Crunchits and Munch Treats: How to Use Them in Training
By Equilibrium Products | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: Tips och skötsel
A step-by-step horse training treats guide for using Crunchits and Calmmunch as low sugar rewards, with timing, portion control and common mistakes to avoid.
Quick answer
Use treats as a precise marker, not as a food delivery. For most horses, a single Crunchits Fruit Fusion works well for quick repetitions, while a broken piece of Calmmunch fibre block suits calmer, slower sessions. Feed within one second of the correct behaviour, keep total treats small enough that they do not unbalance the diet, and reduce them as the response becomes reliable.
Match the treat format to the job
Treat size and texture change how training feels. Small, crunchy pieces are easy to deliver quickly and are gone before the horse loses focus, which makes them useful for fast repetitions such as standing still, loading, or accepting the bit. A larger, slower-eating fibre block is better for stretching a calm behaviour, such as standing quietly while you groom or wait at the mounting block, because the horse has something to chew while the calm state continues.
Both Crunchits and Calmmunch are low sugar options, which matters if your horse is prone to laminitis or you are managing weight. Crunchits Fruit Fusion is described as the original low sugar, molasses free horse treat range, now with natural apple, orange and cranberry flavours. Calmmunch fibre blocks are made from slow dried timothy hay and are fortified with selected ingredients. Neither replaces forage, so treat them as a small addition to the daily ration.
Set a daily treat budget before you start
Work out how many treats your horse can have in a day, then divide that number across your sessions. If you are using Crunchits, that might be one or two pieces per session. If you are using Calmmunch, it might be a portion of one block. This stops a training day from quietly becoming a feeding day.
A common mistake is using treats as a substitute for hay or hard feed when the horse is hungry. Train after forage, not instead of it, so the horse is calm and not mugging you for food.
Reward the pause, not the mugging
The moment you reward matters more than the treat itself. Deliver the treat when the horse is quiet and not pushing into your space. If you reward a nudge or a search of your pockets, you teach that behaviour instead.
For treat timing in horse training, aim to mark the exact instant of the correct response, then deliver within about one second. If your horse is too excited to take a small piece calmly, switch to a lower-value reward or pause the session.
Use a bridge signal so the treat arrives at the right time
A bridge signal, such as a click or a short word, tells the horse that the reward is coming. It lets you mark the behaviour instantly even if the treat is in your pocket. Pair the signal with the treat consistently for a few sessions so the horse learns the connection.
Once the bridge is reliable, you can delay the treat slightly and use it less often. This is how healthy horse treats become a training tool rather than a constant bribe.
Fade the treats without losing the response
Start by rewarding every correct response, then move to every second or third correct response. Replace some treats with a scratch, a pause, or a verbal marker. Keep occasional treats unpredictable so the behaviour stays strong.
If the behaviour weakens when you reduce treats, you have faded too fast. Go back one step, reward more often for a few sessions, then reduce again.
Step-by-step treat training routine
- Step 1: Choose your treat and cut or break it to size: Pick Crunchits Fruit Fusion for fast repetitions or a piece of Calmmunch for calm, longer behaviours. Break or cut the portion before the session so you are not fumbling while the horse waits. Checkpoint: the treat should be small enough to eat in one or two chews and not leave crumbs in your pocket.
- Step 2: Train after forage, not before: Work your horse after hay or turnout so hunger is not driving the behaviour. Have the treat out of sight until the moment of reward. Common mistake: training a hungry horse with food in your hand teaches mugging, not the behaviour.
- Step 3: Ask for one clear behaviour: Give a single, simple cue such as standing still, moving away from pressure, or lowering the head. Do not stack cues in the first sessions. Checkpoint: if the horse cannot succeed within a few seconds, make the ask easier.
- Step 4: Mark the exact moment, then deliver within one second: Use a click or a short word the instant the horse does the right thing, then give the treat. Keep your hand still and low so the horse does not lunge for it. Common mistake: rewarding after the horse has already moved or nudged you, which marks the wrong behaviour.
- Step 5: Pause and reset between repetitions: After the treat, wait a beat, then ask again. This prevents the horse from anticipating the next reward and keeps the session calm. Checkpoint: if the horse is anticipating or rushing, slow down or end the session.
- Step 6: Track the daily total and reduce over time: Count treats across all sessions and keep them within your horse's daily budget. Once the response is reliable, reward every second or third correct response instead of every one. Common mistake: keeping the same treat rate forever, which makes the horse dependent on food to perform.
Product facts that affect training use
- Crunchits Fruit Fusion: Crunchits Fruit Fusion is a limited edition low sugar, molasses free horse treat with natural apple, orange and cranberry flavours, suitable for horses prone to laminitis. The small crunchy format and low sugar recipe make it a practical quick reward for repeated training responses, and the suitability note is useful if you manage a laminitis-prone horse.
- Calmmunch: Calmmunch fibre blocks are made from slow dried timothy hay and are fortified with carefully selected ingredients, and they come in a size option. A fibre block takes longer to eat than a small crunchy treat, so it suits calm, stationary behaviours and gives you time to reset between repetitions.
- Crunchits Christmas Charity Advent Calendar: The Crunchits Christmas Charity Advent Calendar contains 24 days of low sugar treats for a horse, pony or donkey, with all net proceeds going to the British Horse Society's Second Chance Scheme. If you use treats daily, an advent calendar format gives you a pre-portioned way to keep sessions consistent through December without overfeeding.
