been an issue
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When i first got my horse, he was VERY difficult to catch, having a carrot means i can now catch with or without treats, before even with a bucke full of food i struggled! chasing him round the field for hourse
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My girl gets 3 sugarfree polos or carrots when she does her stretching exercises
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She stretches round to the right for one then the left and then between her front legs.
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Mine gets some but never over the stable door or when standing tied up - he gets a treat in the field when I turn him out after riding and he gets a couple at the end of the day in his feed bowl on the floor in his stable. So he knows the time and place of them and that it's me and no others that will provide treats. He seems to respect that as never looks to the yard help for anything when she turns him out. Occasional other person gives him a mint (someone I ride with) but she always asks me first and if I don't think he should have one I say so.
 
I give mine treats everyday (if they have been good), they love oranges, and bread especially. To load all I have to do is walk into my Luton with a bit of bread, and they follow like a donkey to a carrot! simple. LOL
 
No, never. All he will get is any apples that I haven't got round to eating (can't stand them remotely soft) but I chuck them in his haybar.

I can always tell when someone has treated him. He gets all nuzzly and pocket-interested
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I am only this strict about it as he is a grumpy blert, I am trying to make him a bit more cuddly, and I don't want cupboard love involved!
 
I was a 100% against treats person, but I am not now! Always give a treat after a ride, but otherwise nothing, especially NOT in the stable.

However Ted can bite and he is naughty to rug, etc., so I have been teaching him tricks. If you teach tricks you have to treat them so they know they have it right. Now I can ask for legs up without being bitten, can do rugs without being bitten, etc. It has really transformed him. He knows that unless I ask, he won't get, but that doesn't stop him standing with his legs up trying his luck! You have to be very strict with it, action and reward only!
 
I don't but other people do, which is fine by me. He's a miserable looking horse and if it makes them feel more comfortable around him, and they don't mind him mugging them, then fair enough. He's smart enough to know who gives him treats and who doesn't, so he only mugs people who do treat him and leaves the rest of us alone. He particularly loves Lec for this reason
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I give him treats on an entirely random basis and he never ever looks for them from me. It's random because sometimes I remember to have some on me, sometimes I don't! When he was having confidence issues jumping I gave him a treat every time he did what I wanted nicely without stressing or adding strides. God knows whether it helped or not but it made me feel better....
 
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