How Do I Get Started?

[Danni]

Hi All

So, I'm trying to make work fun for my horse.  What with the weather going through 4 seasons in one day, it's not often possible to ride in the flooded school or go for a hack in total darkness!

I am going to spend this winter 'playing', (practising loading, more advanced free and groundwork, just stuff!) as he seems to resent being ridden, I think we are going to have to go back to the very basics and really work on our partnership over these next few months.  I have investigated all avenues and can eliminate physical pain.  I think he thinks he has come all the way up here to retire early after the less-than-desirable experience of teaching him the airs above the ground at a very early age. <_<

The more info I read on clicker training, the more I reckon it would work for us.

Where do I start?  What book should I begin with?


 

[debgibsonmt]

Hi Danni,

"Clicker Training for Your Horse" by Alexandra Kurland, and "You Can Teach Your Horse to Do Anything" by Shawna and Vinton Karrrash.  There is also a video by the same name and same people.

Of course it all looks very strait forward in the video...like target training...now when was I meant to click?  When he touches the cone, or after he puts it donw?!?

Cheers, Kev

[Danni]

Grand, thank you.

I think I might invest in the vids too, I need all the help I can get with my beastie!!!    

[Becky holden]

Hi Danni

Clicker training will sure help your horse to enjoy ridden work and going back to basics and working from the ground is the best place to start, as well as the books mentioned Karen Pryor's book don't shoot the dog is very good too.

Great pic Kev think your horse needs a job on the highways!! To remove all those dreaded cones that hold everyone up in traffic jams!! :P

Becky    

[debgibsonmt]

Under the category of getting started we've tried our first practical application this morning.  Getting into a trailer.

 Angel has about 7 days of cone targeting.  So we extended this today by moving the cone towards the trailer and then into it.  Actually, much to my surprise, he stepped up into the trailer with his front feet within a matter of minutes.  I clicked and treated each step, hope this was right, and clicked again when he touched the cone and of course...treats!

So after a moment he stepped back out of the trailer and we started again.  He was pretty quickly back with his front feet in the trailer again.  I moved the cone slightly forward and then he just STOOD THERE.  In fact he stood there for about 15 minutes.  I tried drawing his attention back to the cone, to no avail.  But, he wasn't going any where and seemed quite relaxed just standing there and having a look around....for 15 minutes!

I was actually quite satisfied with the progress and was thinking of some way to finish on a win (a click) when he just suddenly stepped up fully into the trailer.  We finished with a few cone touches in the trailer and lots of praise.

The only down side to this is that it has become apparent that our trailer, which normally carries Arabs, may be a bit low to take Angelus at 16.1.  I did have a plan to do the same with Flint at 16.3 but it may have to be delayed while I have a spacer put into the trailer to get more clearance.

Cheers, Kev

[chapsi]

I think he thinks he has come all the way up here to retire early after the less-than-desirable experience of teaching him the airs above the ground at a very early age.  

Hi Danni,
I have a PSL mare with the same kind of problem. Shame how certain styles of training can make them anxious about being ridden. The only difference, I don't venture riding her, I'm too nervous for her. In fact, I'm thinking (again) to sell her, it's pointless keeping a horse as a pet; I cannot afford such luxury. Pity, she is such a lovely babe.

Still, she has been clicker training initiated and she loves doing it, to the point of on occasions finding the target on a bench and trying to retrieve it (that day my plan was not to practice CT...). Her behaviour is a bit different when I carry my CT paraphenalia; she recognises it and then she is always keen to follow me around the yard, very alert, 'on her toes'; otherwise, her attitude is a bit 'oh, why should I bother? we are not going to play'.

I started by following as closely as possible the Karrash book. It was explicit, but on a couple of times I had to ask another EE, who introduced me to CT (Nix, I am missing you). You'll find that people are extremely helpful about your queries.

I now came to a stand still, but it's nobody's fault, somewhat I am lacking motivation these days. Perhaps it's the rainy weather... Perhaps this thread will make me feel enthusiastic again.

[Danni]

Well I feel like I have hit a brick wall at 70mph, I am going to have to go right back to basics with him, maybe even reback him once my physio has sorted both out spines out!

So I completely understand how you feel.  And I also feel like I'm punching above my weight, this horse feels like my intellectual superior!  I'm hoping the clicker training will help us, Amazon emailed me today to tell my order has been shipped, guess what I will be spending the next 6 months doing!