Treats!

When do you give out treats???


I think I've been using to many lately hahaa


I give them when I go out in the pasture when I remember and if she comes to me, when we do streches, a few during ground work if she's doing something new etc, If she stands for mounting, and after the ride. I feel like im giving to many LOL!

When do you give treats???


Chance is extremely food motivated.

I give Lacey treats (healthy treats like small carrot bits or an apple cut up really small) allll the time.
I find that they really help keep her motivated and it's good practice for her to know I have treats and know that she's not going to get any until I say (no mauling me for treats).
I like to give her a treat as I'm catching her in the field because I like to think that makes her happier to see me. I teach her "tricks" so the majority of the treats goes towards rewarding her for doing the right thing. Right now we're working on "yes" and "no" but before that she learned to "stay", to "whoa", and to "come"... We have fun. Haha

I TRY to not give treats very often... notice that the key word is TRY. I'm horrible at abstinence lol. I try to only give out treats every once in a while when we're stretching and during ground work if Thumper's doing something where he does it even if he's slightly out of his comfort zone because then he'll relate that with a good feeling. I try to use more positive reinforcement like pats and "Good boy"s than treats, though. I'm notorious at the barn for giving treats! Recently I've been giving much less, though, so I'm quite proud .

Depends on the horse. If the horse isn't very food oriented, then it doesn't matter how many you give, the horse won't really try to maul you. Now, if the horse is like my guy, who is confident in himself and around people and is food oriented, then I only give them out when he comes to me at the gate when I call him (sometimes), and when he gives me extra effort or offers something unexpected. If you hand out treats to these kinds of horses for no reason, they become treat sluts and basically say to you "Hand over the treats and no one gets hurt!" lol. Then you run into issues like them pushing into you, mauling you, etc.

Oh, and I will use treats/grazing to motivate the "lazy" horse to go when I ask him. Point to point exercises are WOOOOONDERFUL! Lol.

Lol at least im not the only one who loves to hand out treats LOL!
Its something I seem to do.. even when I say im not going 2 :P

Chance lives for treats! But I think I need to lessen a least a wee bit :P

Pretty much never. Ben's the type that would become nippy and pushy, so he only gets them for carrot stretches. My parents.... when don't they hand out treats? When they catch the horse, when they put him in the stall, when they take him out of the stall, before the bridle, after a ride, when putting him in the stall and right before they leave, lol. Fortunately the horses are still polite about it

Normally, I'll give treats after a ride or groundwork session, sort of as a reward for good work, and combined with petting and rubbing of ears (Scout's favorite spot ), or at the end of the day when I close up the barn for the night. My sis's QH had a leg injury that's requiring Dad's help to bandage (need 3 people, 1 to bandage, 1 to hold the extra light, and 1 to hold and pacify the horse), so her horse hates Dad right now because the leg is tender. Dad goes back and "buys" Rio's good humor back with carrot cookies so he doesn't get creamed next time.

Scout isn't terribly food motivated... a verbal "good boy" and a rub on the neck, forehead, or withers does wonders for him. He doesn't go bananas a "cookie" time either, like Rio will, grumbling and bobbing his head for more.

I don't use treats. At times I see how they can be beneficial, I simply prefer to show my horses that my physical love such as brushing and patting, and vocal reinforcements are the ultimate reward.
Plus, I'm almost certain my horses were never fed treats before they came to me, so why would I start now? :)

I am a huge treat person but I have gotten to where I try hard to be careful. I used to carry them in my pockets but one of mine started biting me on my hips because he knew that was where the treats were. I try to feed treats in feed dishes now.... but I'm not always good at it.