Horse clicker training tools - treats

April 8, 9:46 AMClicker Training ExaminerEve Alexander

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A good combination of treats includes
fruits, veggies and store-bought treats.

Why do you use treats?
Think of the treat as your horse’s paycheck. He performed and he gets paid. If you’ve ever worked on commission or for tips, didn’t you take more pride in your work in order to earn a bigger paycheck? For most horses, nothing motivates them more than food.

Do I always have to give a treat?
Yes, you must always give a treat after the click. That's what makes this training method so powerful.

How fast do I need to treat after the click?
As long as you always treat after a click, your horse will be pretty patient waiting for his ‘paycheck’. It does sometimes take a few seconds to dig that last treat out of the bottom of your pocket.

What if my horse starts crowding me and demanding treats?
Sometimes this will happen at first, especially if your horse was frequently given treats by hand for no reason. It’s often referred to as ‘mugging’. Once the horse realizes that he controls the dispensation of treats by his own behavior, he will work hard to please you and earn his treat. Horses would rather earn rewards than take them from you, just as you’d rather ask your horse to perform than to make him.

What kind of treats should I use?
The more variety of treats, the better. It makes it more enjoyable for your horse if he is surprised by different treats. It also ensures he doesn't get burned out on one type of treat. Extra special treats can be used to reward extraordinary performance. A combination of carrot or apple slices, or those baby peeled carrots, store-bought treats are great for day-to-day training, and licorice or peppermint candy for special treats. You can even use pinches of your horse’s daily grain ration. My British friend Maxine uses 'horse nuts' which is pelleted horse feed.

Where do I carry the treats?
The best place to carry treats is in your pocket - pants, vest or jacket. Some people find it uncomfortable or unpleasant to have treats in their pocket but it really is the best place. Otherwise it takes too long to fiddle around with a pouch or other container you might have with you. If you're wearing English style riding pants, you can make cut-off shorts from an old pair of jeans and wear those on top of your riding pants so you can use the pockets and belt loops while keeping your riding pants clean and neat. I've also used a chef type apron with pockets.

When my horse does something extra special do I give him more treats?
Yes, you’ll reward your horse’s exceptional efforts or breakthroughs with a jackpot, in other words – give him a special treat (licorice or peppermint candy) or a greater amount of a usual treat (a whole apple, a handful of carrots).

Send your feedback to eve@tricknclick.com.

More Information
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