HORSES clearly enjoy food rewards - the pricked ears and eager eating show that. But what messages are we giving them when we feed treats, and with what do they associate the treat? Might our desire to demonstrate our affection and appreciation for our horses in fact do more harm than good, by inadvertently teaching them undesirable behaviour, or by upsetting their diet and risking health issues?
Unlike dogs, ethologically horses have not evolved to associate working with food. Titbits provide momentary chemical surges of pleasure, but can lead to impatience or frustration if not managed carefully, or if not part of a structured training programme based on classic conditioning and positive reinforcement.
“Positive reinforcement” is the process of encouraging or establishing a pattern
