In this video I work with a young, muggy horse (Astro—yes, he’s a paid actor) and walk you through how I handle that “in your pockets / in your space” behavior without turning it into a fight. The goal isn’t to shut the horse down or make them afraid to be near me—it’s to get clarity and consent: you can be close, but you can’t be pushy. I’m focused on practical, repeatable steps that make the right choice easy and the muggy choice not worth it. I’m using my usual positive reinforcement framework (clicker training) to reinforce the moments Astro offers good boundaries—like keeping his head and feet where I asked, waiting, and engaging politely. I also talk about why I’m so picky about mechanics and criteria here, because mugging is one of those behaviors that can accidentally get reinforced if your timing is sloppy or your treat delivery is messy. If you’re dealing with a horse who’s gotten a little too enthusiastic about food rewards, this is a real-time example of how I clean it up while still keeping training fun and fair.