You can use pockets as your treat-holder if you'd like, but it can be easier and more efficient to have a treat pouch. No crumby pockets is a big plus too!
A clicker is the easiest way to mark the behavior your want your horse to repeat. It makes a sharp, consistent, clickers sound unlike anything else they'd hear in their day-to-day lives making it an easy way for you to communicate that they're doing a great job!
Whether you buy it or DIY it, a target stick can be a super handy tool from the stall to under-saddle; I recommend this versatile tool for many exercises!
"These tasty bite-sized treats are now made with timothy grass and sunflower seed meal instead of alfalfa meal and with only natural flavors!"
Equi-Treat Flavors: Cherry Vanilla, Apple Banana, Peppermint, and limited edition flavors.
Mid-High Value Treat
(6.4% sugar/starch)
"Apple/Berry Cookie Cubes® are treats made with cranberries infused with apple juice and Timothy Grass and Alfalfa forages."-Standlee
Mid-High Value Treat
(8.6% sugar/starch)
"We pack a lot of goodness into our Nutrigood treats, starting with all-natural ingredients and the irresistible natural apple or carrot anise flavor horses can’t resist. " -MannaPro
Mid-High Value Treat
(9% sugar/starch)
Hay pellets are great as your main reward! What type (timothy, alfalfa, bermuda, orchard, teff) is up to your horse's wants and needs. Some horses may find alfalfa too valuable or have some dietary special needs- choose accordingly!
I recommend DuMor or Standlee for affordability and accessibility, but there are other brands out there.
Low Value Treat
"Stabul 1 offers a specially formulated low starch, low sugar horse feed for easy-keeper equines that have existing or past metabolic issues that may be exacerbated by a typical starch-based diet." -Stabul 1
Feed & Nugget Flavors: Fenugreek , Peppermint, Banana
Nugget Only Flavors: Peanut, Pina Colada, Strawberry
Mid-High Value Treat
(10% sugar/starch)
You can even use your horse's regular pasture grass or hay as a reinforcer! This can be especially helpful for horses who may be more easily over-excited about training and/or food rewards. Because of contra-freeloading, many horses are happy to work for the food beneath their feet.
Low Value Treat
Classes
Bookends Farm Academy (Jane Jackson) offers a course focusing on day to day behaviors & Activities.
"Here you will find training solutions for the challenges of day to day life with horses. If your horse is unhappy being loaded into a trailer, being bathed, having his feet worked with, or other necessary chores, my courses will show you how to help. It’s always best, of course, to prepare for these things long before you need them."
The IAABC offers an enrichment course for horses.
"An engaging presentation on equine enrichment which includes information about the benefits of proving a stimulating environment for your horse. Learn ways to increase forage time and strategies to encourage natural behaviors for all horses, including those on medical rest. Learn about the 5 categories of enrichment and view numerous examples of each. Learn how to provide enrichment for specific behavioral goals and monitor for safety. "
"The Willing Equine's Foundation Course offers a unique, in-depth introduction to training your horse with positive reinforcement. In this comprehensive three month program you will be immersed in Adele’s process of introducing clicker training to any horse, and you will learn how to create a foundation of communication with your own horse that will set you both up for a lifetime of success."
" The Horse-Human Connection Academy (HCA) is an online 120 day course & education system that helps you truly connect with your horse, solve behavioral issues, and train any behavior imaginable using compassionate, science-based methods. "
Alize offers a few webinars including:
Separation Anxiety
Intro to R+ Riding
Stereotypies
"On-demand online classes are pre-recorded PowerPoint presentation with voice over and additional learning materials (activities, reading list, presentation write-up) to cater to all learning styles. Our classes are suitable for continued professional development but also horse owners interested in the specific topic covered."
"In this course, you'll learn how to play at liberty with horses in a way that inspires their spirit and natural curiosity, master the concepts of positive reinforcement training to deepen your communication, and grow your relationship!"
Podcasts
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