My horse doesn't eat treats :-(?

Question

i just got a new Arab and she is about 5 years old... she wasn't trained to take treats from you... I don't know how to "teach" her to eat treats from my hands...

Answer 1

some horses dont like some types of treats. a few horses i know of only eat apples and carrots, they wont take anything else just b/c they perfer apples and carrots (and they've prob mostly only had those two types).

i personally wouldnt worry bout it, i gave my horse treats in their feed instead of by hand.

Answer 2

There is the chance she might not like treats.  Most likely she doesn't know what you're trying to do.  CAREFULLY, if you can, open her lips up and either try pushing the treat into her mouth or rubbing the treat around on her lips/teeth.  Eventually when she realizes that it tastes good or likes them she should take them right out of your hand.

Answer 3

Try carrots!

Answer 4

I like the first poster's idea if it's really important for you to feed her treats. I personally wouldn't even worry about it. If she's not interested in treats from your hand give it to her in a bucket. With some horses you're better off not hand feeding if they are mouthy or start to get nippy.

Answer 5

Begin by placing a horse "cookie"...(Mrs. Pasture's good cookies) in a grain feeder...you don't want to feed your horse by hand for the bad habits it can create ....nipping.  You may also begin with baby carrots by placing them in a feeder.

Answer 6

it could be something wrong with her teeth where she has to be eating from a bucket where she can stick her nose in it or she might just not like treats...does she eat them if they are in her bucket?

Answer 7

my 5 year old also didn't like carrots or anything when he first came. i know this sounds mean but my friend force fed him carrots every day and eventually he got the idea and now he would knock you over to get to a piece of fruit!!

maybe try and break them up and put them in his hay as well.

Answer 8

When you think about it...apples and carrots are really not on the menu of a wild horse..they are more into grasses, leaves. and that sort of grazing salads...so the horse must develop a taste for what the human thinks that they should like

I had a horse that really did not care for apples, but would kill for a carrot...or was it the other way around...Your horse obviously was not taught to take treats, nor has he yet developed a taste for them

If you really want him to like treats, I would suggest dipping an apple or carrot in molasses or sprinkling with brown sugar, you get the idea..and start there...put it in a dish with a little of his feed...then when he eats that..try it again...then put it in your hand, I know, kind of a sticky mess, but you asked.  It will probably not take him long to figure out that this is a pretty pretty good deal.

Answer 9

I dont feed treats with my hands, nor do i let anyone else do it...But i think the treat thing must be an Arab thing, none of mine, nor any i have owned would even eat a carrot.  My little Arab gelding now will put a carrot in him mouth then walk to his water bucket and put it in there LOL.  I'm always trying but i always find the carrots in the water...LOL

Answer 10

This is not a bad thing, If you really want to give her food by hand start with something she knows like grain, as she beings to understand the concept that food comes from your hand then she may begin trusting that you have something good. Don't make the first treats that much different then grain. stick with "Horse Treats"

Answer 11

I am ure you tried the same for every horse flat hand with a tasty treat. What my trainer did for my Arabian because he didnt know how to either, silly boy. Is it sounds mean but she pushed the treat straight up into his mouth and held her hand then under his muzzle why he munched away. He finally got the idea that flat hand means tasty treat and will l**k and try to nibble at your hand to see if you have a treat. Good luck!