ASK THE EQUINIST: Treats for Training?
Question: I just read your post about retraining a cinchy horse, and I'm wondering why you didn't use treats for that, or rather, when you would feel that it is appropriate to use treats for training horses. It seems there is much debate about this topic, with some saying never do it, and some saying it's totally okay. What is your opinion? Carol in AB Answer: You are right, Carol -- this is definitely a topic that garners a variety of opinions. The people who assert that you should never use treats often disagree with hand feeding horses at all, as they feel it makes the horses pushy and more prone to biting, and they believe a horse will always be "looking for the treat" if you train with them. These things can happen, if you are not knowledgeable about how to teach your horse to politely and passively accept a handheld treat, when and only when you offer it. Interestingly, research indicates that using food rewards has a positive effect on trai...