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Handfeeding treats to horses
(Under construction)
Tips for giving food treats to horses safely:
IMPORTANT:
Your safety and your horse’s manners around food are PARAMOUNT.
You will get what you train for! (This applies to any training method AND your
everyday handling). A horse who is pushy and fixated on food does not mean
that Clicker Training is bad. It means that the trainer has failed to train good
manners. This is the fault of the trainer, not the method.
If you do not think you are able to train good manners around food, then DO
NOT use food rewards in your clicker training. Use scratches and rubs
instead. Some horses may prefer scratches to food treats. However, most
horses prefer food treats and it is not hard to teach the horse good manners
about taking the treats from you gently and safely.
1. Introduce clicker training to bad mannered or aggressive horses by starting
with the horse behind a barrier (fence or stable etc) so that you can step back
out of biting range.
2. To teach good manners right from the start, begin by standing back 6 to 8
feet, facing the horse (who is behind a barrier), and hold out the treat on your
open hand. If the horse stands quietly without reaching out towards you, click
and treat (you go to his space). If the horse even extends his nose towards
you when you make that first offering, you quickly close your hand, turn your
back and count to 5.
3. Hold the treat on your palm at arm’s length so that the horse is not
encouraged to crowd into your space.
4. Keep your palm stretched firm and convex to minimise the risk of loose skin
getting picked up with the treat. Keep the fingers firmly together.
5. Use treats which are easy for the horse to pick up with his lips (eg NOT small
pellets, grain or sunflower seeds) until the horse can be trusted to be gentle
about taking food from your hand. Chunky treats such as chopped carrot or
apple, or sugar cubes are best.
6. Insist that bargy horses move back out of your space before giving the treat.
7. Do not allow the horse to sniff at your pockets/bum bag – he must stay out
of your space.
8. Be consistent about handling food. Do not allow bad manners when
feeding normal meals.
9. Do not work with a hungry horse.
10. Until your horse is clickerwise, and to avoid confusion, do not hand feed
your horse treats for no reason and do not allow anyone else to do so either.
Many trainers prefer not to hand feed treats unless in a training situation.
NOTE : it is NORMAL for many horses to start getting pushy,
irritable and to mug you for the food when you first start with
clicker training, even those who previously were polite. This
behaviour is TEMPORARY and WILL disappear as they learn that
such behaviour will not get them anywhere (assuming you teach
them that!) and as they get used to the initially exciting idea that
food is now part of the routine.
(Under construction)
Tips for giving food treats to horses safely:
IMPORTANT:
Your safety and your horse’s manners around food are PARAMOUNT.
You will get what you train for! (This applies to any training method AND your
everyday handling). A horse who is pushy and fixated on food does not mean
that Clicker Training is bad. It means that the trainer has failed to train good
manners. This is the fault of the trainer, not the method.
If you do not think you are able to train good manners around food, then DO
NOT use food rewards in your clicker training. Use scratches and rubs
instead. Some horses may prefer scratches to food treats. However, most
horses prefer food treats and it is not hard to teach the horse good manners
about taking the treats from you gently and safely.
1. Introduce clicker training to bad mannered or aggressive horses by starting
with the horse behind a barrier (fence or stable etc) so that you can step back
out of biting range.
2. To teach good manners right from the start, begin by standing back 6 to 8
feet, facing the horse (who is behind a barrier), and hold out the treat on your
open hand. If the horse stands quietly without reaching out towards you, click
and treat (you go to his space). If the horse even extends his nose towards
you when you make that first offering, you quickly close your hand, turn your
back and count to 5.
3. Hold the treat on your palm at arm’s length so that the horse is not
encouraged to crowd into your space.
4. Keep your palm stretched firm and convex to minimise the risk of loose skin
getting picked up with the treat. Keep the fingers firmly together.
5. Use treats which are easy for the horse to pick up with his lips (eg NOT small
pellets, grain or sunflower seeds) until the horse can be trusted to be gentle
about taking food from your hand. Chunky treats such as chopped carrot or
apple, or sugar cubes are best.
6. Insist that bargy horses move back out of your space before giving the treat.
7. Do not allow the horse to sniff at your pockets/bum bag – he must stay out
of your space.
8. Be consistent about handling food. Do not allow bad manners when
feeding normal meals.
9. Do not work with a hungry horse.
10. Until your horse is clickerwise, and to avoid confusion, do not hand feed
your horse treats for no reason and do not allow anyone else to do so either.
Many trainers prefer not to hand feed treats unless in a training situation.
NOTE : it is NORMAL for many horses to start getting pushy,
irritable and to mug you for the food when you first start with
clicker training, even those who previously were polite. This
behaviour is TEMPORARY and WILL disappear as they learn that
such behaviour will not get them anywhere (assuming you teach
them that!) and as they get used to the initially exciting idea that
food is now part of the routine.
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