Horse bites when trained with treats

by Ellen
(Massachusetts)

Hi!

I am a new horse owner and seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. I have a 1 1/2 year old Miniature filly I am trying to train with treats. I say "Good girl" and treat her when she responds to what I'm asking. She's good until about the third treat. Then she gets extremely aggressive, lunging at me, ears pinned back, nipping, biting, rearing to get to more treats, and turning her butt towards me when I don't give them to her. I end up having to defend myself against this little girl! And too often I end up leaving the pen under these conditions which I know is not good, but its better than getting into a wrestling match with her.

I am very discouraged with trying to train her with treats. The filly's mother responds beautifully to this type of training.

Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.


Answer:

Hi Ellen, let’s review from the beginning to redefine the goal and delivery of treats.

With such a young horse (tiny but tough it sounds!) we do need to be extra clear and obvious with our communication. It is not the “treat” that trains it’s the” delivery and timing” best described as the “bridge signal” that trains.

I recommend you start with a clicker rather than a voice command due to age of horse, clarity it offers and to give you some experience with the correct process. If you can’t find one, please ask and I will mail you one.

The first representation this youngster needs to understand is the click sound produces a treat. This is referred to as charging the clicker. The understanding will come that this sound means something good she wants is coming. (positive reinforcement)

Start by standing next to your horse (preferably in a quiet, comfortable environment) and click and offer a treat. And keep repeating, click & treat, click & treat. It usually only takes 6 to 10 of these and then you click and your horse looks at you and expects the treat! Once you get this look, you know your horse is thinking and probably liking this idea! Walk away, you’re done for the moment.

It does not take long for any horse to quickly understand that this noise is followed by something she wants and likes. Keep your initial sessions short - from 1 to 2 minutes (with such a young horse). It is better to do many short sessions than one long one. Do this for the next three sessions and you and your horse should have a solid understanding of how to charge the clicker. You could do it 6 times in a day if you want and/or have the time!

Note: You are dealing with a very young sassy mind with a very short attention span. Do not offer any treats from your hand unless you are training. If you need to give her something, put it in a bucket. This helps us not confuse the “I give you a treat just because” which creates mugging.

If your horse cannot stand quietly next to you and not try to bite or intimidate you, then either get someone well versed in clicker training horses to assist you or stand outside of a stall doorway so she can’t lunge or bite you.

This pairing of the sound must be established first before moving on. This is the doorway to establishing a language that both parties understand.

Now you can pair a good behavior with the click. If she looks away C/R (click/reinforce). If she looks to the ground C/R.
If she backs out of your space C/R. In other words wait for some behavior that you can acknowledge. Hears forward, C/R. We ignore unwanted behaviors and reinforce for the behaviors we do want.

Here’s where you might find the difficult spot. Mugging you for treats! Which is what she is doing now but that is because she only sees you as the “treat giver” not that she must do something worthy to obtain the treat. Feel the difference from her perspective? She is too young to have any other experience to build on like your mature horse.

Review this page under Clicker Training - http://www.training-horses-naturally.com/clicker-training-horses.html#NegReinfor

It offers further explanation and the best book to support you.

You will be achieving more success and no more biting before you know it! :0)