Honey

I recently read a suggestion to put honey or molasses on the bit to make bridling a pleasurable experience for the horse. Something they look forward to and will reach for the bit. So I bought one of those small squeeze honey bears. Put just a couple of dots on Cici's bit.

Then when I saddled her I thought, hmmm I hope she likes honey. So I touched my finger to the dots and offered it to her. She sniffed my finger and went into that frantic sugar mode! That gimme gimme gimme. That demanding, head butting more more more. She didn't even lick the honey off my finger,just one little sniff and got very insistent. Oops! Then I remembered Margaret saying sugar was not a good thing for her! I wiped the honey off the bit.

Interesting yes?

I am going back to offering her one of the hay stretcher treats I use when I bridle her. She likes them. They don't have sugar in them so I do not get the frantic reaction. Just the oh that was nice can I have another.

Looking back it is amazing how just the smell seemed to trigger such a strong reaction. Holy Cow!