On the subject of treats

[welshcobabe]

Do you give treats or not ?

We have had a heated discussion between us half of us do and others are very much against it.

Those in favour say it is good to reward for something done correctly or when your horse comes to you to be brought in etc

Those against say you just make a nibbling pushy horse always mouthing or in some cases making contact, and that been well looked after and given everthing that need is reward enough.

Taken up at least two coffee's and a whole packet of digestives and we are all still friends but I just thought I would ask you guys your thoughts.

 

[Quigleyandme]

I have one who is naughty to catch unless I have a treat for him. If he gets one the other gets one. Neither mugs or is rude about treats.

 

[saalsk]

I do, however I have a very strict set of rules as to how and when, and they are most definitely not allowed to mug me, or anyone else, for treats. No touching of pockets, no nibbling, no crowding into my space, no expecting them - they get them randomly, and are given a code word, and then are expected to stand and wait (not long, only the time it takes me to get one out of pocket) without pushing, before they get it.

I have been lucky, and although I currently do have a young cob who is very mouthy in general (not on me, just loves to play with stuff), none of mine have been so food obsessed that I have felt it an issue. If I had, I'd be in the No group for that horse.

I use a non heating herbal crunchy biscuit type thing for me to give treats. Others, under supervision, can give them a carrot - I find it safer than the smaller treats, for people not used to doing so.

 

[NinjaPony]

I solved my catching problem by giving my Welsh a treat once I’ve taken off/put on his headcollar. He puts his own nose in now! That’s just turned out in my field though, I wouldn’t have done that in a big herd. Nowt wrong with a treat every now and then as long as it’s always on your terms.

 

[scruffyponies]

Never in the field, if you want people to be able to catch any member of the herd safely.
Exception for new ones who are tricky to catch.
I would say after work is best, to avoid setting up any bad behaviours.
One of mine sometimes throws a fit (can include kicking out and rearing) about being mounted because he thinks he is 'owed' a treat.

 

[Gloi]

I'll admit yes, far too many of usually when mounted

 

[sakura]

Yes, she's almost 17 and has never been mouthy. She gets as many treats as I care to give her. I never give them to other people's horses.

 

[ponynutz]

I tend to find if I let them nibble on my fingers it stops them mugging you. Probably wouldn’t work with all horses but I think it works bc then they dont associate a hand near their head or coming out of a pocket with always having a treat.

 

[marmalade76]

I am a bit over generous with the treats but if I had one that got rude with them, I'd stop so it depends on the horse.

 

[Gallop_Away]

Yes I give treats. In the stable, in the field and not necessarily because my horses have done something "good", they get them purely for existing and being so bloody gorgeous.... *hides*

None of my horses are bitey or barge into you. All three back away simply by putting your hand on their chest and asking "back". They are not aggressive in the field and will wait patiently to be given a treat without biting each others faces off. I frequently get complimented by other liveries on my horses manners.

I see nothing wrong with giving treats as long as good manners are consistently taught to!

 

[MuddyMonster]

Yes, lots & frequently.

Pony arrived many years ago a pushy, shovy, bargy nightmare (has decked people just leading) & I'm now always told how 'lucky' I am to have an easy pony so obviously not done us any harm! He's a foodie too.

I give them when catching mine in a herd & as far as I'm aware, other liveries can catch theirs safely still ?‍

I did make sure I taught mine to remain relaxed around treats though, which I'm sure is a big part of why I can use them so freely.

 

[Miss_Millie]

Food rewards can be an excellent training tool. There is a difference between randomly giving a horse a treat and using R+ (positive reinforcement) to train a behaviour. I don't see anything wrong with either and I use both. I have successfully trained some useful behaviours using R+ and I also give my horse random treats from time to time. She knows the difference because I use a clicker as a bridge signal to reinforce a behaviour when we are training.

There are a few reasons why a horse could get 'bargy' over treats, such as if the treat is too high value (apple, carrot etc) and therefore over stimulating to the horse, or if the rate of reinforcement gets is too low and the horse gets frustrated, or if you don't put the behaviour on a clear cue, that could create frustration too.

To train basic 'manners', simply only give a treat when a horse isn't in your bubble. If my horse is in my pocket, I will wait for a neutral and calm stance. They will soon learn that being up in your space will not = treats.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Yes and no. If I have treats and remember to put some in my pocket they get some. More often than not I have nothing so they never look for anything. They do regularly get carrots or swede but that's either chopped in their food or launched across the field for them to find.

I have mostly natives, Shetlands, and none of them look for treats or mug you if you do have them - except for the old boy who will nudge your pockets if he smells them. Actually being a native means nothing. All equines can be well mannered or badly mannered depending on how they are brought up and treated.

 

[Red-1]

Yes. BH has them for being mannerly when turned out, for when he is mannerly to be caught, for when I mount and also when I dismount. He particularly loves days when we jump at home and I am on and off to adjust jumps LOL.

I never used to feed treats when I trained for a living, but now it is for me, my own babies at home, so I will do whatever makes me and them happy.

BH has to stand back and lower his head to achieve the treat, or stand like a statue if under saddle. If I forget one when he is turned out, he squeals his indignation and trots or canters off with Mr Snake-Neck!

Rigsby only gets treats in a formal way as he has cob-tummy and would become over aroused if he was expecting random food. His formal way is just for leg clipping, which is done every weekend. He actually does get, ahem, aroused, which is OK in winter but in summer flies then land on his manhood and cause him to stamp his back legs. Very inconvenient for both of us! But, he stands like a statue for clipping other than that, so I think it is a good deal.

BH gets minties.

Rigsby gets Formula For Feet.


Very unfair but...

1. Rigs would be beside himself for minties with cob-tummy. It would not be a training aid as minties would be too high value.

2. Rigsby is EMS, so minties are banned anyway.

 

[Sealine]

I regularly give my horse a treat when turning out. This is because when I'm turning him out with another horse I can just open the gate and throw the rope over his neck, he'll walk into the field and stand and wait for me while I bring the other horse in and remove it's headcollar. He waits for me to go to him and I remove his headcollar and give him a carrot.

If he can smell treats in someone's pocket he will nudge for them but generally he's not rude or bargy.

 

[Palindrome]

From the horse's mouth
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159120301635

 

[cauda equina]

Yes
Sometimes they are rewards, sometimes they are treats
I did clicker training with the old cob and the first thing he learned was 'Look away politely', which he does spontaneously and is his way of asking

 

[Barton Bounty]

I trained bb with treats when I wanted him to do several things, he isnt rude with it at all, when we are out hacking he stops when he feels like he wants one ?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have to confess that recently I do, whereas all my life I have very firmly been a non treat inside field, only occasionally given after work and when about to turn out sort of owner.

I can no longer interreact closely with either my old mare or my two ageing donkeys because I now only have one fully working limb (hopefully temporary I hasten to add). So my son and my husband do almost all the care work for them at the moment, and they are both very bossy about my safety around them as getting out of the way quickly is unlikely to happen for me anytime soon. Interestingly non of them will take a treat from my right hand that is in plaster - in fact they back away from it, obviously don't recognise it as me. ?‍

So I do go daily down to their field and feed them all low calorific treats over the fence just to get my daily equid fix and check the menfolk aren't missing anything crucial in their care (I know control freak that I am). If any of them were in the least bit bitey or squabble among themselves I wouldn't be doing it, I have no real excuse, I have changed decades of strict care rules, but hey ho you do what you do when desperate. ?

 

[Jenko109]

Yes, he gets treats.

He wouldnt dream of mugging. Far too polite for that.

 

[blitznbobs]

All the time - it makes them really easy to catch and in over40 years the only horse who was ever bitey came off a pro yard where treats were banned…

Oh confession time and I actually like being mugged for sweets

 

[Tiddlypom]

No, never.

All are very good to handle and to catch.

 

[Zoeypxo]

Yes i give treats and see no issue with it

recently been giving dried rosehips for a more vitamin rich treat

 

[PurBee]

A trainer recently spoke about this on a video and their words aligned with my experience. They said it depends on the type of horse - a nervous, high energy or pushy horse shouldnt be given hand treats as it generally makes them worse, a calmer more grounded natured horse usually is fine to treat. (Hand treats specifically)

My gelding is young, very inquisitive and curious, learns fast. He …im laughing inside writing this but shouldnt!…he completely mobs me and invades my space without any remorse if theres treats. To him its like ‘oh wow, thats so nice, i really want more’ and like a kid is totally in your face with unbounded enthusiasm. Theres never malice or ears pinned competitive aggression, he’s just so enamoured with new tastes. I’ve trained him to be back more and wait when i give treats, the few times i do treat from hand, so he’s got a lot better, but LOL, never known a horse react like him with such eager enthusiasm.

I tried treat training him when younger for about only 5 minutes, because he soon stopped listening to me as his brain focused 100% on getting a treat it made him hyper with immediate deterioration of training aims. Totally OTT reaction to treats. He’s a very mouth-curious horse…licks and feels everything with that velvety mouth.

The chilled out mare is fine. She never barges, waits patiently, gentle. Can use treats to train her. Even while gelding is pushy it doesnt stir-up competition from her. She’s consistently respectful. She especially loves fresh orange segments.

So i dont treat often by hand, due to their differences, (treats thrown in their feed bowl usually), but when i do its always unexpected.

 

[First Frost]

Only at particular times. They have something when I get off after riding. They also have something last thing at night when I go around checking kick bolts and turning out their lights. My youngster who struggled with mounting initially has a treat after i get on. All are well mannered and they don't ask for treats.

 

[vmac66]

I trained indie to stand at the mounting block with treats. She waits for the treat once I'm on before we move off. She isn't pushy or demanding though.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I do lots and never had a rude or food aggressive horse as a result. There are probably certain horses where it’s not a good idea but I’d assess that at the time. I don’t treat other peoples horses unless I have permission.

 

[Ratface]

Old Horse gets a carrot for his body stretches. We both enjoy it, he's not rude about asking for them, and if he started to be so, he'd be sent to the back of his box whilst I turned my back on him. Mugging = no treats!
He's a clever, switched on horse, at an excellent small private yard. He gets a couple of pony nuts when caught and none when turned out, which is after his breakfast. He always has a huge night time hay net and is fully bedded on palatable straw.
I check his weight on a weekly basis.

 

[Goldenstar]

Yes I give treats .
I give a horse a treat out of hand on the off side when I get on in time they are always looking for it .It makes stay close to whatever you are mounting off useful, when hunting when you are getting on off all sorts of things .
They get a treat for loading.
I dont usually give a treat for catching they are all good to catch .
I use treats when I am getting to know a new horse some more than others it depends how I feel .
I give a treat after a hard training session .

 

[AntiPuck]

I use them a lot, both for clicker training and sometimes randomly. Although they aren't 'treats' in the sense of being a special or sugary food, they're just meadow nuts.

My horse is one of the only ones I interact with that doesn't mug me for treats, because she's been reinforced for standing quietly with her head straight before she gets anything, and so even when i'm wearing the bum bag I use for clicker training, which is always full of food, she doesn't touch it or ever try to search pockets.

It's important to get the value of the treat right, as someone said above - treats of too high a value get the excitement up too much and lead to bargy or aggressive behaviour. I only up the value if i'm training something tricky with the clicker, and then phase it back down once she's getting it.