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Treats and Biting
I have heard that giving my horse treats will cause him to become mouthy and bite me. Is this true?
—Stephanie
Giving your horse treats will not cause him to bite you—but giving him a treat right after he mouths you or nudges you will! I always remind folks that horses (in fact, all animals) do what feels good—so if the horse mouths you and you respond by first thinking, “He wants a treat,” and then give him one, he will learn that mouthing leads to treats. In this way, you are reinforcing the behavior.
So, let’s use this premise of doing what feels good to help us elicit the behaviors we like. If a horse is given a treat for waiting quietly, he will learn to wait quietly for a treat! You can be even more creative; teach your horse to whinny or to shake his head “yes” or “no,” all by simply giving him a treat whenever the behavior occurs!
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