Should I give treats to my horse is a question asked by many horse owners. We all want to let our horse how well he’s done after training, or even just to show how much we care.
Giving your horse a treat is the human way to show your horse you care, and is often used as positive reinforcement during training. Knowing when, how, and what treats to give can make the difference between a happy, well-adjusted horse, and a pushy, biting, nightmare.
Is giving treats the right thing to do though, and how many, of what, and how often? Read on to find out the answers to these questions.
What Treats Should I Give
Treating your horse to a juicy apple or carrot when they’ve been good has long been the norm in the horse world. Molasses licks are also very popular, both with owners and horses alike!
If you’re worried about sugar levels, then there are many alternatives now available to purchase. This means you can check the ingredients and know exactly what you are feeding your horse.
Safe treats include:
- Apples
- Carrots
- Banana
- Mints
- Sugar cubes
- Raisins
- Watermelon
- Celery
Some people feed a small version of their horse’s normal feed as a treat. If you do this, make sure that you take this amount from their usual breakfast/dinner amount so that you are not promoting weight gain inadvertently.
Celery works for horses in a similar way to humans, in that it provides very little sugar and also needs to be chewed quite a bit to be digestible. This can help horses that are both overweight and prone to gut issues as the extra chewing increases the production of saliva. Celery can also slow down eating which is great for good-doers and those horses that just seem to inhale their food.
Just like there are foods that you can give to your horse, there are food & vegetables that should be avoided:
- Cabbage
- Brocolli
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Bread
These are only a few of the foods you shouldn’t feed. Bread is on the list, as although a little won’t hurt, it can lead to choke if not chewed correctly.
If you are feeding carrots or apples, then consider cutting them up into small pieces. Some horses are prone to wolfing the whole treat in one, and it isn’t worth the risk of your horse choking. Carrots for example should not be cut into rounds, but into small lengths. Carrot rounds can easily get lodged and be difficult to remove without professional assistance.
Safe Summer Horse Treats
When it’s hot in the summer and you reach for an ice cream, take a moment to think about your horse. Quite often they don’t drink as much as they should, so need a little encouragement.
Adding a little salt to food can help them by encouraging them to drink more, but there are other more ways to get stop them suffering from dehydration:
- Ice Lollies – Chopping up carrots and apples and freezing in water or apple juice can make tasty treats that are full of nutrients and water.
- Cucumber – Cucumbers are mainly water so as a tasty and healthy treat they are hard to beat
- Watermelon – Does exactly what it says on the tin…like cucumbers, watermelons will quench thirst and add a little interest to your horse’s diet
You can either place your frozen treats in a feed bowl, or hand from trees to that not only does your horse get enough liquid, but also has access to a treat, but needs to work for that treat as it swings around.
Should I Give Treats By Hand
It’s lovely to give your horse treats by hand, especially as a little ‘thank-you’ if they’ve been kind enough to let you catch and head-collar them easily. However, some horses, and cobs tend to be the worst in my experience, start to anticipate treats. This can lead them to becoming nippy and demanding. Try to alternate between giving a treat when your horse has been good, and a simple pat and praising tone. That way your horse will appreciate the odd treat, but won’t end up mugging you for one when you enter the field.
If you want to give a treat, then putting one in a feed bucket is the best option. Especially if you work on their ground manners, using the ‘back’ and ‘wait’ command.
Why Is My Horse Biting
If your horse knows that your your appearance means treats then very quickly they can start expecting treats and getting upset if no treats are given. Horses biting can be a sign that they are or have been given too many treats without being given boundary training.
Horses have very good hearing, and can hear a zip or velcro treat pocket being opened across a large paddock! This may make it easier to catch them in a large field, but be careful that you don’t instil bad habits without meaning to. The last thing you want is a horse charging at you to get a treat, or biting at your fingers if for any reason you fail to provide the treat they are looking for.
If your horse is showing signs of being nippy, stop feeding treats from your hand, and make sure that any other people on your yard don’t sneak them treats either!
Healthy Treats For Horses
There are many healthy treats that you can give your horse, but taking a good look at your horse’s body condition first is of paramount importance. If your horse is carrying too many pounds already, or has EMS or is prone to laminitis, then choosing the right treat is even more important.
Sugar free polos, bananas, and swedes are great treats, and are normally less full of sugar than apples and carrots. The most important thing though is moderation.
There are many products now on the market that are pre-made and specifically designed to be low in sugar so that they are suitable for insulin resistant horses, or those prone to putting on weight.
How Many Treats Can I Give
If you’re feeding packaged treats then try to follow the manufacturers instructions. As a rule of thumb, a couple of treats per day is quite enough. If you give out too many treats, then they fail to be treats any more, and simply become a standard offering.
If you notice that your horse is putting on too much weight, or is beginning to nudge you for treats, then certainly reduce the number of treats you are giving or start only giving treats in a food bowl.
How Should I Give My Horse Treats
If you give a lick to your horse then it’s quite easy. The lick either goes in a holder or straight on the ground. The problem is choosing from the multiple different types available. If your horse needs to shed pounds, or simply puts them on too easily, then avoiding licks with a high molasses content is a given. This is easier said than done when looking at the ingredient list though.
It your horse suffers from mallanders/sallanders, then avoiding extra biotin will also be a top priority. Although a lot of the evidence is anecdotal, it does appear that an increase in biotin in the diet also increases the occurrence or flare up of this painful skin condition.
Chopping up carrots and other natural treats and putting in a feed bowl is best practice when it comes to giving treats to your horse.
For some reason though, it’s just not the same as giving your horse a treat by hand. The choice is yours, but maybe a mix of the two is the best option. If you want to treat by hand, you could try introducing clicker training.
Treats in conjunction with clicker training is becoming more and more popular. Clicker training, and a natural horsemanship approach to interacting with your horse is immensely beneficial. Learning about communicating effectively with your horse and using cues that mimic natural behaviour can increase the bond between you and your horse and lessen the need to provide tasty treats at all times.
What Treats Can I Give My Laminitic/EMS Horse: treats for diabetic horses
It’s sometimes difficult to decide which treats are best for a good-doer horse, or one that suffers from EMS or some type of insulin resistance.
- Sugar free treats for horses – Sugar free mints, or low sugar pre-made treats are the best option. If you have the time, making your own homemade sugar free horse treats means that you can treat your horse whilst knowing exactly what is in the product.
When Should I Not Give Treats
If your horse lives in a herd setting then try not to get into the habit of giving treats in the field. This is for your own safety as well as the horses. Only treating one horse in a herd can start arguments between them all and it’s too easy to get kicked, bitten, or worse. You are better to collect your horse and reward once the horse has left the field, or reached the yard and is safely tied up.
Never treat any one else’s horse without their express permission.
If you notice that your horse has started nipping or is being bolshy and searching you for treats, then have a re-think about the number of treats you give, and when.
If your horse has started to put on a little unwanted weight, then this could also be the time to consider the type and quantities of treats you’re giving. If you don’t want to stop giving treats, then try to give treats which contain less sugar and starch, or even reduce their hard feed and give the saved portion as their ‘treats’.
Dodson & Horrell have a product called ‘equi-bites’ that is an all-encompassing vitamin and mineral treat, a bit like a cookie, that can be given as a treat but is healthy and potentially can allow you to reduce other supplements overall.
Conclusion
Just like people, horses enjoy treats. However, knowing what to give and when will depend upon the individual horse, especially it’s medical and weight needs. Making healthy choices on behalf of your horse, and not giving too many treats will pay off in the long run as your horse will stay happy and healthy.
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