Summary:
Training
a foal at a young age is really critical. This is the time where you need to
put their minds to work, and start off their learning processes to which they
will use and remember for the rest of their lives. But is there a specific way
to do it? Maybe their diet is a part of it?
Critique:
Studies
are shown that if you lay off the ‘sweets’ they are much easier to work with.
Almost as if they have a sugar rush, they are much more difficult to work with,
with the constant spook and testing of their limits. They have done studies
showing that the younger horse that has been on a diet of just hay, is much
easier to work with and concentrate a lot more.
Impact:
I agree
with this, but I also think that it is okay to praise your horse with a few
sweets as if it is just a reminder of how good they are being. But, if my horse
is not behaving they won’t get a treat, otherwise I would be awarding bad
behavior.
My family actually owned a few horses before we moved to Anthem. I have never ridden one, but I volunteered at a horse stable for a while, just because I loved to see the animals. Personally, I think you're right, and that it's almost common sense. Aren't people easier to deal with when they're not loaded up on sugar as well?
ReplyDeleteAnother thing to consider is the fact that horses are relatively dumb animals. They may or may not obey you, no matter whether or not they have sugar. Foals, especially, are extremely hyper and a bit dumber than adults for lack of experience. If you give them sugar, they will understand the reward for being good, but getting the sugar will make them forget what they did and why they are good. So, all in all, it doesn't do much good to give them sugar in the first place.
this is probably true for all animals, even people. sugar gives you a burst of energy, then it leaves you tired and grumpy.
ReplyDeleteIf the baby horse has too much sugar and is very energetic it will most likely have a hard time concentrating. if the horse has no more energy after eating sugar it won't want to do anything. sugar= hyper animals, hyper animals= no focus, no focus= no training