Do you love your horse? Of course, you do! That is why you are busy reading a blog post about it!
However, we'd like to know how you show your affection. You may say you do it with a gentle pat on the back, a peck or some compliments. Odds are you do all this and throw in an occasional treat now and then.
Are we right?
We believe this is how you should treat your horse the right way- with lots of love, care, and some scrumptious nibbles when you get off their backs. However, many of you may say that handing over yummy snacks can make horses greedy. You may argue that it spoils the horse and encourages bad behaviour among the herd.
This only holds true if your rewards are given the wrong way. By that, we mean that healthy snacks and ones given in moderation will never cause trouble. It will only develop a stronger bond between the beats and its owner.
Here are a few rules you can follow to keep treating habits in check:
1.Right Place, Right Time
Your horses should be given treats as rewards after a training session. Or you can hand treats occasionally after a contest or long journey. By doing so you are conditioning your horse to understand that there are a time and place for treats to be shared. This prevents him to demand treats at the wrong time.
2.Healthy Snacking
Vegetables and fruits are a highly nutritious snack for the horses. They are nature's own way to nurture the creatures. So keep them as your regular treating options for the horse. This will ensure that the animal's diet isn't compromised and it has a lesser risk to get the upset stomach.
3.Avoid Favouritism
If you have more than one horse than you might have a power struggle at hand. That is why you need to make sure that you treat all of them equally. This means an equal distribution of treats when all the horses are around.
4.Sweet Packs
Manufactured treats are often frowned upon in the stable. But they work great for long trails or journeys that you take with your horse. This is because they have a longer shelf life than natural produce. More importantly, sometimes you don't have access to the fresh stuff.
So always keep some in your pockets!
In the end, the most important thing is that you give treats in moderation. That is because excessive indulgence is bound to make the horse sick. After all, overeating has never set well with horses or humans!
Do You Want to Stock Up on Tasty Treats?
Then head over to Little Fields Farm!
We have got a variety of assorted flavoured treats and licks for your horses. Like apple snacks, honey coated fruits, carrot sticks and garlic licks. They are all packed with delicious and a whole good of nutrition! Moreover, we also have a handy supply of treat holders to make your job easier.
So quit horsing around and get your four-legged friend some mouth-watering delicacies!