Hand feeding treats:

I prefer not to give treats by hand. The reason is that horses begin to search for them, they get mouthy, and may eventually nip or bite on you. Not all of them, but most. Another reason I don’t hand-feed treats is that I try to mimic the behavior of a leader.

A friend commented: “I don’t usually give Brio treats—the few times I did, it seemed to turn him into a Mugging Demon. ...if I tried to use them while training,… the lesson got completely lost as soon as he caught a whiff of treats and his focus turned to tearing apart my jeans pocket...! So today when I took his halter off,… I led him to the hay bale and sat with him... really satisfying… good bonding time. So, thanks for the idea.”

Don’t misunderstand, I help treat companies grow their profits; I buy a 5 lb bag of treats at least once or twice a year. My preferred “treat” is the occasional flake of alfalfa pre-staged out of sight, or a luscious patch of green grass near the area I will be working my horse.

On the days I plan to push the mental and physical envelope of my horse, I plan the reward before hand. Following the session, whether riding or groundwork (I first remove the saddle), I lead my horse to their reward away from other horses where she and I will go to spend quiet time together.

The reason I take my horse to their reward rather than hand feed is that it simulates the lead horse taking the herd - in this case my horse and me - to fresh food (or water).

I suggest you lead your horse to the pre-staged area, sit with your horse and let them enjoy the reward uninterrupted by other horses. Ask nothing of them during this time. Sit quietly and allow them to graze. Occasionally reach out and stroke them firmly on their neck near their withers. Do not pat on them. Pats are driving pressure, but a firm stroke simulates another horse’s nuzzling, much like their mother did when they were babies and horses still do when relaxing . This is bonding!

- TOP

Tops Training Tips

Hand feeding treats: