Clicker and Target Issues

Teaching your horse to stand quietly (not sidle away)

This Question comes from Odile (pronounced Oh Dill…thank you Odile for clearing that up for me!) She wants to know how to teach her pony, Diego, to stand still when she approaches his side or walks around him. This will also be helpful for mounting issues and for teaching a “stay”.

At this point Diego finds it more reinforcing to turn and face Odile. With positive reinforcement we can turn this around. By the end of the exercise he will find it more reinforcing to stand quietly. Our job is to make the lesson clear, easy to follow and to help him make the correct choices along the way.

First, as I mention in the video, it isn’t uncommon for the horses to want to stay with you when they get started with this training. They want to keep you at their head. Also a lot of the natural horsemanship/round pen work teaches the horse to turn and face you. So this lesson may seem a bit confusing for your horse in the beginning.

I have found that often times a flat hand on their shoulder seems to help them to settle a bit. So this is the first thing I try. I try to calmly put a steady, but soft hand on their shoulder. I don’t want it to be confused with pressure that they may interpret as a signal to move away. If they start to get too active I don’t recommend that you persist. If this isn’t helping them to settle, than “chasing” them around, trying to touch their shoulder can make them feel nervous or confused. Remember relaxation is an important component in all of the training and this is no exception. Brining about the quiet relaxed mind will help you to have more success with teaching this behavior.

Think of what you can do to set them up to succeed. For example, is there an area of the barn where he is more relaxed? Maybe a certain time of day? Perhaps he is more relaxed after he has had exercise or after he has eaten. These are things that you will need to figure out about your horse in order to help him be relaxed and more apt to stand quietly.

In the beginning you want to bridge(click) and reinforce(feed) the smallest approximations toward your end goal. By drawing attention to the little steps along the way you will help to make the lesson more clear, as well as to help minimize frustration.

If you have a horse who is more of a busy body and likes to move, then asking him to stand still for a long time may be more challenging for him than for a horse with a more docile personality, especially in the beginning. Breaking it up with a little bit of activity may help him to be able to settle more easily. It may also serve as a form of reinforcement for him, if it is something he finds enjoyable. Slowly we can build up the amount of time that he stands quietly and fade out the need for the activity breaks.

The end behavior should be that your horse stands still while you walk all the way around him, being able to touch anywhere on his body. It is a skill that every horse should master. Standing quiet and relaxed is invaluable.

I hope this helps you out. As always…if you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.

Dealing with your horses’s fear of hoses/hosing

In this video clip I give Melissa some suggestions to help her hose-phobic horse get past his anxiety. I have found positive reinforcement to be the very best way to overcome spookiness issues in horses, it really helps them to choose to face their fears….and fear of hoses are no exception. To watch them make a decision to relax and let go of their worry is hugely reinforcing for me. Also, a huge benefit of the training is the level of the confidence that your horse will gain through the process. Offering something that your horse finds valuable will really grab his attention and help him to enjoy the learning process.

Before you begin working directly with the hose desensitization, I suggest you be sure he is solid with the bridge signal (clicker) as well as with the target training. Sometimes I just make an assumption that people know this part, so I forget to mention it!  By getting a good start, and NOT cutting corners, you will make quicker progress. I am often heard saying “slow down, you’ll go faster” but it is true!!  If you need more info on this process you may go to my blog post “Get your horse off to the right start for clicker training”. For an even better explanation of the science behind the training you may want to get my DVD and/or book “You Can train Your Horse to Do Anything”. I also forget that not everyone knows that I have a book or DVDs, so I thought I should mention it here just in case.

Whenever we are dealing with fear in our horses it is very important to keep the training within their comfort range, giving them time to slowly acclimate as we go. As I mention in the video clip, we need to look for signs of worry as well as relaxation. If a horse is standing looking soft and neutral, then he lifts his head as if something got his attention…that, to me, is the threshold that I want to recognize. This small action is communication pure and simple. It tells me that he may have become slightly concerned. I will not move forward with the next step in training until he looks totally relaxed again. Progressing nice and slowly will allow him time to acclimate. If we move too fast we will likely lose ground, as well as trust.

Some of the signs of relaxation might be…exhaling, relaxed head position or casual stance, soft focus, soft eyes, ears, jowls, lips and muscles, etc. These are not the only indicators, however they are some of the more common signs.  Seeing some tension in any of these areas doesn’t necessarily mean that their mind is worried. My horse, Bugs has busy lips, they rarely look soft but it doesn’t mean he is uptight…it is just part of his personality.  The same goes for the signs of relaxation.  For example, a head down doesn’t necessarily mean a horse is relaxed.  Horses are individuals so you need to know your horse and what his body language is saying.  If this is a new concept for you, than I suggest you get an experienced horse person to help you recognize your particular horse’s body language.  Also, watching him when he is turned out or interacting with his environment will also tell you a lot about your horse and how he deals with new situations.

I recommend you build relaxation into the criteria of every behavior you teach.  Your horse may not be perfectly calm at first but you can look for little improvements. Bridging (clicking) and reinforcing for the smallest approximations toward your goal.  After a while, being attentive and settled will just be a habit for him.  However, it is important to only work on one criteria at a time.  I recommend you start by working on one a particular element of the target behavior.  Relaxation will be an ongoing criteria.  So I wouldn’t necessarily suggest you focus on it completely, but keep a vigilant eye out for the times when it is offered.  When you get a good approximation that is also calm I would draw a lot of attention to it by rewarding handsomely.

As with every new behavior, we really want to consider what we can do to set them up for success. Is there a place where your horse is more composed?  Maybe the wash stall already has an unpleasant association, so starting somewhere else may help to put him more at ease.  Hopefully you will get better responses and more opportunities to reinforce.  Maybe he will be better after some exercise to take the edge off.  Using a little common sense always helps!!

If you follow your horses lead by not going over threshold, while also using a high rate of reinforcement and keeping the sessions brief, you should be able to move forward without a hitch. If you go too fast and lose some ground, don’t sweat (we all do it sometimes), just take a step back and work a little slower, allowing your horse time to process the lessons.  The next thing you know your horse will see a hose and think “hose=reinforcement”…you will be dragging him away from the hose!  The video will give you a lot more info. Just holler if you have questions or comments!

Polishing (and maintaining) your horses upward transitions.

In this video, I answer Karen’s question about upward transitions. This seems to be a recurring theme that is difficult for us humans to grasp…as far as positive reinforcement goes. Historically, we have used pressure/release to teach horses to do just about everything. I want you to consider something in regard to traditional training and “going forward”. What is in it for your horse? Why should he want to put in the extra effort to go forward?  What does he get out of it? There isn’t much incentive for the horse outside of us using our aids to create pressure. Then we leave them alone when they respond correctly.  On the other side of the coin,  with positive reinforcement  we can bring something that our horse values and this dramatically changes the horse’s enthusiasm. Because there is something in it for them, they become invested in the training program and enjoy the learning process. They are as interested in the outcome as we are….how’s that for a partnership? It sure does make for a happier horse and it makes our job a heck of a lot easier too.

Once we get started with the positive reinforcement training basics (bridge conditioning and target training) we are ready to advance in our training. While we can move right into under saddle work following that initial phase, I recommend that you train a behavior on the ground first. Let me explain….the better their experience with the learning, the stronger their effort will be when things begin to get a little more difficult. So I like them to get hooked, to really enjoy the training. The best way to do this is to be certain that they experience a lot of success and very little frustration. By teaching them one simple behavior, and getting it solid, we have helped them to get all they way on board with the training. Something simple, like going to a stationary target or picking up their feet on their own. Additionally, teach the behavior of leading at liberty incorporating upward and downward transitions. Since we are discussing upward transitions, I recommend most reinforcements come for upward transitions….just something to keep in mind.

Usually, under saddle work has a long history with traditional training. If our horse doesn’t fully comprehend how good the new training can be, then he won’t know that good things lie ahead for him. He may check out before we have a chance to get his attention. In this post we are addressing a bit of an issue with upward transitions…that means we have probably gone through the pressure release route without much success. This let’s us know that we are dealing with a particular mind set and  he has probably developed a habit of resistance to going forward.  It doesn’t mean that he is trying to be bad, it just means he doesn’t find it reinforcing enough to do what we are asking. It is more reinforcing to plod along or ignore our aids. In any case the reluctance usually has a pretty well developed history. We need to get him out of his old mindset and ready to play the new “game”, that he finds so reinforcing, under saddle.  I suggest you keep your first under saddle sessions particularly short and sweet…. this means maintaining a high rate of reinforcement! This will help to grab your horses attention. Getting him engaged and keeping his focus is the first goal. To ensure that he is putting two and two together, I encourage you to only work on one behavior under saddle at first. You want to see him making the connection and having success with this behavior. Pretty soon you will feel him offering the new behavior just like when we were teaching the behaviors on the ground.

Somethings to keep in mind… We are exercising their minds, not their bodies. For a lazy, balky horse, we can offer a huge reinforcement by just getting off and calling it a day when they give us a good effort. For this first stage of training, if they still need additional exercise I will turn out, lunge, etc, AFTER we do our under saddle training session.

This brings me to the next point. We ALWAYS want to set them up for success. What can you do to create more energy, a better response or a better attitude? Often it is better to ride them before they have had too much exercise so we utilize their extra energy and enthusiasm. Of course you have to evaluate your particular horse to determine what will work best for the two of you.

Be sure you don’t skimp on the time you put into the bridge conditioning (clicker) and target training. This is often something that gets overlooked. It may seem a little repetitive, but it is supposed to be! For one thing, we are conditioning the clicker, thereby giving it value. This is classic conditioning and it takes repetition. The clicker needs to have a very strong association before we move on to more difficult behaviors, like your under saddle work. We want to be sure that they recognize the clicker as the reinforcer. That is why the stopping to reinforce doesn’t matter…. they are working for the sound of the clicker. The stopping is an incidental that we initiated by our clicking. When properly conditioned, they will remember what earned them the click. It is called abridge signal because it bridges the gap between the moment of behavior (that earned the bridge signal) and the time when we can deliver the reinforcement. It bookmarks that moment in time.

This bridge conditioning process helps to get them really solid on relaxing and also respecting our space. We want this to become their default behavior…down the road you will be glad you did. When I see a horse who has resorted back to being pushy it is often a result of too little time with the basic manners or not maintaining this behavior.

The target work allows them to become more engaged in the training. It helps them develop better problem solving skills. It also continues to improve our relationship and trust.

And one last thought for you before you watch the video…Doing upward transitions from the ground while liberty leading can be very helpful under saddle as well. The goal is for them to mimic my movements. The signal is my speed and movement, so when I trot they trot, when I walk they walk, when I turn right, they turn right, when I stop they stop, etc. I also start pairing a verbal signal in here as well. This way we can utilize the signal from the saddle as well. In this situation I bridge (click) upward transitions. So as soon as the spring into the next gait or even increase within their gait. What is happening in this process is that we are building a good reinforcement history with upward transitions. Even though it is seems out of context, they often times will generalize. What has happened when we work on it from the ground, they begin to realize that when I am asked to go forward, I may get a reinforcement. They recognize the cue as an opportunity for reinforcement…after some repetition it actually becomes a conditioned reinforcer (that classic conditioning is always at work!)

One final reminder…they remember what earns them the click…don’t worry about the stopping!! The duration is easy once they understand the concept and are offering the behavior. If you can find it, there is an old, and helpful article that was featured in Practical Horseman in June of 1999, It chronicles one of my students progress with teaching her horse to move forward. Pretty soon she called to tell me she had to slow him down!!

Do you have to feed every click? What about cues? Jackpots?

Barbara asks some questions that are hot buttons for a lot of people coming from the school of “clicker training”. She is inquiring about the use of the bridge signal(clicker) and not following every single bridge with food. In the marine mammal industry we don’t call it clicker training…in fact most people don’t use clickers. The term was derived and introduced into the dog world some years ago. With it came a set of rules that aren’t used in the marine mammal training industry. That has lead to some confusion as to what is “allowed” when using positive reinforcement. At Sea World we studied and utilized behavioral principles and applied learning theory. The marine mammal industry is on the cutting edge of positive reinforcement training. I know from a previous conversation that some of the rules of clicker training, as it applies to dogs, were created for the neophyte dog owner/trainer. I understand why they were implemented but I also realize that we have come a long way since then. People are now much further along in their education and understanding so they can easily handle some of the more “advanced” concepts of training. I address the questions and give more info in this video clip, but I wanted to touch on some of the points here in the post as well.

One is the concept of not feeding every bridge signal (clicker). The bridge signal/clicker is a conditioned reinforcer also known as a secondary reinforcer. This means we have given the clicker value through classic conditioning (think Pavlov’s dogs). Once that happens it then serves as a reinforcer, all by itself. Occasionally reinforcing with a scratch, game, toy, turn out, activity, another signal or any other conditioned/secondary reinforcer does not diminish the value of the clicker or any other bridge signal. If the ratio became out of balance then that would be a different story, but as long as the ratio is skewed toward most of the bridges being followed by food we keep the value quite high. There are plenty of benefits to using secondary reinforcers and it definitely enhances your relationship.

Next Barbara brings up cues. There is a “rule” that you can’t add a cue until the behavior is almost completely trained. That is not necessarily true. In fact in most cases we are instituting some sort of cue (discriminative stimulus) as we start to train a new behavior…otherwise how would they have a clue what to do? So you have a cue from the get go. Often times I will slightly modify the original cue or simply make it more and more subtle. I give the example of my spin cue in the video. At first it was a point to the target, pretty quickly I started adding two fingers pointing to the target. I kept the same signal that I used from day one but it got smaller and smaller so that it is subtle, this helps to keep them more watchful. If I need to take a step back to remind them, I am still using the same working signal that was a part of the initial lessons. It is easy to slowly get bigger to remind them. If I want a different signal altogether, I will start to pair it with the working cue as soon as they start getting successful approximations. With a target to guide them through it starts pretty darn quick. Free shaping and capturing will be a different process. Since there will likely be more guesswork on the horse’s part, I will add the cue later in these cases.

The third thing that Barbara asks about is the use of a magnitude reinforcement…AKA jackpot feed. She wanted to know if I use a jackpot on Mint’s back up (video: “Now that’s a backup!!” on my YouTube Channel) I definitely use jackpots during the training process, especially for the smallest improvements when working on a new behavior. This seems to keep them highly motivated to work through the rough spots. I actually use the magnitude feed quite a bit. I like to make a big impact and allow latent learning to take effect. I believe quite strongly in having short and sweet sessions and I end every session with a magnitude reinforcement. Well, let me clarify, I end every successful session with a magnitude reinforcement.

Okay, that may about cover it, the rest is in the video…If you have any questions or comments please let me know!

Good horse…Pushy pony

Sabrina has a horse and and pony that she is getting started with positive reinforcement training. The first portion of this training is the trickiest for a lot of horses…or ponies. Her horse responded quite nicely and sorted it out quickly. However, her persistent pony is a different story. She is being kind of tenacious, instead of patient. A pony tenacious…now there’s a surprise! This first portion takes some good timing and looking for the smallest approximations toward turning their head away. This is the most important lesson they need to learn since it sets the tone for future interactions. The good news is that it doesn’t take long for them to get this skill worked out. Take a look at my last blog post to see a horse learning this task for the first time.

Often times people choose to ignore this unwanted behavior and not bring food around their horses at all, except for at feeding time. That is one way to deal with it but certainly teaching them how to behave correctly makes for a more well rounded horse, whether you plan to use positive reinforcement or not. When I watch a horse who is pushy when food is around, I will usually observe this same demeanor at feeding time. This attitude gets reinforced everyday when they get fed, so they have a strong reinforcement history with this unpleasant behavior. These horses are slower to give up on what has worked so well, for so long. So remember, every time you feed your horse you are reinforcing them for SOMETHING! If they are standing quietly, then you will see more of this behavior, if they are pawing or diving at the food then you will see more of this behavior. By simply being aware of what is happening you will be able to change their habits. I can go on and on about manners at feeding time but for this post I want to focus on Sabrina and her pushy pony learning to be polite in the presence of food.

I gave Sabrina a number of suggestions for how to handle this situation. One is to feed her pony before her session. Ponies are often on restricted diets and this can make the value of food skyrocket. By feeding her before the session, this is one ways we can set her up for success. I failed to mention another way that we might be able to set her up for success, would be by doing a session after she has had some exercise. This can take the edge off of their energy level and minimize the frantic seeking of food. Anyway that is something you may try and see if it helps her focus. As she gets the lesson worked out and knows what is expected of her we can fade out these tools that we used in the beginning to help make the learning less frustrating.

Watch the video for more suggestions. Anyone who is new to this training may go to my last blog post for more info for getting your horse off to a good start. Sabrina, please keep me posted and let me know how things are going.

Get your horse off to the right start for clicker training

Let’s face it…hand feeding is one of the biggest concerns people have about using a positive reinforcement training program. In reality, it isn’t very difficult at all to teach your horse excellent manners when they are in the presence of food. It just takes some awareness of what behaviors are happening when you are offering food. Each time you give your horse a treat, you are actually telling him that the behavior he is performing at that moment is something that you want to see repeated. If you watch the average person feeding a horse a carrot, the horse usually has their head and neck stretched out toward the person. The horse has learned to pursue the food by reaching toward the person. By simply being aware of what is happening and feeding when a different response is occurring, we can teach a completely different behavior.

In my eyes, this is one of the most important lessons. It establishes good ground manners, patience, and if done correctly, relaxation. Too many people, as they get started with using positive reinforcement, don’t spend enough time here (making this lesson a strong one and teaching the horse to make a conscious choice to keep his head and mouth to himself)

I made this video as part of a short series about de-spooking your horse. This was to serve as a brief introduction to help show people how to get started. Since that time I have had LOTS of requests for this video clip. As I look back, I see things that aren’t explained as well as I do in my DVD You Can Train Your Horse to Do Anything. I also see so much that I was processing in my head and some are judgement calls based on my decades of experience. Being that this was to be a short piece, I didn’t really have the time to share my thoughts about these decisions. Being my own best critic, this kind of makes me cringe. Yet I also want everyone to get off to a good start. I often see people who don’t understand how to approach the first and most crucial lesson. So I figure, while it is important for everyone to have a more thorough understanding, at least this little bit of knowledge will help give them a good “jump start”.

Lucky Jack is the horse in the clip and he starts off feeling more mouthy than most horses. He wasn’t as aggressive as some but I felt he needed more direction than some so I “shushed” him away. This is not a normal tactic I use, but in some cases it seems to help distract them slightly, thereby setting them up for success. I also pause longer between some of the clicks…again this was a call I made. I felt it would be best for him because I was able to recognize a familiar and probable behavior pattern. So, I am recommending that you don’t let too much time go between clicks in the beginning. As you are both new to the process, this will help to make it a little bit more black and white for the both of you.

In this video clip you see me walking with LJ as he moves around the stall. I will only do this if the horse is calm and confident. If the horse seems even the slightest bit nervous I tend to stay more still, since excessive moving may cause some horse’s nerves to escalate. I tried to move slowly and calmly with him so he didn’t perceive me as tense. They are very responsive to our moods. If we get more anxiety, they usually respond in kind. However, if we remain calm they tend to feed off of that as well. So being quieter and allowing them to sort it out on their own, combined with a high rate of reinforcement for even the slightest effort, is a good rule of thumb to follow.

When feeding our horses try to remember to feed them out in front where you would like their head to be. Step up to feed them where they are as much as you can. This will help to reinforce the position even more and it will help to prevent drawing more undue attention to the food source. So reach out, under, forward…whatever the situation requires to feed him.

One of the fundamental things to look for during this process is relaxation. I can not emphasize this one enough. Looking for relaxation in all that you do will help to keep them even, calm, deliberate and polite. A calm mind is much more lucid so it helps our horse to make better decisions….and it is all about teaching, and allowing them the chance to make decisions. At first they may be a little more excited but if we focus on the slightest improvement, and draw attention to calm, we will see more and more calm… It will just become part of the criteria. At this point you may have no idea, how important this will be down the road. But remember it is all about the smallest steps. These are called “successive approximations”.

On to the target…This is a little more straight forward. I try different positions to see how I can help him to make the best choices.

I must reiterate, that LJ does not have the bridge signal (clicker) part down yet so I normally would not have moved on to the target so quickly. Please do yourself and your horse a huge favor and complete 8 or 9 short sessions (5 minutes) of just the bridge conditioning and manners before moving on to the target. I see people who have troubles with their horse’s manners and it is usually because they have moved on too quickly without getting this foundation solid. When you have done those sessions, it is then time for the target. I recommend the same amount of time and repetitions.

Finally, If you feel uncomfortable with your horse’s assertiveness when starting him with the manners/bridge signal portion, you may work from the other side of a stall door or fence. This protected contact will keep you out of his reach while still being able to work his manners. Be certain that he’s good and solid on the outside of his enclosure before you work into closer contact. Once you can be right next to him and he is being calm, I recommend you start the same number of repetitions as above. Though it will be a little longer process, we should never be in a hurry or take short cuts. They set the pace of the training.

As I mentioned, this is part of a 3 part series in a brief de-spooking your horse exercise, using milk jugs. We will be working through some ground work with a spooky horse named William in part 2 and then in part 3 we move to the milk jugs under saddle. For more info about getting started and the behavior principles please check out my website or look for my DVD and book entitled You Can Train Your Horse to Do Anything. For more info about de-spooking your horse there is a 6 DVD set full of exercises to help your horse become more brave and trustworthy. The set is called DeSpooking Your Horse: Building Boldness & Confidence. I think of them as team building exercises since they help to build the trust on both sides of the partnership.

Okey dokey…If you have questions or comments please don’t hesitate to ask. Enjoy!!

Why does my horse bite?

Not all biting is about food. There are many possible reasons why a horse may bite…there is always a reason. Though we may not know what the cause might be, we can change this behavior.

When starting a horse with positive reinforcement there is an easy way to create great manners and a relaxed demeanor when food is around. Clearly this is important since food is often present. The method used for creating good manners can also be implemented to address problematic biting. In fact, I have helped horses who are very mouthy and even aggressive, using food based training. Because most horses put a very high value on food, it is important to have some awareness of how to use it in a constructive way before getting started with a positive reinforcement training program.

Rachel’s horse, Trigger, seems to be making a habit of biting, though food doesn’t seem to be what is motivating his mouthiness. In the video answer I offer a possible cause and solution.

South Africa, here I come!!

This is for my South African friends…We are working on organizing a clinic (or two) in South Africa this March!! I have heard from several people in the past who have been interested in attending or hosting a clinic. I will be down that way so now is a great time to get something organized. I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with some of you…and your horses. If you would like more information please get ahold of Krizelda. Here is her FB page if you would like to send her a message. https://www.facebook.com/krizelda.carelse

Horse doesn’t move forward from leg cue….or to a cluck

In this video answer I address Debby’s question about her new horse.  Debby’s horse doesn’t understand the usual leg cue for moving forward.  She would like to use positive reinforcement to teach her horse  to move forward rather than using pressure/release.  For those of you who are familiar with positive reinforcement/clicker training, you already know what a difference it makes in the horses attitude when they are given a choice.  You will see a marked improvement in attitude, performance, enthusiasm, retention and focus.  By using positive reinforcement you are putting something in the training equation that your horse finds  valuable.  They become invested in the training process…and it’s outcome!  It is amazing how willing, soft and responsive the horses become.   This is why more and more professionals are incorporating positive reinforcement into their training protocols.  With Debby’s horse we are starting with some basics.  This takes a little thinking outside of the box.   If you have any questions or want to learn more about the training please don’t hesitate to ask. “>

Jane’s horse learns to be calm & confident about clipping

Years ago my friend Jane Savoie got a new horse from another successful, international Dressage rider. To say the horse wasn’t so good at clipping would be a understatement. She was told that she would never be able to clip the horse without first medicating her (the horse, not Jane!)Jane was familiar with what I was doing and began to put the training techniques into action with clipping her new horse.

In 3 days she was clipping the horse without medication or restraint. She went from being panicky when being clipped to being calm and trustful.  Her horse was actually choosing to stand quietly, relaxed and willing. She wasn’t opting for the less worrisome of two different forms of pressure….the lesser of two “evils”, so to speak. There was no coercion or pressure involved.

Already tired of the cold? Meet me in Costa Rica!!

Want to go on a vacation somewhere warm? What about one with horses? Well, me too.  These Southern California winters are brutal. Okay, maybe that is a bit of an overstatement, but it is all relative. Us Southern Californians get tired of our colder weather too.  Maybe it is all those years I spent in the cold water  and a wetsuit or maybe I am just a wimp…but I can’t wait for the warmer weather.  This year I am going to do something about it….I am going to go to Central America!

That’s right.  I am really excited to let you know that we just finalized the dates for my clinic in Costa Rica. Well, actually it is more than a clinic…I will be there all week. From May 1st – 7th. It will be so much fun!!  Discovery Horseback Tours, run by Andrea and Chris Wady, is a top notch operation.  There are some great reviews from people who have had the time of their life.   If you want to learn more here is a link to their website. Wait till you read about all of the things you can do.   I hope you will join me, Andrea and Chris in Costa Rica!    http://www.horseridecostarica.com/vacationpkgs.php

You can easily build trust with your OTTB using positive reinforcement

Jen asks a question about creating a bond with her off track Thoroughbred. She is just getting to know her new horse and wants to get started using positive reinforcement training.  Using the click/reward techniques will help to build trust incredibly fast.  The trust and respect will grow stronger each and every day.

In addition to what I said in the video, I always recommend reinforcing for relaxation.  Building it into your criteria from the start will be a big help. Typically, a horse right off the track has a tendency toward being full of energy and not very quick to settle. So as you start the basics (bridge, and target training) watch his eyes, ears, mouth, jaw, head position and body for signs of softness.  At first he may not be very relaxed but look for small improvements…tiny little approximation toward settling.  By clicking and reinforcing for these increments you will see him becoming more and more relaxed.  With relaxation comes focus, manners, sensibility, and a good attitude.

I am really excited for the two of you because I know the amazing journey that lies ahead.  Jenn, please keep me posted of your progress and congratulations on your new horse!

 

Horse is aggressive about…everything! (Food too)

Stormy won’t jump Liverpools…oh, wait…he does now!!

Equestrian Clinic Pricing…

Solving Horse Behaviour Problems and Me by Jenni Nellist

Solving Horse Behavior Problems and Me

Pressure – Positive or Negative? by Equi-libre Horses

Update on rescue horse migration and last chance reminder!

I want to formally say a big thank to everyone for your support regarding our westward migration.  It was touching to read all of the well wishing thoughts and comments.

Another Update: Westward Migration

Update on our migration: We headed out for the final stretch and then we got a flat tire (and one compromised tire) on one of the trailers. We found a spot along the road to wait for some new tires. It was several hours before they got there. The temperature was nice and cool as we waited. The horses were calm and restful.

Then here comes the tire guys! All of a sudden it was loud and hectic. They had hydraulic wrenches, air hoses, sledge hammers(to get the tires off of the rims), there are lights and trucks running and if that wasn’t enough a tanker truck pulled up along side the trailer with the young ones. Since they are in a slant load it ended up being right behind them. The truck blew it’s brakes. It seemed like real mayhem yet the horses were phenomenal!

Keep in mind that these horse couldn’t even be safely handled a couple years ago and here they are dealing with things that even a seasoned traveler would find difficult. The were calm and sensible!! If they did get startled they settled right back down on their own volition.

They have developed such trust and seem to realize that all is not as fearful as it once seemed to them. I was SOOO proud watching those 6 little horses keeping them selves so composed.

We ended up turning back to the layover barn since it was late at this point. We are giving them a well deserved day to rest and will finish the journey tomorrow. I will keep you posted. Thank you all for your good wishes and warm words. I will pass them on to their humans who have done most of the work! :0)

BTW the picture above is the 3 younger horses. They just loaded and are watching a horse playing in the turn out. We are heading out for their new home…or so we thought!

 

How do I get my horse to enjoy training, to get his spark back?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of horses out there who are not as happy as they could be or who, even worse, resent the training process. We must always rule out physical causes but once we have done all we can physically we may find the problem is with their mental attitude. The great news is we can change this by adding something to the equation that the horses finds valuable. Something that he perceives as valuable, not something that we assign value to for them. By using positive reinforcement in their training program you can bring about big changes in your horse. You will get a relaxed but eager partner.

Here is a link for the early stages of getting started. Once you get the foundational work in place you will start to see a change in your horse’s attitude, even without taking it to under saddle work. But taking it to your riding you will be addressing his demeanor directly and you will start to feel and see a happier horse. http://on-target-training.com/freetraining/ If you have more questions or would like more information please don’t hesitate to comment or get ahold of me.

As a side note, I recommend Gerd Heuschmann’s work for some great insights into physical relaxation through bio mechanics. This also brings about mental relaxation which of course, is what we want.

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Is Your Horse Happy? (Part 5 of 5)

Part 5: The emotional component

The most impressive and elaborate behavior is worthless to me if it is done with a poor attitude. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to focus on the activity being performed rather than the demeanor they have while doing the behavior. We also tend to reinforce these behaviors at a higher ratio than we do for standing quietly. When I say quietly, I am referring to internal as well as an external calm and relaxation. One of the best ways to teach our horses patience and emotional/impulse control is to focus on this steady, even keeled attitude and reinforce it accordingly. It should be the foundation behind any behavior, even the most active. Doing a piaffe, sliding stop, jumping or any behavior that requires a high level of activity is still best done with relaxation. Therefore, I strongly recommend paying a tremendous amount of attention to shaping a calm and relaxed demeanor throughout your training. Yet, keep in mind we can also teach them to be flat, dull and barely trying if we reinforce behaviors that are done with this attitude. It is all about the balance.

Getting back to the original question…when they are calm and relaxed, they cannot be wound up and cranky. These two things are opposites and incompatible. Technically, we should use something called a DRI or Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior. We should reinforce the response we would like to see more often. They can’t do both of these behaviors at once so they will have to make a choice…do I scowl, act snarky and tense or do I choose to soften and relax? If we have done our jobs correctly they will choose settling since this is the behavior that has the better reinforcement history and association…pretty soon it is a habit. It becomes the attitude they associate with training.

Well, those are some of my thoughts about creating a horse with a happy attitude. The options are endless but if we pay attention to these things it will help us to recognize the subtle changes in our horses behavior. Only then can we create a happy balanced partner.

Is Your Horse Happy? (Part 4 of 5)

Part four: The Holy Grail of training

As I mentioned, in the very earliest sessions I find it is necessary to establish some healthy boundaries when it comes to food. It is up to us to help them learn the correct way to behave when food is in their presence. This can be a real trouble spot if not done correctly and thoroughly established. Fortunately it is simple but needs some repetition. While they are they learning to turn/ keep their head away during the first stages, I begin to work on the behavior I consider the holy grail of training…drum roll please…Standing calm, relaxed, yet attentive.

Standing quietly and relaxed is imperative for training a good attitude. So this is one of the first things I begin to shape while conditioning the clicker. If they learn to be relaxed with a calm focus, most everything will take care of itself. You are beginning to establish a good work ethic and it will carry over to most everything they do. Let us not forget that turning their head away or putting their head down or even standing quietly, does not necessarily equate to relaxed. They can do these behaviors with all sorts of tension and it can easily escalate to a cranky or even a dulled demeanor if it goes unchecked.

We are responsible for recognizing and encouraging a settled, attentive demeanor and emotional control with all that they do. Standing quietly can play a big part in training this healthy attitude. Something to keep in mind is that standing calmly may be very hard for some horses to do at first. Particularly young horses or those horses who are busy bodies and tend to constantly be in motion. It will work best to shape standing quietly and getting to a relaxed state of mind in small steps…just like with any behavior.

This brings me to another aspect that I touched on briefly, yet I also find very important for developing a great attitude, that being Setting them up for success. I strive to create as few errors as possible while learning. I know there is no way to minimize all of the errors and in fact the mistakes are part of the process. They allow the horse a chance to rule something out as an option. However, I try to make the approximations as clear as possible. 

The target is an invaluable tool for helping to make the steps clearly defined and simple to understand for the horses. As I have previously stated, I find liberty work to be the best way to go so, I think of the target as a replacement for the halter and lead rope. The target effectively eliminates the guess work for the horses while still allowing them to make their own decisions. It helps them have success while training and helps them to enjoy the learning process. To be continued….

Is Your Horse Happy? (Part 3 of 5)

Part three: Manners and getting started

Training has some inherent, built in stress. That is just the nature of learning. We are moving out of our comfort zone and into an unknown. It is not clear what is expected, what will work or how to do it. In addition, the first part of the clicker training starts out with free shaping which can be the most stressful type of positive reinforcement training. We are looking for them to turn their head away from us so they are not bowling us over for the food. This is a very important skill for them to learn right off the bat, yet there is not an easy way to help them understand what we are looking for. Well, there are some things we can do to help them out but by and large they are on their own. We are building a new form of communication(bridge signal)but those pieces aren’t in place yet so we have to be quick with our timing and taking advantage of the opportunity to draw attention to the new behavior. It would be much easier if they knew about the target and the clicker but of course that is not the case yet

By being consistent, setting them up for success, establishing a high rate of reinforcement, and more importantly…taking the smallest steps, these steps can all help to minimize the frustration associated with the early steps of training with the clicker. This time is critical as we are wanting to grab their attention but we still need to establish some healthy boundaries and proper manners. We need to do all we can to make this a pleasant and successful experience. This is what will help them build a good attitude toward learning…and a good work ethic…To be continued….

Is Your Horse Happy? (Part 2 of 5)

Part two: Combining traditional training with “clicker “ training…

I talked about the different ways that people apply clicker training with their horses. Ideally, I like to teach behaviors using positive reinforcement, yet most of the horses I encounter are cross-over horses. This means the horse has already been trained through pressure/release training and is now being introduced to the use of positive reinforcement in his training protocol. A large number of the people I meet are not interested in letting go of their pressure/release training. That is okay, so long as the horse isn’t showing any worry about the traditional training. As people have the chance to understand the training and see it put to use, they often start shifting to using more and more of the clicker training in their day to day work with their horses.

It is harder for some people to recognize when their horse is not content with certain aspects of his pressure/release training until the tell-tale signs are pointed out to them. People, often times, think their horse is doing well because he is quiet, however, sometimes their horse is actually shut down. It takes a bit of awareness to see that they have checked out. If that is the case I suggest going way back and essentially starting over. Using positive reinforcement and rebuilding a new, better reinforcement history with the behaviors they know, will help them to become more invested in the training process. They will be down right enthusiastic!

One the other hand, if things seem to be on a pretty good level with their horse and his training we can simply add clicker training to increase the horses motivation, performance, capacity for learning and especially their relationship with the owner. You can do this by adding positive reinforcement to what he already knows or by training new behaviors. All of this dramatically improves their attitude across the board. 

Often times when I am called in there is a problem with some facet of training and they seem to be stuck. The first thing I like to do is go to liberty work for their particular issue, if possible. If it is not an option, I will work the horse in a halter and lead rope, being careful to not apply any pressure via halter, lead rope or body position. This equipment is simply to keep them from wandering too far astray. They may wander to the end of the lead rope, yet I still won’t correct their actions by applying pressure or pulling. I prefer a long lead rope so they feel they have some liberty to move away. This freedom (preferably at total liberty)really gives the horse a chance to show us where they are comfortable and where they are having troubles. Often times to the owners surprise it is a much different picture than what they anticipate. Usually as the owner sees the dramatic improvement, they begin to use clicker training in other facets of their training program.


As we begin combining the two systems I usually don’t see any bad attitudes or grumpiness as a norm. However, some horses will start out a little possessive of food and this can cause some stress and uncertainty at first that can be carried over to the whole training process. Then there are also some horses who just seem to have a sour attitude toward training, being ridden and people in general. Even though they may be compliant, that attitude is a pretty big indicator that something is up that needs to be addressed. First, be sure that there is not a physical cause behind their disgruntled attitude or a sudden change in behavior. I always recommend having your vet, dentist, farrier check to be sure all is well with the horse physically. Let’s say there is a physical problem and you correct the situation, they may still keep the association with the pain and the undesirable attitude may continue.

With a little awareness and good timing it is not so hard to reshape these grumpy attitudes into a consistently soft, happy demeanor. Yet, if they are not addressed right away they can become a normal part of the training equation, even when we are using positive reinforcement. If we reinforce them with this attitude we may be unintentionally telling them that this is part of the criteria. By recognizing it and addressing it we can correct this behavior. To be continued….


Is Your horse Happy? (Part 1 of 5)

Snapdragon is a happy 3 year old mustang who has learned to load in the trailer. She learned how to load nice and slow first and to keep impulse control. However, given her druthers, she would rather canter! Notice how she settles back down once she is in the trailer. She is a horse who has learned that training is fun and she looks forward to working with her humans.

Lately, I’ve had a number of questions related to the attitude of clicker trained horses. People were asking why do my horses look happy while theirs or others clicker trained horses seem cranky? I was gobsmacked!(I learned that term when I was in the UK with Helen) I didn’t know how to answer this question. I have spent some time processing this idea and trying to figure out the things that I may do differently than some of the other people who are training with a clicker. I might add that I have seen lots of happy clicker horses. However, I have also seen (or been contacted about) some disgruntled horses. Enough so that I realize there is something amiss out there for some folks and I want to help turn this around if I can. I have tried to identify some factor that may make a difference. I don’t have a definitive answer for this so here are some of my thoughts:

Part one: Let’s look at the method…

As a trainer who uses a clicker(as Dr. Helen Spence so aptly puts it), I have to admit there are some good “clicker” trainers out there and some not so good. There are also different approaches to using the clicker during training. There are some who drop every ounce of pressure/release training and will go to great lengths to use their creativity to remain as clean as possible. To train solely through positive reinforcement, we need to remove all of the tools that are associated with pressure/release and work at liberty. This means halters, as well as other equipment, and even displacement (through body language) are not used during the training phase. 

Liberty work has a number of advantages. First, it removes all of the need for volatile behavior in horses. Whether feral, aggressive or scared, they tend to feel safer since they can flee a worrisome situation. They will choose to walk, instead of run if they feel the need to get away. It builds trust much faster than when using pressure/release tactics. And secondly it allows them the freedom to come and go as they like which tells us a lot about their comfort level.

There are also some who choose to train and teach using more traditional training tools like halters, ropes, reins or physical displacement as part of the clicker training equation. These people will cause the action to happen through pressure of these aids and then click/release/feed once they have elicited the correct response. It is still the pressure that created the behavior so it is traditional (negative reinforcement) followed by the clicker, instead of teaching the behavior at liberty and only adding the halter, or other training aids, later, after the behavior is consistently being performed correctly. Bear in mind that even the halter can be insinuated pressure due to the reinforcement history associated with the halter and how it has been used in the past.


I am sure you can see how different these methods may seem to the horse. There are definitely some variables in how different people apply clicker training to their horses. This variable certainly makes a difference in the horse’s attitude toward the training. This was one of the possible differences that came to mind when I tried to evaluate the factors that may be responsible for generating a not so happy attitude while clicker training. To be continued…

Overcoming an Event Horse’s Fear of Jumping Ditches

Here is another Ask Shawna video answer. This is one of my favorite issues to deal with…jumping! The use of clicker training to help horses overcome jumping fears is amazingly effective. It helps the horse (and rider) to develop or restore boldness and confidence.

Brony Time Part 6: Into the Great Wide Open

The Brony is not an arena horse, and I am not an arena girl. We both crave the outdoors, open spaces. We had been circling around the arena for several weeks in late February of this year, and I almost felt like myself on him. I had healed a great deal, and had almost full use of my injured arm by then. We were walking, trotting and cantering on both leads calmly indoors. We were also, even with the challenge of working on our fears, both bored.

This past winter was an unusual one in Michigan, and most of February and March were absolutely balmy, with temperatures in the 60s and bright sunny skies. Although everyone waited for winter to come crashing back down on us, it never did. The ice-blue sky and spring –scented breezes held a siren song for me. I was terrified, but I wanted to ride outside again. Shawna and I discussed it. She felt as long as I kept him within his comfort zone, maintained a high rate of reinforcement, and worked in very small steps, we’d be fine. No problem. I could do that. I always under-estimate the irrational force of my own ambition.

At my neighbor’s farm where I keep the Brony, there are limited facilities for outdoor riding. I have my choice of the back pasture, or the barn drive, and beyond it, the open fields and woods that made up my neighbor’s 90 acres. The drive seemed full of peril, but the back pasture was unrideable. Warm days and nights below freezing meant that is was a muddy, rough, rutted mess that was hard to walk across. The horses had been avoiding it, picking their way carefully through the humps and ditches when they got too tired of the front pasture and needed a change. The drive was our only option, and I put off trying. Every time I thought about riding Brennir out there, I grew uncomfortably aware of the plate and screws just under the skin that held my collar bone together, and the stiffness where a few of my ribs were still broken. Still, one bright day when the sky was like an unblemished sapphire, my desire overcame my fear. It was time.

Even as I walked over to the barn, I could feel the anxiety crawling in my stomach. I tried to will myself to relax, but anyone who has tried to do that knows that it rarely works. Brennir did not help the situation. I had tied him up to the hitching post to brush him. Walking around behind him to move from his left side to his right, he spooked, as far as I could tell at me. “Okay” I told myself “Just reward what you want”. When he settled I clicked and treated for him. I started reinforcing him for standing calmly as I brushed and tacked him, and he relaxed, nickering softly. Before long, he was tacked up and ready to go.

I ride with only a suede bareback pad. Initially, I had trouble finding a saddle that fit Brennir. Once I got used to the pad, I no longer wanted one. It does make mounting from the ground much harder, though. I walked a relatively calm Brennir up to the bucket I usually used as a mounting block and set him up. He stood quietly for a moment. I should have remembered, at that moment, to reward small things, but like many humans, I had set my eye on a goal, and I intended to achieve it. I moved to mount, and my shadow on the ground sent him spinning, wide eyed and snorting. Calming him, I walked him back to the mounting block. “Small steps” I thought. I clicked and treated him for several minutes straight just for standing at the mounting block. Finally, when he was relaxed, I mounted him, my adrenaline pumping.

Anyone who has come back from a significant riding injury will understand what a victory it was to me just to be sitting on my horse under an open sky, and I felt a momentary flash of joy. Now, my human ego took over. I was back on my horse, outside. I needed to ride. Considering for a moment, I decided anything less than a ride all the way to the end of the barn drive would be a failure. I resolved not to fail.

Asking him to move forward, I let ambition override the caution in my gut. Forget small steps. Already in my mind I was heightening the criteria. I expected him to go at least part way down the barn drive to get a click. After all, before the accident, we had done that many times, I reasoned. Then the crow showed up, one of the birds that could still terrify him. At first, I grew stern, hard, telling him to ignore his fear, just as I told myself to ignore my own. More honest than me, the Brony could not do that. When pushed past his limits, Brennir would dissociate from everything. His eyes would glaze over and go distant, and nothing that I did, not calling his name, not using the reins, not thumping his neck with my hand, nothing could draw his attention back to me. Sometimes he would bolt, as if he was fleeing an unseen predator.

Now, I sat on his back, painfully aware of my still-healing body, and watched his eyes start to look somewhere far away. “Brennir!” He seemed to shake his head as if awakening from a day dream, and tilted his head toward me. Click and treat. He took a shuddering breath, and rolled his eye back toward the crow. A slight pull on the rein, and the moment he looked back at me, I clicked and treated him. My heart softened. He needed me to praise his smallest efforts. He was giving me everything he had to give. I could feel a turning of energy, as his focus shifted back to me. I asked him to take a step. Click, treat. The crow flapped its wings, and his body braced underneath me, ready to run. “Brennir!” He snorted, and turned his head toward me again. Click, treat. He sighed, and I did too. As he understood that his was all I would ask of him, his muscles loosened. He took a few steps forward on his own. I rewarded them, but he had done enough. He had faced his fear.

This then, would be our starting place. That first day, under that clear sky, we hardly moved a few feet. But every time some terrible beast caught his eye, I called him back to me, and he came. The whole world frightened him, full of a thousand enemies. I would love him as he was. I would stand beside him patiently while he faced his fears. I would give him my heart, and he, in turn, would give me his.

Guest Blog: It’s Brony Time! The Trials and Triumphs of an Orphaned Horse

Hi everyone! Shawna is really busy getting ready for clinics, so I’ll be doing some guest blog posts. My name is Denise Bickel, and for the last six months Shawna has been helping me with my 5 yr old mustang gelding Brennir ( also known as the Brony), who was an orphan foal and has had a lot of behavior issues. I’ll be sharing his story in parts to show both how the insight Shawna brought to our troubles helped change things, and how we used positive reinforcement methods to help build Brennir’s confidence in himself and me. I hope you‘ll follow us on our journey! As I say when I we start our sessions, “It’s Brony Time!”

Part 1;

There are horses, and then there are horses. Every horse person knows what I mean. That one horse that looks in your eyes and sees straight into your heart, that you love like crazy, your heart horse. Except what happens when you find that horse, the horse of your dreams, and they turn troubled and angry and sometimes dangerous? It wasn’t the path I was looking for. It wasn’t even the horse I was looking for. Once I looked in his eyes for the first time though, I felt like I had already known him for a thousand lifetimes. He had my heart, from the very beginning.

I found my heart horse in a scraggly little mustang foal whose mother didn’t want him. He was about 40 lbs. at birth and looked like a bald, starving goat. His mother had been rounded up by the BLM not a few months prior. She had gone crazy, attacking another mare’s foal and killing it, and no one was sure how to handle her or what to do with the foal. That first day I saw him while attempting to give him a new foal exam, I offered to buy him, but the owners were convinced they would love and keep him forever.

Everyone knows orphan horses can have issues, and Brennir certainly did. In the intervening year between when I met this baby and he became mine, he had some experiences I wish I could erase. He was isolated from other horses. They chased him with the 4-wheeler as a “game” almost every day. I am sure now that he was lost in the world. When they decided to get rid of him, I only found out about it because I was there looking at another horse. I offered to take him that day. I borrowed a trailer, and he got in without any hesitation, never looking back once. Even then I loved him with my whole heart, and I promised him and myself I would do whatever he needed to help him overcome his rough start in life, and be the horse I knew he could be, the horse my heart saw.

As promises of that sort often do, my promise soon proved harder to keep than I had anticipated. Brennir had a lot of behavior issues, some of them dangerous. When I first got him, he would aggressively charge anything that threatened him: humans with lunge whips, humans with ropes, dogs, chickens, anything. He would knock you down at an all-out gallop in the field, bite, kick, rear and stomp if he was afraid. He was alternately aggressive with other horses or completely detached from them. I was already familiar with clicker training at that time, and since any type of pressure provoked an aggressive response from Brennir, I gravitated toward that for safety reasons. While it definitely worked better than anything else had, we struggled.

Four years together passed.. He learned to lead, to move his body, to tolerate scary objects, stand for grooming and hoof trimming, load on the trailer, all the things a horse needs to know. He could be difficult though. I could not lunge him because he would charge me. He could be fine under saddle and then suddenly explode. I was told he was spoiled, disrespectful, dominant, that I needed to put him in his place. However, when I tried to assert dominance his behavior just deteriorated. Eventually, he became a riding horse, although not without his issues. I loved him, and he was a good horse, but I felt like we lacked the connection I really wanted, and I never felt like I could completely trust him. Most painfully, I never quite felt that I had fulfilled my promise to him. Then, something happened that changed everything.

I was in a bad riding accident. The details are unimportant except to say it was NOT Brennir’s fault. We were attacked by a large crane who was guarding a nest and I doubt the most seasoned horse would have kept it together. I ended up with a dislocated collar bone that was broken into several pieces, 6 broken ribs, and a punctured lung. I spent a week in the hospital, had surgery and it was over a month before I could do anything with my horse at all.

When I was finally able to start working with him again, I found everything we had worked so hard to achieve was gone. He had reverted back to his earliest behavior issues, acting flighty and frightened, aggressive and difficult to control. Instead of a skinny yearling though, I now had a 900 lb. animal with the strength, will and agility of an adult, charging, striking, rearing and biting at me. Riding was out of the question. I was now struggling with fear issues I’d never had before my accident, and he was completely unpredictable. Soon, I could not even lead him safely. He would behave until it was time to return to his paddock, but then he would have a tantrum, rearing and striking. He would knock me down and break away from me, for reasons I didn’t understand. Every day I would find myself in tears. I tried nose chains, the round pen, various exercises trainers I knew suggested, and his behavior just got worse, and his heart more distant. Finally, on a very cold day right before Christmas, as I was trying to put him back in the field, he knocked me down and tore away, running so far and fast he went across the very busy road we live on. By some miracle he was unhurt, but I no longer knew what to do. Defeated, I sat down in the snow and cried until I couldn’t cry anymore. I felt I had failed him completely. I knew if I sold him or gave him away he’d end up dead, but I didn’t know how to help him, and we were both miserable.

I knew I needed someone to help me, but every trainer I knew locally used some kind of pressure training, whether it was natural horsemanship of various flavors, or a more traditional approach. We had already tried so much of that with abysmal results. I knew I had to approach him with positive reinforcement but I was so defeated and confused, I no longer trusted myself or my horse. A desperate internet search on equine clicker training led me to Shawna. I saw she was a professional clicker trainer. However she was in California and we were in Michigan. Never mind, I was willing to try anything at all. I emailed her asking if there was any way she would do an internet consult. To my surprise, she said yes.

We set up a time to talk on the phone, and that conversation would change my relationship with my horse forever. I had already sent her information on his history and the problems we were having so she had had time to become familiar with his issues. We made some small talk, I made some comment about his bad behavior, and she replied “well, you have to understand. He’s afraid of everything”. For a moment it felt like my whole world was turning around those words. This horse, MY horse, who charged anything that looked at him cross eyed, who would rear up and strike at you like a wild stallion, was afraid? I had thought he was aggressive, dominant, willful…but not afraid, not that.

I paused, giving her a chance to expand on this. She explained that orphan horses have no solid foundation from which to navigate the world. They have no herd, no sense of security. For whatever reason, genetics, personality or some effect of his early experiences he expressed his fear as aggression, but he was afraid. “ And then you disappeared, and he didn’t know why. His herd, his one secure thing, disappeared. He’s terrified. You go to put him in the paddock, and he doesn’t know if you are ever coming back. Of course he doesn’t want to go”. My heart broke for my poor, lonesome horse, as every problem we had ever had suddenly made perfect sense. I was crying, but trying not to let it show. I am a veterinarian. I know lots of trainers. I had talked to so many people, read so many books and internet articles, tried so many approaches. Yet no one had ever seen into my horse’s heart before. Shawna did, and in those four words “ He’s afraid of everything” I found the key to opening up Brennir’s heart to me. Somehow, without even meeting him, she knew more about him than I did.

We made a plan for working with him. I would click and treat calm leading behavior within his comfort zone. I’d reward him lavishly for the return to the paddock in order to make the separation less painful. It was not so different from what we had done before, except that, because I understood now that he was afraid, when he started to lash out I was patient and reassuring, using the target to draw him back into his comfort zone, trying to calm his fear. In two days, he was leading like a docile puppy, returning to the paddock without any resistance. On the third day after my conversation with Shawna, when I was finally starting to be convinced the improvement wasn’t just a fluke, I stood in the pasture while snow came down and put my forehead on his. I scratched his neck, remembering how much I loved him, remembering that I was still keeping my promise. He nuzzled me, and I told him“It’ll be okay, pony boy. I understand now. I’ve got us some help. You don’t need to be scared anymore’. He sighed, leaning into me. The connection I felt at that moment was indescribable; his posture so soft, his heart turned toward me in a way it had never been before. He knew I heard him, finally knew how much I loved him, thanks to those words, that insight no one else had had. “He’s afraid of everything”. There was a lot more work to come, but we had the new beginning we needed.

San Diego Area Clinic for Horse Owners, Trainers and Enthusiasts!!

If you want to learn how to improve communication, performance or overcome issues with your horse this is a great opportunity. You will emerge with a better understanding of how your horse thinks and learns. I will address the behavior principles behind “clicker” training. Learn how to put positive reinforcement training techniques put into action. You will also learn how to establish develop a phenomenal relationship with your horse. So, for all of you located in Southern California…next weekend I will be doing a clinic in the San Diego area. It will be a lot of fun and I will be bringing my horses too! For more info please about participating or auditing please contact Kimberly Hart, kmbrlyhrt@sbcglobal.net or (858) 472-1626. See you there!!

A Calm Horse and a Still Horse are Not the Same Thing: Relaxation and Attitude are Paramount.

QUESTION:

Hi Shawna
Love seeing your pics from the UK. Maybe one day you’ll make it to Australia! I just have a quick question. I am working with a horse that has a lot of nervous energy. I am just starting target training and he isn’t entirely relaxed about the target yet. He comes over to me in the paddock to do it, but I can see he’s got an eye on his escape route the whole time. I am doing short frequent sessions but I want to bring attention to when he is softening and relaxing (which isn’t really happening at all yet) but when it does I want to bring attention to that as you often say to do in your answer blogs. However, I’m not sure how best to do that. He’s still learning that the click means he’s performed the correct behaviour, ie touching the target. So I’m not sure if I should click when I see him just relax a little (and not neccessarily touched the target) or just feed and say good boy. Will he relate the click to the relaxation? I’m afraid he’ll relate it to something entirely different and I might inadvertently create a alternate behaviour. Thanks Leone (I guess not such a quick question).

RESPONSE:

Hi Leone,
I must sing your praises for a moment…That is an exceptional observation and one that a lot of people overlook!! You can build tension into behaviors that may overtly look calm. Standing quietly with their jaw clenched, or head raised up, or tension in their body is definitely not the same as standing quietly with relaxation and softness. Swinging their head at a target is not the same as gently touching the target. This goes with any behavior. Attitude is the most important element of any behavior, period. A great looking behavior is nothing unless it is done with a good attitude. That is why I am such a big proponent of working at liberty. It gives them the freedom to express their worries or concerns as well as there is no subtle coercion. What may appear subtle to us is often deep rooted for the horse trained with pressure and release. Working at liberty just builds a better attitude. I must say I am impressed with your awareness to those details and that alone tells me you are going to go very far with your horse (I am still smiling!)

I recommend that you don’t work on the targeting with him yet but instead just focus on the standing and relaxing while you condition him to the sound of the clicker. Just wait for him to soften, exhale, any sign of relaxation. Even the slightest bit. I try to watch the ears, the eyes, the mouth, nose, jaw, head carriage and body language. The softness will increase once he gets the idea. There is a point when even the most worried of horses gets tired of holding in all of that tension and takes a break. Draw attention to that moment.

Since it seems like he is keeping his escape route open, I suggest maybe starting on the other side of the fence. Maybe this way he will feel a little safer and more relaxed. Also, sometimes squatting down (if you feel it is safe to do with him) will help to remove some suspiciousness and again help him to feel more comfortable. The lower you are the less threatening you will seem. Maybe even sit down outside the fence line if your situation still allows you to feed him from there. Another thing that works for some horses it to walk a bit. Sometimes just the act of walking can help them to focus on walking instead of their tension. Also, when you walk away, you are retreating which can build his confidence. I am confident you will be able to read him and see which thing (or combination of things) works best for him. As you see him consistently being soft and settled, slowly fade out the tools you used to help set him up for success. For example, when he is routinely nice and calm with you outside of the paddock then step inside the paddock and follow the same steps until he is staying calm again.

Once he is consistent with relaxing and seems more trustful, with you two standing together, then I would re-introduce the target. I suggest starting with the target in your hand, down by your side, and continue with the relaxation exercises while not drawing attention to the target. Some horses view something in your hands as a threat. So, for the next step I recommend you keep it slow and low until he learns the target is a safe thing. That usually doesn’t take too long. Also it may help to go back to the early steps you used to help set him up for success. If he was more comfortable with you sitting or squatting, start the target while sitting or squatting, or outside of the paddock or whatever seems to help. You have also got the right idea with the short and very reinforcing sessions. However, it may take a bit longer to wait out his tension until he finally relaxes a bit. I know you will get it worked out, especially since you recognized it on your own in the first place.

As for a visit down under…I have been getting a lot of interest from Australia and requests for clinics. If you know of a group of people or a facility that may be interested in hosting a clinic I think it would not be too hard to organize. Just something to keep in mind. Otherwise, please keep me posted of your progress with your wary horse. I am here to help along the way. Keep up the good work and exceptional observations!!

Your Horses Behavioral Changes & Physical Causes

Jane McClaren commented:

Hello, I have for the first time in my riding life (50 years) an under motivated horse. He is sweet, kind beyond imagination, but doesn’t like to be schooled/ridden. A hack is sometimes OK, but he might tend towards distraction and consequently become fixated on something else, then fear follows, and, well you know. We have found his attitude might be caused by physical discomfort, such as ulcers. In early January I put him on a months treatment of Ulcer Guard. Dramatic changes followed. He was happy and forward. Now in early April the old signs are coming back, particularly when grooming him around his gut he is agitated, and snarly. Here’s my take on all this. Shawna has the answers to motivate your horse, no doubt about it. I’ve used clicker training and it works, and now I am reminded to get it out again. It takes a lot of time and patience. Two keys to good horsemanship. But, I wonder Shawna and all your followers, are you finding ulcers more often than not? I will do the above suggestions, small steps, lots of reward, and I particularly like: doing something after that the horse clearly enjoys. Jesse and I love hanging out together. I sit in a chair and he grazes. Sometimes he comes close so I can scratch his poll, he seems to like that too. I agree with Shawna, spending time with our horses, doing something they enjoy too, something other than being on their backs and asking and asking, this is precious and award-filled time to spend.

Hi Jane,
As always, you bring up some great points!! I was responding to your comment on a previous post when I realized I should turn it into new blog post. As I followed my train of thought I realized I didn’t want people to miss your comment since you touch on some important topics. I am hoping others will chime in with their thoughts and observations.

First point, I want to to remind everyone to always check for physical causes when you are seeing a behavioral change, or any issue, with your horses. This is very important. It is always my first thought when I am trying to figure out what is going on with my horses. I will discuss the behavior with my veterinarian. It may be that the behavior change is the first alert to a physical issue. Pain is their bodies way of telling our horses to avoid certain activities so they have a chance to heal. The resulting behavior change can communicate this pain or discomfort to us if we are paying attention. As their stewards we are responsible for recognizing possible problems since they cannot verbalize what is bothering them. Also, keep in mind, for survival reasons they are hard wired to mask the pain so they would not appear vulnerable to predators, if they were living the wild. Once we have ruled out any physical discomfort, injury, illness or even nutritional needs, then I move onto dealing with it behaviorally.

However, in some cases the behavioral change starts because of pain or discomfort but the behavior may continue after the initial, physical cause has been addressed. The unpleasant association (reinforcement history) still remains. For instance, let’s say your horse has a sore back and each time you get in the saddle the pain becomes worse. This may manifest in a behavioral issue with mounting. He may not show any other overt symptoms. So, you talk to your vet and report the changes you have noticed in your horse. Together you determine there is an issue with his back, you come up with a plan for recovery and he is given time to heal. After some time your horse seems to feel better and doesn’t show any signs of soreness. However, when you try to mount, you are seeing the same unpleasant mounting issue. He remembers that the mounting process resulted in pain and he is anticipating the same old pain. Double check to be sure there isn’t another underlying issue. If all checks out it is time to address this behaviorally to rebuild a good association (reinforcement history). Mounting/sore back is an example that I see often but it can happen with a whole slew of physical ailments. The main point I want to make here is that we need to always rule out a physical cause for a change in behavior. Especially before we move onto a training plan to address a new, problematic behavior.

Now your question about ulcers…I would love to hear from others on their experience about this subject. I have only had one horse that has taken me down similar road. He came in and he was a real curmudgeon on the outside, until you got to know him. Then he was pretty sweet. He had been a high level show horse and he had some issues with jumping. The first day I groomed him I thought “How do they get him groomed everyday!?” He was fidgety, sometimes he would groan and, as you said Jane, he was snarky. But this seemed to be his behavior with a lot of things, not just grooming. He was progressing along nicely with training and his personality was getting sweeter but he still had the grumpy grooming attitude. I called the vet and we decided to give him a thorough exam including scoping his stomach. Ulcers was on our list of concerns. It turned out he had a lot of scarring from previous ulcers. It seems it had been a previous, chronic condition but he was healing. This probably explains his cranky grooming behavior and he had to relearn a new set of rules since he was getting better. He continued to jump, travel and learn but he never had ulcers again….nor stopped at a fence again!! That is my only experience with ulcers. I know there can be different causes for ulcers and I am certainly no expert. In my limited understanding stress can contribute to the condition. I find the positive reinforcement/clicker training reduces stress in training as well as with new situations. Traveling and competing can become a joy instead of a worry if we create a good association. We can also re-train a new, better association if, as you pointed out, we take the time and practice patience.

Let’s face it, as an industry, there is a great deal of focus on the horses physical well being. I mean, just look through any horse magazine or website, a large majority of the ads are addressing physical needs. It is all about the best supplements, medications, feed, tack, blankets, boots, pest control, grooming products, footing, bedding, barns, fencing, trailers, the list goes on and on. These are all important considerations. Next you see a lot of articles geared for the rider. How to get more control, how to get a better half pass, sliding stop, jumping, rider position, flying changes, shoulder in, safe stops, trailer loading, how to be more effective with your aids, this is another list that goes on and on. Again, this also important information. After all the better we are at teaching and executing these things the safer and more enjoyable our horses are to ride. However, relatively speaking, very little is aimed at the horse’s mental well-being or on what would help the horse to be happier for his sake, not ours. There is a tendency to focus on their physical well being or what we need them to do for us. Their psychological well being seems to fall by the wayside. I am a big believer in balance. All work and no play can indeed make Jack a dull boy, or a grouchy, sour boy. It is not enough to say they get turned out or live outside, or in a dry, well-bedded stall. I think it is important to spend time with our horses that they value and find enjoyable. If we are always seen as work and pressure/release training we are not exactly going to be the highlight of their day…in fact we may be their least favorite part of the day. Who wants their horse to run away from them when they go to catch them? Or one who just gives up and abides because they have no other choice? No one wants that kind of relationship with their horse. But who can blame them if all we do is take, take, take but don’t give back? If we never give our horses something that they value or find enjoyable? A reminder…this does not mean something we perceive as valuable but that our horses find enjoyable. I have found if I keep a balance between work, play, quiet time, they are much happier about all elements of their lives. I think it is important to do some of these activities together so the association becomes associated with you and enhances your bond. Turning them out is great (and necessary) but if all of the fun stuff happens when you are not around it can strengthen their desire to spent time away from you. I try to have half of our time together include something besides riding or prepping for riding. Training sessions using positive reinforcement are great since they really enjoy these for the rewards but also for the psychological stimulation. But so are some other activities like hand walks, exploring new things, and sitting quietly with your horse. This depends on what your horse seems to enjoy. If he has been subject to a lot of work and not so much quality time it may not be that fun for him to spend time with your right off the bat. As the balance shifts he will learn it is not all work and no play and begin to enjoy your time together. Anyway, some food for thought. Thank you Jane for your comments and question. Okay gang…I would love to hear what you have observed with your horse, what you do for fun or what you have experienced with ulcers…whatever is on your mind.

Motivate Your Horse to Participate in Training

QUESTION:

Hi Shawna, I was wondering what you do about a horse that isn’t willing to try. An example is – now that there is grass outside and Mr. Horse is not as hungry, his willingness has diminished. Now, I realize that I could take him off the grass and make him more hungry. But, what I am looking for is him to be more willing whether he is hungry or not. This particular horse is also one that will constantly test and see who is the “boss” that day. So, I am thinking part of it is his way to try to be in control of the situation as well. I can “make him do it” by insisting with more pressure. But, I am wondering if you have a better way of handling a horse that likes to try to control the training session with either a complete refusal, or just a lack of energy. Hope that makes enough sense. Thanks!!!

RESPONSE:

Hi Tina, The first suggestion I have is try to find a reinforcer that your horse enjoys more than grass. Does he love apples? Carrots? A certain treat or grain? By using something that he finds more valuable the more motivated he will be. You may have to experiment a bit to figure out which he seems to prefer.

You also seem to have some other issues going on here as well. It could be a number of causes and it isn’t always easy to know what is really going on inside his head. Sometimes we read one thing as the cause when it may be something different altogether. Often times when a horse is shut down it ends up looking like different things with different horses. A lack of motivation is definitely one of these symptoms. Often times people think the horse is just quiet or obedient but given a choice he would rather not participate. Since traditional training doesn’t really give them a choice we don’t see the symptoms of a horse who has shut down. The same holds true for round pen work. They don’t really have many choices without repercussions. If they respond incorrectly they are displaced, via body position and driven around the round pen. With clicker training they are given an absolute choice and sometimes we see horses who won’t respond, unless you use some sort of pressure. They have been taught “don’t do anything until I tell you” and the primary training tool has been pressure, both physical and psychological. If he is a horse who resented his training he may balk, refuse and look at training with suspicion. He may also resent that he has been forced to submit. Whatever the cause, don’t despair there is a way to overcome this disengaged attitude.

I often tell the story of Mint and when I first started working with him. He was the worst horse I have ever worked. He would not try at all, he just didn’t seem interested. For the longest time I didn’t even think he had a personality since he didn’t seem to enjoy any part of his life. He would walk away from target training and that is the easiest thing ever. Most horse can figure it out within minutes. The horse in the next paddock would reach over the fence and try to touch the target and I wasn’t even working with him!! So, I made things very, very easy for a while. I would put the target two inches in front of his nose. One touch of the target and I would dump the whole session’s food on the ground. He needed big motivation at first to get his attention. I did this 3 times a day, after about a week I move up to two target touches and then the whole amount. I gradually increased the duration and what I was asking from him once I started seeing him consistently coming over when I arrived. Today, you don’t see the quitter Mint once was, instead he is the epitome of heart and try.

Also doing his training session just before you feed his breakfast/dinner can help. So you may go to him with his food ask for a target touch and then feed him his dinner. Some horses need to learn how to learn, think and make decisions. This takes small steps since they often feel safer doing nothing until they’re told to do something. Once they get engaged in the training process, even slightly, they move right along. There are all sorts of psychological needs that are being met when we train using positive reinforcement so they learn to enjoy the process. They will then start to work anytime and anywhere. If I ever see a break down in the training process I assume the criteria is too much and I need to re-evaluate what I am doing. They are such individuals there is not set plan to follow. Sometimes I find myself doing something that has worked 1000 times before, however, it may not work with the next horse. Instead of thinking “what is wrong with this horse?” I remind myself to think “what am I doing that isn’t working?” There is a way to teach him, I just have to figure out how. I always break it down to smaller steps and increase the amount of reinforcement and that usually always works, but there are times when I need to break it down even further. I always let the horse’s progress dictate the path.

This same process for getting them engaged and enjoying their work also puts you in the driver’s seat. He will start to look forward to the training since there is something in it for him. This includes pleasing you since you bring the opportunity to play the game (called training) that they enjoy. Your presence becomes associated with the whole process. They quickly begin to look at the training as a privilege and a highlight in their day. Often times horse start nickering when they see you and some of them nicker when they see you pulling out the saddle. All signs of how much they look forward to learning. They soon realize the opportunity is there, if they are minding their manners and focusing on what is being asked of them. They are no longer trying to challenge you but instead trying to please you. You are now the leader, not by force but by election. There is no need for overt “dominance”, in fact I never think about it. It just happens.

Also, try to think of what you can do to help set him up for success. Try to think where he is most comfortable, maybe a smaller area will help, are there other horses intimidating him, so maybe he would be better without the other horses around. Maybe try him right before feeding time when he is the most food motivated, maybe he is better after he has had some work, maybe he is better before work, or a certain time of day. Also in addition to a food reinforcement do something he likes after the good (albeit brief) session. Perhaps turn him out or offer his favorite toy or scratch his favorite place, take him to a sand ring to roll or hand walk around the property…whatever your horse seems to enjoy. It is important to make certain it is something that he enjoys and not something that we humans perceive as a reward. We humans have a tendency to assign value to things that the horse may not think of as a reward. This will all be based on your individual horses preferences and it takes some observation on your part.

Once you get him over this hump he will become much more engaged in the training and learning process. He will take food more regularly and you may start to fade out some of the things you used to set him up for success in the early stages. Okay, Tina, I hope this helps give you some ideas…as always, I am here for support along your journey so if you have questions please don’t hesitate to ask. If anyone else has questions, the same goes for you. I would love to hear your thoughts, questions or ideas. Bye for now!!

Clinics Dates for the UK…My UK Tour!

I LOVE doing clinics, demos and lectures so I am excited to be able to share the dates and venues for clinics and demos in England and Ireland.  There are people from all over the world that visit the blog so I thought I would share this info in case you are near the UK and would like to learn more.  I also want to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone for reading my blog, sending in questions and for your feedback.  It is amazing and humbling to be able to reach so many people in over 75 different countries!  So, a big giant THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!!   If you are interested in attending a clinic or demo and would like more information please contact:

Helen Spence:   info@helenspencehorsesense.co.uk.  Also you may contact Anita Kania:  anita@rockinghorsefarm.co.uk Anita is helping Helen and organizing the dates in England.

Cheshire (16th-18th April)

Northern Ireland (26th-29th April)

I look forward to meeting some of my internet/Social media friends who I have chatted with via computer.  It will be nice to put a face and voice with the name…that includes the horses too!

Well, that is it for now.  If you have questions for me or want to book your own clinic please don’t hesitate to contact me.  However,  as far as the clinic venues in the UK it would be best to contact Helen or Anita.

Warm wishes everyone,

Shawna

Biting and Mouthiness in Horses (Both in General and when Leading)

I am addressing two questions in this blog post. One was sent in after the video was recorded but they are both along the same lines. Here they are:

QUESTIONS:

1) How do I get my horse to stop biting me while leading?

2)I have a new horse and want to start him on target training. He’s very mouthy and nips alot, is there something besides treats and pellets I can use that is as effective to give as a reward?

ANSWER:

I have addressed some of this in the video below.  But, as usual, I want to expound on my answer a bit.

Did you know I have fixed mouthiness and biting in horses by hand feeding?  Hand feeding is not the problem it is whatever behavior is happening when we offer the food.  Us humans often times, unintentionally, feed our horses for unwanted behavior.  It all comes down to our awareness of the behavior principles that govern our horses lives.  Something I want you to keep in mind…If any behavior increases in frequency, then something is reinforcing that behavior.  If you are seeing more mouthiness and biting it is because that behavior is resulting in some sort reinforcement.  However, it is not always easy to identify the reinforcer.

There are  two types of reinforcers: positive and negative.  Positive reinforcement means they are seeking something they want, something is added to the equation.  Negative means they are trying to avoid something they don’t want, it is removed from the equation.  This is a tricky concept for some folks since we tend to think of these terms with an emotional slant.  People interpret negative reinforcement as punishment or other harsh methods and they think positive reinforcement means anything we offer with good intentions.  Both of these descriptions is incorrect.  These terms were written by people with a math/science  orientation.  The positive reinforcement indicates something that your horse wants and will seek out on his own. When this is added to the training equation it increases the frequency of the behavior that precedes the reinforcer.   Negative reinforcement means something they want to avoid.  When this is removed from the equation it increases the frequency of the behavior that precedes it’s removal.  For example, when we are teaching our horse to stop or slow down, using traditional training, we apply pressure to the halter (via lead rope) or bit (via reins).  When they respond correctly we remove the pressure, we soften.   Our horses are working for the removal of this pressure, the softening of our hands.  When our horses are learning to lunge or do round pen work we apply pressure via lunge whip and or body position.  When they respond correctly we relent with the driving pressure by dropping our hand or changing the position of our bodies.  This change serves to reinforce the horse.  The legs and seat serve the same purpose when riding.  Our horses are trying to figure out what to do to have the pressure go away…to be subtracted from the training equation.  I always suggest we try to think of positive and negative reinforcement the same way we think about positive and negative numbers.  There is no good or bad number but instead numbers that are added or subtracted from the equation.  The above examples are all negative reinforcement.  It is a very effective training tool when used correctly.  I think it is very important to understand the behavior principles that apply when we are training our horses.  These principles were not made up or invented by anyone and they are in effect whether we are aware of them or not.  If we want to be the best trainers we can be I think we should understand what motivates our horses.  Okay, this may be old hat for some of you by now.  However, there are always people who are just learning about behavior principles.  So, thank you for indulging me!  :0)

Back to the use of food…it is a very powerful motivator.  One of the strongest for most all animals.  The trick is how to use it in a constructive way and not let it’s presence become a distraction.  Horses put a very high value on food.  The value of a positive reinforcers is established by your horse and not by our human perceptions.  Food is needed by every living thing to ensure their survival.  They are innately wired to look for food beginning in their first hours of life.    This makes it’s value, as a motivator, unrivaled by anything we have in our training programs.  The problem often comes in when we underestimate the horses desire for food.   They become very focused on what they were doing when they received the food.  Their instinct directs them to search for food at all times,  to remember where to find it and how to get it.  They naturally seek it out with their noses and mouths.  This has served them well their entire lives.  Often times a horse reaches out for a “treat” and we give it to him.  And there it begins…  The good news is that it isn’t hard to teach them a new behavior.  A constructive behavior that will serve us as well as them.  I am going to post a link to a 3-part video series (on de-spooking your horse)  at the bottom of this post.  You may find it helpful to watch the first video.  It shows some of this early lessons of teaching your horse to mind his manners and respect your space.  This will help you to see it in action, which is most effective, and save me some typing and you some reading!

The premise is quite simple.  They will do what it takes to get the food since it is so high on their list of priorities.  By giving them a new, better behavior, they will start to form a new routine.  Everything our horses do is because they establish a reinforcement history (association) with behaviors/tasks/scenarios.  Each time we have a chance to reinforce a behavior, we have just increased the likelihood of seeing that behavior repeated.  Over time they establish new habits.  The things they learn with positive reinforcement have lasting results. They will begin to look forward to all parts of the training since it all forms good associations and this includes our presence.  All of the elements become conditioned reinforcers.  See the video answer posted below to see learn more about some things you can do to start working on changing their behavior..

Okay question number two.  I address some of this second question in the text above and in the video answer.  Remember the axiom I pointed out earlier…If any behavior increases in frequency than something in the environment is reinforcing it.  This is in effect here too.  By changing when he gets fed and being aware of his behavior when food is delivered, you will change his behavior.

However, often times our reaction to the biting may  also be serving as a reinforcer.  Young horses have a instinct to play as part of their social development. They need to learn how to fight for their place in the herd, to fight for/with females and defend themselves.  If you watch horses together, especially young horses, they tend to spar and bite at each other until they get a reaction.   Usually it is not a sincere act of aggression but more instigative in nature.   Most young horse will try this with their humans at some point.  Often times our reaction to this behavior can serve to reinforce them.  We think we are correcting them but we may actually be engaging in their game of sparring.  If the biting and nipping is increasing in frequency…something is reinforcing the behavior.  I see this behavior all of the time even when food is not part of the equation.  This is a possible cause and something to watch for and if applicable, adjust how you react.  As I stated in the video the best thing to do is ignore it or walk away.  By not engaging you will stop reinforcing them for this behavior.  If they have done it for a while it will take a bit until they finally get the idea that this doesn’t get them the desired response anymore.  This in conjunction with the  teaching of a new, constructive, behavior is the quickest and most effective.  This technique, in behavior terms, is called a Differential Reinforcement of an Incompatible behavior (DRI)  It simply means you give them a choice between two behaviors.  They can’t do both behaviors simultaneously so they will make a choice.  They will opt  for the one with the strongest reinforcement history. It is pretty simple and very effective.

Next, as for alternative reinforcers.  Food, air, water, sleep and procreation (to maintain the species) are the strongest motivators. Horses are hard wired for these things since they need them to survive.  Other reinforcers are on an individual basis and take some experimenting to test their value for that individual horse.   A lot of horse respond to tactile stimuli like scratching withers or other areas of their bodies yet I have found some horses find this just a notch above neutral.  Some horse like to play with toys, some prefer turn out, etc.  This part takes some knowledge and observation of the horse as an individual.   However, none of these things will have the same value as food.   I have found it useful to offer these other things as a positive  reinforcement in addition to food.  You can also strengthen these things by pairing them with a primary reinforcer to build a stronger association.  Then they become conditioned reinforcers.  But, again, we are back to food as part of the equation.

I hope this information helps you.  Here is a link to the video series I mentioned earlier that shows the early part of the training to establish manners and to respect your space.

LINK: For manners and respect of personal space ( watch 1st video from DeSpooking Your Horse series)

I am also going to post an article (below the video) from The Horse.com.  It was posted by Dr. Sue McDonnell from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.  She heads up their Equine Behavior Program.  Dr. McDonnell’s post outlines some suggestions about how to avoid feeding directly from your hand.  It is more food for thought.  Please keep me posted.   I would love to her your thought, questions or experiences with your horse.

Hand-Feeding Treats (from The Horse.com)

by: Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified AAB
February 01 2012, Article # 19536

QUESTION to The Horse.com
I manage a small boarding and training barn. In recent years our clientele has become mostly comprised of kids whose families are pretty new to owning or even being around ponies and horses. On the one hand these folks have been a lot of fun and very satisfying to work with, but on the other hand I feel especially responsible for and concerned about their safety in ordinary horse handling. In this regard I have been fretting more and more about the whole deal of hand-feeding treats. I am old-school and prefer to never hand-feed treats to horses, particularly ponies. But lately I’ve more or less had to give up trying to convince clients of that. The current trend seems to be a belief that a horse or pony without treats is unloved.

Hand-feeding treats creates the nuisance of horses and ponies constantly nudging and nipping at people. It’s bad enough for our skilled staff to deal with it, but my greatest concern is that somebody who is not able to deal with that safely, or even one of the barn girls caught off guard, is going to get hurt. I am especially nervous about the kids who like to hug and kiss, so are right there face-to-face with a nippy pony. Or, as is usually the case, when a pony or horse gets nippy for treats, the unskilled treat-givers often react in ways that create a head-shy, anxious horse. What are your comments? Any ideas on how to convince people that treats are not the best way to show affection?

ANSWER from Dr. Sue McDonnell:

I certainly agree that unskilled hand-feeding of horses can very quickly create a huge safety concern, and not just with kids. This issue is not much different from so many things skilled horse handlers do every day and take for granted, but then can be shocked to find that inexperienced folks are unfamiliar with potential safety concerns and can easily and unknowingly put themselves at high risk of injury.

You might wish to consider a method I have found relatively effective for teaching how to hand-feed treats more safely. Usually, this method avoids encouraging nudging and nipping behaviors. It involves delivering the treat in a very specific manner: Stand at the shoulder ¬facing the same direction as the horse, reach under the neck, and offer the treat when the horse’s muzzle is just off center to the opposite side.

This also is a great example of counter-conditioning: training or substituting a desirable behavior that is incompatible with an undesirable one. The horse cannot nudge or nip at you and instead turns and holds his head slightly away from you. You can continue by shaping the horse to hold that position quietly for longer and longer, just as a dog is trained to sit-stay. You can also add in the verbal prompt to let the pony know it is treat time (e.g., “Treat!”). Another instruction to stress to your clients is that if the pony gets in any way food aggressive–pushy or anxious for a treat–to just back off, say nothing, and walk away calmly if possible. Simply ignoring that undesirable behavior should help extinguish it more rapidly.

Read the unlikely story of a woman who quit her Washington, D.C., area office job to open the racehorse placement program LOPE in Beyond the Homestretch.

I learned the specific method of reaching under the neck with the treat from “On Target” trainer Shawna Karrasch, who effectively uses food tidbits to clicker- and target-train horses. Here at the New Bolton Center we use hand-fed treats in the hospital to avoid or overcome patients’ aversions to repeated mildly uncomfortable treatments such as injections, eye treatments, or oral medications. And even with skilled horse handlers, an obvious side effect of giving treats any old way is that some patients become so happy to see us for treats that it becomes bothersome to staff.

I have also taught the above treat-feeding method to a fair number of kids and ponies. It has been relatively easy for handlers, even those new to horse handling, to learn and use. In a situation such as yours it might be an acceptable compromise compared to never hand-feeding treats. It also helps kids and people new to horses learn some of the universal principles of behavior modification–getting them thinking about stimulus response relationships and how they shape behavior, how our behavior affects an animal’s behavior, the importance of good timing, and how to avoid inadvertent training of an undesirable behavior.

Before recommending this method, my standard suggestion previously was to only feed treats from a particular feed pan and to place that pan on the ground. When the pan was not available, he received no treats. This seemed to reduce the likelihood that a pony would become nippy in general and aim his treat-seeking nudginess toward the upper body and face of the child. In most cases it limited the amount of treats the pony received simply by being less convenient for the handler (the pan had to be present), which was both good and problematic. It cut down on the treats, but handlers had more of a tendency to “break the rules.” And, as you likely know, ponies are brilliant at simple associative learning.

Teaching a Fearful Donkey to Accept Touch

This video addresses a question about a donkey who is fearful of humans. The donkey has made some progress but it is going slower than anticipated. It seems he has some fear of humans in general as well as in association with ropes, hoses, etc. I suggest some ideas in the video for helping him to grow more comfortable. I have to admit…I video my answer straight off the cuff. Then I watch it later and have more thoughts and ideas. So I write the text portion to add to my initial response. My head never stops processing ideas. It seems that you are on the right track, so here are some ideas to help you break down this particular behavior to smaller steps. It is the successive approximations that ensure success so if you ever hit a roadblock try to address the issue with even smaller steps. If you need help thinking how to do this I am always here to help. :0)

One suggestion is to utilize the target. I know he is worried about things in human hands but if you keep the target low and slow he will grow braver. Usually the real fear isn’t the object but the human holding the object. Horses often feel safer when they poke their head out to touch the target. Once they learn how to touch the target it starts to become conditioned. They grow increasingly more comfortable with the target. Pretty soon it becomes a familiar and safe behavior/object. It will also help him to grow more comfortable with the humans presence since we are also associated with the target. We will be able to fade the target out of the picture but for now it works to help bridge the gap. When he is consistently and boldly approaching the target it is time to introduce some touching.

In the video I suggest letting them pursue your hand verses always trying to reach out to them. In addition, when you see they are confident with following you as well as the target work. I recommend holding your hand out to the side. You may ask the horse (or donkey) to target in a position that encourages him to walk past/near your outstretched hand. However, I still do not suggest reaching out to touch him for a while. Since they are such individuals there is no set recipe for the plan to move forward. It will be something that you will read in his demeanor. He will have soft eyes, mouth, lower head carriage and general relaxed attitude. He will not be stand offish or seem like he is about to flee. However, when they have grown comfortable with your presence they usually progress much quicker. I always recommend letting the horse dictate the pace. Going too slow is better then too fast. Cara, I hope this helps with your newest donkey. I would love to hear thoughts and comments.

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