On Target Training

Ask Shawna: Horse Refusing to Jump at Shows

Video answer: I address a jumping issue. This mare who is great at home is not so good at the shows. When we are at shows things are different. Our horses are acutely aware of subtle changes in our behavior. They are probably more aware of it then we are! Sometimes it is our nerves or excitement that can worry our horses. But sometimes they can begin to recognize that they can get away with more at shows. After all, we don’t get to keep jumping the course and schooling in the ring until we get it right. Sometimes it can just be sensory overload for our horses. They have so many new things to watch and worry about that they have a hard time focusing on the job at hand. In any case we can get this straightened out with the use of positive reinforcement. By building a strong reinforcement history(with jumping) she will look forward to jumping.

I recommend starting at home since that is where she has success. Free jumping(no chute or whips) is always a great tool for building the horses confidence, if confidence is the issue. This is also great for teaching the young horse and to correct stopping. This helps the horses learn how to figure out their own distances. It is uncomfortable for them to take off from a bad distance. They learn to adjust and take care of themselves in this process. It allows them to really focus on jumping with out the distraction of the rider. You always want to click on the action you want to see more of so in this case it is when they commit to jumping the jump. In the beginning it may be for stepping over the rail! I am going to recommend some really fun footage which will show you this process. In this blog go to the catagory: Jumping. I suggest watching “Bugs Free Jumping a Line(at liberty)” and, this one is really fun…”Free Jumping From Mint’s Helmet Cam” That’s right, Mint is wearing a helmet cam and so am I, so you see it from my view and his!

Linda, back to your mare. I think you might do just as well to start clicking as she goes over jumps with her rider at home. I know this isn’t where the problem happens but she will start to put a MUCH higher value on jumping as she realizes it may earn her a reward. You can do this over itty bitty cross rails to start. The point is the committment to jumping, not the height of the jump. Reinforce well for each jump. She will put this together. The next step may include reinforcing her for responding to the rider’s adjustments before and after the jump, this will help her to listen to the rider but it still serves to reinforce the whole process. Don’t worry that you are clicking over the jump, she won’t slam on the brakes as soon as she lands. Just come to your usual stop. Next do lines and then courses. At this point I would mix it up, sometimes reinforce the first jump, sometimes the third jump, sometimes at the end of the course.

Now that she has a new perspective it is time to go to a show. Now, I suggest you go to a few schooling shows with the point of truly schooling. I would click and reinforce often in the warm up area. She has new elements to contend being away from home so I think it is best to start way back in the beginning of the training process. Reminding her that jumping here may also be reinforced. I think at this point she will probably be performing like she does at home. But don’t take her good attitde for granted, reinforce the heck out of it! When you go in the ring if she jumps the first jump I would click and feed. Go onto the next 2, 3 or 4 jumps, if things are going well click and reinforce again…etc. Do a few classes like this, change up which jumps you decide to click and reinforce. Sure this is not going to win you the class but it will help you to win plenty more later. I would do a few shows like this at different showgrounds, if possible. You could also trailer to someone else’s arena and school there as well. Like I said in the email…I know with 100% certainty that you can get her turned around. I have done this with cases that were much more extreme!

I could go on and on but I think I have covered what you need to know. If you have questions please feel free to ask. Please keep me posted on your progress!

Is Your Horse Spooky Under Saddle?

Hey Everyone!!

YAY!!! The last FREE video on de-spooking your horse is up! Today William goes under saddle with the cluster of milk jugs. He is getting bolder with every session.

This next video will really help you tie it all together. You are well on your way to having the bold horse you always wanted. I love that so many of you have jumped right in with this exercise. Thank you for sharing the stories of the success you have had already!!

Enjoy getting your horse On Target!!

P.S. If you know of someone that could use some help de-spooking their horse or building boldness and confidence, please feel free to pass this link onto them too!

CLICK HERE: Is Your Horse Spooky Under Saddle?

Ask Shawna: Getting Behind the Bit and Taking Over

In this video Answer I address a tricky situation. When a horse learns to get behind the bit they are making a choice to break contact. This is an avoidance behavior and can lead down a rocky road. With Bonnie’s mare it is still situational and not yet a habit. The key is to get her to accept and eventually look forward to contact with her rider. Luckily positive reinforcement can address her decision making process and her desire to listen to Bonnie.

As always, when starting to address a new behavior or issue, think about what you can do to help set her up for success and the small steps to take along the way. Since she only does this on the trail, I would suggest you get her started accepting contact and listening wherever she will be most cooperative. Granted, she may be just great in the arena or by herself on the trail but you still want to start there. The point is to build a good reinforcement history with the correct behavior. As the association gets stronger she will realize that doing the correct behavior may result in a reward, something that she values. If she does start to get behind the bit, lift her up a bit and encourage her to get her nose out a bit. When she does, click and reinforce. She may never show you the incorrect behavior in this situation. Nevertheless, you are re-establishing value with the correct behavior with each and every reward. This means when things get challenging and she has is tempted to take over, she will be more apt to make a good decision. By adding the positive reinforcement into the equation you will start to see her shifting more and more of her focus onto you and what you are asking of her. She won’t be as interested in the social dynamics or other things that may be going on around her. The important thing here is to recognize the correct behavior and to draw attention to it. With traditional training we focus on correcting what is wrong and with clicker training we have the opportunity to focus on what is right. I think it must be very refreshing for the horse to start to hear what they are doing right for a change, but it means we have to get ourselves acclimated to this shift in thinking as well. We are all the better because of it!! Also, slowly introduce the elements that have challenged her cooperation. Perhaps you don’t go out with a giant herd at first but maybe one or two horses. If that goes well, then slowly introduce more and more challenges. Recognize and draw attention to them.. Pretty soon she will be back On Target!!

Do You Wish Your Horse Had More Confidence?

I’m really excited!! The next FREE video on de-spooking your horse is up! Today we move onto introducing William to a new object. I am using a cluster of milk jugs for this exercise. I’m so proud of how much more confident William already is.

I know this next video will give you some great ideas for building confidence in your horse. It’s such a great feeling. I can’t wait to hear your success stories!

CLICK HERE: Do You Wish Your Horse Had More Confidence?

Enjoy getting your horse On Target!!

P.S. If you know of someone that could use some help de-spooking their horse or building boldness and confidence,
please feel free to pass this link onto them too!

CLICK HERE: Do You Wish Your Horse Had More Confidence?

Is Your Horse Trustworthy?

I am so pleased with all the interest in the De-spooking video series. I know you are on your way to great success and it will result in a more confident horse. If you haven’t had a chance to check out these complimentary videos, go here now:

CLICK HERE: Is Your Horse Trustworthy?

In the first video I work with Lucky Jack to demonstrate the basics. In the next video I move to ground work with William. I switched horses because William already knew the early part of the training and I really wanted you to see how to teach these manners with a brand new horse. After all, that is probably more what you will experience with your horse. I knew William would be more reactive to the ground work so I wanted to work through the more challenging lessons with him. So stay tuned.

Video 2 – Ground Work will be posted tomorrow, September 29. I would really love to hear your thoughts or questions as you follow along. Also, if you know of someone who may be interested in teaching their horse to be bolder and more confident please pass this on to them! If you haven’t had a chance to watch yet you can still join in. Just go to the link above.

And a big “Thank You” to you for tuning in. Pretty soon you are going to have yourself a trustworthy horse….what could feel better than that?

Remember, enjoy getting your horse On Target!!

Shawna

Do You Need Help De-spooking Your Horse?

It’s not fun riding a horse that spooks and shies at every “scary” object. But the good news is that you don’t have to be the victim of “spookiness.”

Check out this free video series that introduces you to an awesome technique I learned in my 10 years as a trainer at Sea World. It can help you de-spook your horse and build trust in the process! Just click the link below to get started.

CLICK HERE: Free De-spooking video

If you have a friend who could use some help with their horses, please share the link with them. I would love to hear tour thoughts and comments.

Have fun!

Shawna

Ask Shawna: Proper Paddock Manners & Relaxation (w/Overview of the Basics)

Video answer: I address how to teach a horse to walk quietly on the way to the paddock and when being released for turn out. Jeffery has an Arab who gets too excited, bolts and doesn’t know to rein in her energy. This is an issue that comes up often with horse owners. The good news is: This is very easy to fix using positive reinforcement (clicker training). By putting something into the training equation that your horse truly values, you will get her to be an active participant in the re-training process. If you are there most everyday you can get it under control in about a week once you have the basics trained (clicker and target). If you go to the barn less often it may take longer for the reinforcement history to be established. It is really a matter of repetition vs. duration when it comes to this type of training. The horses remember these lessons for years. So she won’t forget what you have taught her if you get to the barn more sporadically.

You can also work on her relaxation in all that she does. Focus on reinforcing her when ever you feel or see her relax or soften, even the slightest bit. The beauty of the clicker is that it is a great tool for communication (at Sea World we used a whistle). While you will most likely not be able to offer reinforcement her at the exact moment she does something you like, you will be able to book mark that moment with the sound of the clicker. Once she knows the clicker it will be a sound she will strive to hear. The clicker tells her “yes, what you just did is correct and you have earned yourself the potential for a reward” So always click on the behavior that you want to see more of and follow it up with a reward. If you always click when she is relaxed or in the process of relaxing she will put together that all clicks(read: Reinforcements) come when she is calm. That is the attitude that will soon be the norm for her. As you see this change in her demeanor you can then begin to fade out the clicker and the high reinforcement schedule.

If you don’t know about the clicker or target portion of the training don’t worry it is simple and your horse will enjoy it. It teaches your horse to be patient about the reinforcement, establishes a solid form of communication, the target gives you a way to help set her up for success when walking to the paddock. In addition, the task of targeting teaches her to think and become engaged in the learning process. This early training also strengthens the trust and focus that she has on you. This new focus and desire to please you will have a profound impact on your relationship with your horse. It doesn’t take long, about 10 minutes a day for 3 or 4 days. You can do the training where they live whether it be paddock or stall. For more on this watch for a FREE 3-part video series I have coming out in the next couple days. It is on spookiness and shying but it also addresses the basic lessons of clicker and target training. The first video is the one that covers this simple and fun process. If you are on my mailing list you will get a link for the video sent to you. Okay Jeffery, I hope this has helped you out. I know that you will be quite pleased with her progress. Thank you for letting me offer assistance. Please keep me updated and if you have more questions as you progress, please don’t hesitate to ask. Enjoy getting your horse On Target!

An Update and Important News!!

I have missed being in touch with you and working on the Blog! I love answering the Ask Shawna questions so I am feeling a little out of sorts. But… I have been working a a couple projects that I am really excited about! There is just not enough time in the day.

Keep Asking Shawna!

I have been getting some great questions in the past few weeks. I have resumed filming the answers and I am going to try to get a bunch of them out in the next couple weeks so I can get caught up a bit. I try to be as timely as possible but due to the nature of the technology there is always a lag time in getting them posted. This drives me crazy since I excitedly answer the questions in my head as soon as I read them. I don't want to wait the time it takes to get them posted. It's funny I am so patient with the animals but can be so impatient when it comes to other stuff!

FREE VIDEOS!!!

Over the next week or so I am also going to be sending out some FREE video content. It is a three-part series that addresses de-spooking your horse. This exercise will help your horse to remain calm in new situations. As a result your horse will become much more trustworthy! I know you are going to be tickled with your horses’ progress when you are done, so keep an eye on your email if you are signed up for news from me. If not please go to the box in the corner. Enter you name and email address….You are not quite done yet, be sure to check your email account for a confirmation, click the link and your done! Then you will receive the free video series on de-spooking your horse! If you know someone who has an issue with spookiness or shying please feel free to share.

As always, enjoy getting your horse On Target!!

P.S. - Many of you have asked about Bugs and Mint: they are doing great. Bugs has been working on his flying changes. We have been going slow since he is eager to do his new behavior. He really is enthusiastic and seems like he wants to please. He was anticipating a change of lead as I would come to a jump on the diagonal so we are working on him waiting until he is asked. Counter bending and counter canter seem to be helping Bugs to pay attention. He is doing great and has a stellar attitude.

Ask Shawna: Clicker, Target, Timing, Rearing…HELP!!

Video critique of training session. There are two videos posted. One is the session sent in by Amy. The other is my observations and advice for Amy. She is off to a great start. This is the second horse that Amy has clicker trained and this mare has a different personality and different response. Her mare is doing great about standing quietly and patiently between targeting. This is such an important behavior. People often take standing still for granted forgetting that this is a real challenge for some horses. I suggest that she draw more attention to this behavior. The more she gets reinforced for this the more she will stay on the ground. You will see the rest as you watch the video. Amy you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work. I would love thoughts and comments!!

Ask Shawna: Keeping A Horse Upright While Saddling!

I will be answering Peter’s question. I will be addressing a school horse who will throw herself to the ground rather than let a specific rider put a saddle on her! Okay, this is not your usual issue.

The mare is displaying an avoidance behavior. She has learned that she can avoid something that she doesn’t like by dropping to the ground. She finds it more reinforcing to lay down rather than to stand quietly for being tacked up. Avoidance behaviors are actually quite common in horses. Think of the horse who does not let you touch his ears. He avoids the touch by lifting his head out of our reach. Or the horse who gets behind the bit to avoid contact with the rider. There are lot’s of examples. They just aren’t usually as drastic as this situation. The solution is a rather simple, straight forward approach using clicker training to rebalance the scales.

Of course, we always need to check for physical causes. Is her back sore, does the saddle fit correctly? etc. Once we rule these out we can begin to move forward. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that although we may fix a physical problem it doesn’t mean the behavioral issue will go away. Horses have good memories and will probably still associate the pain with the activity that caused it in the first place. They may still anticipate that the pain is still going to come. It all boils down to the reinforcement history. The association has been made with this behavior resulting in pain. With positive reinforcement/clicker training we can rebuild the correct reinforcement history. This will result in them finding the desired behavior (standing still) more reinforcing than the undesired behavior (laying down). If you think about it, what is in it for her to stand quietly? By adding a reward that your horse finds valuable(food) you will get your horse to want to be involved in the training process.

The key is small steps, which help to break it down and set her up for success. If you can identify at what point she falls to the ground, reinforce her just before this point, while she is still standing and still seems willing and accepting. This is the attitude you want to see more of. I can think of about a hundred little, simple exercises that will help correct this situation. I mentioned some in the video but a progress report will help me to guide you through this process and give other ideas. When I read these questions I always wish I could just be there to walk through it with you guys!! Okay Peter, please keep me updated and let me know if you have any questions.

Ask Shawna: Dealing with a Mouthy/Nippy Colt

This question was sent in by Priscilla. In this video I address how to deal with a young, mouthy colt. This behavior is prevalent with young horses who are new to training. This is part of their biological need for social learning. Through play they learn to develop skills that will serve them later as mature horses. The problem is…we are not horses and they should not interact with us like we are horses. Sure, it’s important to understand how horses communicate with one another, but when’s the last time you saw a horse saddle up and mount another horse or ask another horse to stand still for clipping? Horses constantly challenge and test each other as part of their social dynamics. When we use and apply behavior principles correctly, we teach our horses to be compliant. This is not established through the physical means that horses use with one another. Instead we use our intelligence as well as our understanding of equine behavior. Okay, I feel like I am getting a little off topic.

So, it is common to see young horses trying to engage us in play by nipping and poking at us. We respond by trying to correct them. Physically engaging them OFTEN leads to more of the same behavior because the seem to see this as a game. A game that they are hard wired to get good at. The best thing to do is not engage but instead ignore this behavior and if necessary to remove the horse or yourself from this situation. You can also balance this out by reinforcing them for good, mannerly behavior. Food is a very strong motivator. It is important that any horse and especially the young horse learns the early principles of clicker training. This means them waiting patiently, with their head away from us, for their reinforcemnt. They will quickly learn that pushiness does not get them the reward but standing quietly does. Probably the most important behavior principle to remember is: “If any behavior increses in frequency then something in the horse’s environment is reinforcing their behavior”. They are either getting something they want or avoiding something they don’t want. It is that simple. We may not always recognize what the reinforcer might be but we can certainly rebalance the scales to get the desired results.

The young horse has a lot of energy to burn and we should not completely ignore their need (and want) to play. Giving them outlets even within the training program will serve you well. I encourage incorporating play/activity in the training program as a reward for their practicing holding still and learning patience. We need to be the one initiating the play following good behavior. Our goal is to slowly build up the time between the activity until they will hold still for longer and longer periods of time. Teaching them to retreive is a great tool to use in between the more challenging behaviors that require standing quietly. At Sea World I worked with Commerson’s dolphins, who had an attention span of about 3 seconds, I started by holding still for 2 seconds and then running 30 feet away. Stopping for 3 seconds and moving then stopping for 5 seconds etc. eventually we had them holding still for 30 minutes. Asking them to hold still for too long in the beginning didn’t set us or them up for success. Taking the small steps allowed us to gain their interest. We also taught behaviors that they could do that allowed for activity (i.e. fast swim, high jump) Intermittently we would ask for these behaviors as a reward extending the period of time between these behaviors. The same principles are at work with the horses and are great training tools as we teach our young horse to be upstanding citizens!

I just discussd some of these same training tips on: Horses in the Morning Radio. Here is a link if You want to hear more: http://www.horsesinthemorning.com/hitm-for-08-17-2011-by-back-on-track-cutest-jockey-ever-standing-still-and-stall-safety/

Ask Shawna: When Do You Stop Using the Clicker?

This video answer was sent in by Lisa. It is a great question and one that a lot of people ask.

Some people think that you (or your horse) will be lost without the clicker. This is certainly not the case. The clicker is a small part of a much bigger equation called “operant conditioning”. The principles of operant conditioning are working in our lives all the time whether we are aware of this fact or not. Just so you know, these principles are not limited to animals. They are proven behavior principles which also apply to people.

The clicker holds no magic. It is a conditioned reinforcer. Once trained, the clicker serves as a “bridge” signal to tell the horse “yes, what you have just done is correct”. At Sea World we didn’t even use clickers! We used whistles and verbal signals to tell the animals when they did something right. I like to use a clicker for a couple reasons:

1) It is a distinct sound that is new to the horses. This makes the sound more significant to the horses.
2) It sounds the same from person to person. This makes it clearer for the horse when you have more than one person teaching or implementing a new behavior.
3) It is loud enough to be heard while cantering, or from a distance.
4) It is pretty inexpensive and easy to find.

I do use a verbal bridge signal quite often but when I am working on something new I prefer to go back to the clicker since it holds a stronger value. The drawback to the verbal bridge signal is that our horses hear our voices all the time, especially mine since I have the gift of gab! A large majority of the time our talking is not meant for our horses. We are talking to other people. So they get a bit desensitized to our voices. Also the pitch of our voice cannot always be heard from far away or in the midst of physical exertion.

The point I make in the video is that the clicker serves as a training tool. It is a clear source of communication for our horses. I often fade the clicker out of the equation once the behavior is trained. Same thing for the food as a reinforcement. Soon they just know how to do the behavior. They have built up a good reinforcment history and they seem to trust everyone. People often groom and ride my horses who do not apply positive reinforcement. My horses are responsive and compliant with everyone.

I hope this helps to clear some things up for you Lisa and the other people who have the same question. If you have any questions about this, or any other topic, please feel free to send it to my Ask Shawna page! Enjoy getting your horse on Target!!

P.S. In the video I say “…draw attention to unwanted behavior”. OOPS!! I meant ignore unwanted behavior. It is best to ignore undesired behavior as much as possible.

Ask Shawna Answer: Teaching Your Horse to Ground Tie (Stay)

Another video Ask Shawna answer. What a great behavior for clicker training! Ground tying (stay) is an easy thing to train and ever-so-useful. This video tip just scratches the surface though. It is a great behavior for any horse and it is unparallelled for teaching a young or fussy horse patience.

The use of positive reinforcement helps give them some real incentive to pay attention and stand quietly even when they may want to go play or just want to wander around being nosy.

You may start in their stall or someplace that is relatively quiet. Start with slow, limited movements. You can build up to more distracting locations and much more activity going on around them. Hmmmm…I think this would be a great subject for a full length DVD.

Anyway, Louise, I hope this helps and as always, I am available if you have more questions about ground tying or any other horse behavior! Remember, enjoy getting your horse on target!

Ask Shawna Answer: Picking a Trainer for your Young Horse

Okay, I almost called this “Traditional Training vs. Clicker Training.” The verses part of the title didn’t really appeal to me but unfortunately people often think that it has to be one or the other. This is obviosly a multi-layered question.

When I was at Sea World we only used positive reinforcement training. Then as I looked into horses I realized only removal reinforcement was used. My goal has always been to integrate the two principles to maximize our effectiveness as horse trainers.

The question sent into me really was in regards of how to work with a trainer who prefers to use only traditional training, and how to balance out the equation once the horse is started. I address that in the video clip (below) but found my mind kept going to the bigger picture. The good news is that positive reinforcement training can easily be adapted to any training program. The methods don’t compete but instead complement one another. As the training moves along you will find that you will probably use less of the traditional training aids. That is because your horse will be much more alert and responsive. Your horse will be looking forward to the interactions and will be more involved in the training process.

It is not always easy to find good trainers regardless of their disciline or method. Here are some things to watch for as you consider a trainer for your horse. Do the horses that the trainer is working seem to be comfortable and relaxed with their handlers or riders while they are engaged in work? Do they seem bright and eager or are their ears pinned? Do they have a crabby or fearful demeanor, or instead do they have a soft expression? Watch more than one horse to get an overall feeling. Talk to the other owners who have their horses in training. Have they seen good progress? Do you understand what is being asked of the horses or ask the trainer as he/she is working with the horses. You will ultimately be the one handling/riding your horse and that means you will need to understand how to implement the training as well. You will be dealing with the work ethic that is established by the trainer that you choose to start your horse.

As we learn about horses and how to handle them, it is really important to have a knowlegable trainer to turn to when you have questons. There are some great trainers out there but unfortunately, there are also some not-so-great trainers out there too. The horses will really tell the story. Trust your gut feelings and I encourage you to continue to learn about behavior principles. These proven principles are at play whether you are aware of them or not. The more you know the better you will be able to guide you horse through his journey. I will always be here to help as well!! Please keep me posted.

A Little About Me (let’s call it my mission statement!)

I am a former Sea World animal trainer (whales, dolphins, sea lions) who took these techniques and introduced them to the equestrian world. A degree in psychology is not required to train animals. It is, however, helpful. All of the work we do as animal trainers (with horses too) is based in psychology. Whether we are aware of it or not. The more you understand about these proven priciples the better you are as a trainer. That is the focus of my training is helping people to gain a better understanding of behavioral psychology and the benefits of positive reinforcement in regards to horse training. I chose to make the move to horses partly due to the lack of positive reinforcement being used with horses. I recognized that horses were not trained the same as the marine mammals. I also saw that the training we implemented at Sea World would be a huge asset to the horse world. A lot of horse people, including professionals, don’t know much about the proven principles of behavioral psychology. So I see a bigger need in helping horse folk to further understand the principles that govern the relationships we build with our horses.. It is really fun to see the light come on!!

Ask Shawna Answer: Preparing for a Dental Check

This question was sent in by Jean: I would like to have some exercises I could do in preparation to help my horses dentist check his teeth without a struggle. He is older and doesn’t necessarily need any mouth work, but does need to be checked. Thanks so much.

This can be tricky business but with a little effort your horse will happily oblige. With the use of positive reinforcement you can build up a positive association with the dentist and your veterinarian. These procedures are often viewed as invasive to our horses and they let us know this. The more that we insist, the more resisitant our horses become. This pattern often escalates into a mess of a situation. The horse can come away with fear that carries over to the next dentist/vet visit. Worse case scenario, someone can even get hurt. With a little preparation you can teach your horse to cooperate and actually look forward to these examinations. Your dentist, vet or farrier will look forward to working with your horse.

I have showed a little sample of some of the work you may start with to prepare for a dental check. You may move to the front of the horse and graduate up to opening his mouth. Continue along with small steps toward your end goal. Only move forward when your horse is comfortable with the current step. Also, short and reinforcing sessions are more effective than long drawn out sessions. Remember to always start your clicker training program with the first and most important step of teaching your horse to wait for the reinforcement without invading your space. You never want a mouthy, nippy or pushy horse and this is established in the very early stages. Finally, as with all training,be sure to keep safety in mind for you and your horse. Don’t force or corner your horse and don’t forget to watch your fingers. When you have them in their mouth they may bite down without intending to bite you. I hope this helps you out and gives you some good ideas. Please keep me posted with your horse and his progress and enjoy getting him on target!!

Horses in the Morning: Plodder vs. Bully

Listen in to the show and learn about how to encourage your horse to become an A student! I share about both Mint and Bugs’ personalities and progress of On Target Training and how we overcame distraction and disinterest and developed an motivating, successful and positive session every time. Click here for the link to the show!

Mounting: Look No Hands!!

There is nothing more annoying than a horse who walks off, or worse, acts up, while you are mounting. Bugs, being a bit of a fuss budget was not the worst, but he wasn’t the most accomodating horse to mount. He would turn to face me, refuse to give to the pressure of the reins and wouldn’t move up or would just be fidgety. I could always get on him but it wasn’t always pretty. Athletic? Yes. Pretty? Not so much!

Sometimes these issues need sessions devoted to improving the situation ASAP. But in his case, I simply addressed it a little bit every time I mounted. I started by clicking when he would follow me to the mounting block. I’d click once more when he would happen to be lined up nicely, and again when he would be still. I would really draw attention to reinforcing him once I was in the saddle. Pretty quickly they start to figure out that the sooner you are in the saddle the quicker they can get reinforced. I would proportionately feed more once I was in the saddle. Horses figure out pretty quickly how to accommodate and expedite the process. Next thing you know, they are bounding right up to the mounting block with hopes of you getting on!

Cancer, Schmancer! Facing my diagnosis.

July 7th 2011. That is the day I got the news that I have chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL/SSL). I don’t capitalize the name of the disease because I don’t want to make it seem any bigger or more important. I want to keep things in perspective and this is not going to change my optimistic view of life and all that life holds. Sure those are big scary words but then there are plenty of scary things in life. Words I prefer to capitalize are: God, Faith, Hope, Peace and Love. These are words worth focusing on.

Here’s a quick run down of my circumstances. I went in for a routine check up. The blood work/CBC panel showed that I had an elevated white blood cell count. More blood was drawn and the count was even higher. Then we ran a more diagnostic test (flow cytometry). This at first showed the my WBC was back down…phew! Then the rest of the tests came back and showed that I have cancer cells in my blood. It is an incurable cancer but it can be very slow growing and quite manageable. There are more tests being run now that will determine which chromosomes are defective, if the cells are mutated (tend to be more stable) or unmutated (more unstable), etc. These tests will give us a better look at my prognosis. It can be a few years to twenty years. I have read that 50% of people diagnosed with CLL live over 12 years. But in either case I want to stay focused on the life I have in front of me.

I questioned if I should share with everyone or if I should just keep it on a more personal level. I decided it is more cathartic, for myself and others, to share. I am glad that I did. The people that have come forward and have given me words of encouragement or have shared their own stories have helped me through the very difficult first few days. I cannot express how much it has helped. I feel connected, not alone. A big THANK YOU to all of you who have taken the time to reach out to me. You have been a big source of comfort and reassurance.

My time feels more special now. I feel Blessed with each day. God has a purpose for me and it involves horses. I am staying focused on my passion and sharing a gift that was given to me. Thank you for being a part of my journey and allowing me to be part of yours in this unpredictable life. Now, please excuse me, I have some horses to train and people to teach!

Be well,

Shawna

Super Simple Flexion Exercise

This is so simple but very effective. It is actually a byproduct of offering reinforcement under saddle. Being a positive reinforcement based trainer, I feed from the saddle. Often horses demonstrate a favorite side. It may not be so much their favorite as the more limber side. They will turn to take the treat from the easier, more flexible side. I immediately start to balance out the two sides by feeding (usually) from the side we are bending towards. For example, if I am going to the right with a right bend that is the side I will feed from following the click or bridge signal. I often find that one side is noticeably more rigid than the other. This usually coincides with the them being more resistant to bending in that direction as well. After a couple weeks I will notice a huge difference in both the turning to take the treat as well as the softness in the bridle when asking to bend. They are actually stretching and improving their own range of motion. Super simple, super effective!!

Photos of me from my Sea World Days!

I was going through some old photos and came across these pictures from my days as a whale trainer.  This is what lead me to training horses and applying the positive reinforcement (clicker) training to horses.  It is fun to look back on that unexpected journey from marine mammals to horses!  These photos are from the Shamu show at Sea World in San Diego back circa 1990??  I started taking the positive reinforcement(clicker training) to horses  back in 1994.  There is still a lot to do!!  I hope that you enjoy the photos!

Speaking of Trailer Loading… Another Success Story!

The real success is when the training carries through to other people and situations. Lorelei is such a story. She is a young horse in Hap Hansen’s string of horses. I initially began working with Lorelei to address her attitude about getting injections. She was intolerant of the whole process. She did quite well with the training and now stands quietly for her shots. It turns out she is allergic to just about everything and needs shots on a regular basis. Luckily, we got that sorted out just before we found out about her allergies, which require regular injections.
 

Well, it turns out she also has an aversion to the trailer. Not the little two horse kind, which is more common, but the big sixteen horse type. Usually horses view the larger trailers more like a building and walk in rather easily. The smaller trailers seem to create more problems. Maybe it’s the confinement and feeling trapped or claustrophobic, who really knows? The good part of having issues with the little trailers is that they are more readily available to practice loading and unloading. This is not the case with the big trailers.
 

With the help of my friend Lisa, who is Lorelei’s groom and primary caretaker, we addressed Lorelei’s trailer loading issues. I wasn’t there everyday but Lisa was with her and implemented the training techniques. I would try to be there as often as I could for loading in the big trailer to go to shows. Since the discrimination was with the large trailer it was difficult to actually practice on a regular basis. Lisa continued to work with the little trailer when she could. Even though the problem wasn’t the two horse trailer the reinforcement helped the whole process and association to become more positive.
 

Because Lorelei is young she doesn’t go to every horse show, so a couple weeks ago she was scheduled to go to a show and Lisa reported that Lorelei loaded up like a trooper with no hesitation. Then it was time to go home and Lisa wasn’t able to be there. Lorelei got right on with a person who had not even done the training with her. Not only did she load right up, she actually initiated the loading process so the groom/handler just went along with her. He wasn’t her regular groom but she responded just the same. He reinforced her once she was in the trailer but the real success comes when a horse just does the behavior without discriminating between handlers.
 

This reminded me of being at Sea World and bringing along baby sea lions. I usually had a young charge to train and prepare for the show. There is a lot for a young sea lion to absorb. Since the person who trained them has the best rapport with the young sea lion and a greater chance for success, they would also be the trainer who worked them through their first few show segments. I always felt proudest when I would eventually watch them successfully do the show with someone else. I knew at this point that they were solid on that segment of the show.
 

This is what makes Lorelei’s story so reinforcing for me. I know that I can train any horse to go into a trailer, but the real success comes when the training is done by the people who are with the horse everyday and it’s even better when the horse does the behavior for someone else all together! Not only did Lisa get Lorelei responding and succeeding at trailer loading, she really changed Lorelei’s mind about the whole thing. Now Lorelei will load for anyone, any place, any trailer and anytime. Well done Lisa!!
 

If you have stories of clicker training success I would love to hear them and share them with others. Please post your stories or send them to me and I will post them.

Ask Shawna Answer: Getting Sassy to Focus

In this video answer (sent in by Krista) I address a horse’s worry about who is coming and going from the barn. Sassy will focus when she is doing a session until she sees a horse heading to the paddocks. Then she becomes agitated. I lay out some ideas to get her focus back on her session. REMEMBER… if you have questions or comments, I love to hear them!

Teaching Your Horse to Stretch

Stretching is a great tool for helping our horse to loosen up and prevent injuries. However, if done incorrectly we can do more harm than good. It is important that the horse relaxes during the stretching process. Pulling on a stiff or tense horse can injure them as well as you! With the use of positive reinforcement/clicker training you can communicate what it is that you are looking for and you will usually start to see your horse actually stretch on his own once you initiate the process. I have just started this training with Mint. In this session Mint “drops”. This is not something that Mint has done in previous sessions. I don’t worry about it as long as he is minding his manners, paying attention and not getting distracted. In fact dropping shows a great deal of relaxation and this is an important factor when teaching your horse to stretch. When I film these type of sessions for the blog I just film it and let you see things as they happen. I want to keep the reality in there since these are things that you may or may not encounter as you move through the training process. I hope this gives you some ideas. Please post any questions or comments. I would love to hear from you.

Horse In The Morning: Responding Correctly to Pressure

What a great show! Listen to this week’s show where I address a hot topic in how to teach your horse to give into pressure through positive reinforcement. Click here for the link to the show!

Keeping Your Horse on the Ball

More “Horses in the Morning”!! I was a guest on the show on Wednesday and discussed some ways to keep your horse paying attention and interested in the training process. This is a fun show and good info to boot!! Click here for the link to the show!

Speaking Of Horses: Using On Target Training in Today’s Horse Training World

Listen in on my interview with Speaking of Horses host, Wayne Williams. We talk about the origin and the latest updates to On Target Training! Click here for the link to the show!

Now, THAT’S a Back Up! (1st session-ongoing series)

Just the other day I was commenting that I want to teach Bugs the “fun” behaviors that Mint knows. I have been focused on his under saddle work and want to balance out our time together. Then Mandy sent me a question asking how I teach the “back up” that Mint demonstrates in his videos. What perfect timing!

When I take my horses for expos, demos or clinics the “back up” is a real crowd pleaser. I think it is fun because it highlights the horses involvement in the training and the enthusiastic mindset that comes with the use of positive reinforcement.

I have heard plenty of people comment on how special my horses are, but truth be told, they were not special on the outset of their training. They were just ordinary horses. Actually MInt was the worst horse I had ever worked. He quit at EVERYTHING in the early days and Bugs was a highly suspicious rescue, who routinly pulled back out of habit. But through On Target Training, they have both developed heart.

When horses learn how to make good choices, they continue with this habit in just about everything they do. I find that the more they learn, the quicker they are to embrace new things and the more confident they become. It creates a positive cycle. It also strenghtens our relationship. Since there is no time like the present, let’s get on with the “back up”.

In this session I ask Mint to demonstrate the finished behavior. We then move on to getting started with Bugs (we are getting David started as well) David is a good friend and my cameraman. He will increasingly be called to help with sessions because he is ever-present, and always willing. To call him a horseman at this point though, would be pushing it. Someday, maybe! David had some hesitancy and this seemed to contribute to Bugs hesitancy. By reinforcing Bugs movement I could build up his confidence. Remember, attitude and effort are the most important elements of every session. So okay, go ahead and watch the session and please let me know if you have any questions. Oh, and Mandy, when you start sessions I sure hope that you share updates and thoughts as you go along.

Stall Manners-Stationary Target/Trailer Loading

Just a quick little video (30 seconds) to show you Bugs targeting on his Stationary target in his stall. This helps when I point out the stationary target mounted in the trailer. This session was done right before we went to the trailer to serve as a fresh reminder for Bugs. I want to reiterate this is an easy behavior to train. If you have questions or want more info please don’t hesitate to ask.

Horse In The Morning: De-spooking Your Horse!

Great show! I talked with Glenn and Jamie about how to desensitize and de-spook your horse. Click here for the link to the show!

Bugs Free Jumping a Line (at Liberty)

This is Bugs first line free jumping at liberty). It is taught through positive reinforcement. Bugs is a green horse who is just learning to jump-both with and without a rider. Jan who is working with me is new to the process as well.

Our First Horse Show

 

March 21, 2011

So, Bugs and I have been doing great with jumping together. Bugs has shown an extraordinary mix of willingness and relaxation when it comes to jumping. It has been so long since I had ridden that I am a green rider once again. This means I am not necessarily an asset to Bugs when we are jumping. We are learning together. Granted, I have taught him to free jump at liberty and this seems to have bolstered his confidence. He has learned how to jump without the distraction of a rider.

 

A couple of the ladies from the barn decided they wanted to go to the county show. It seemed like a good idea for Bugs to go too. Of course, we have not done something like this yet so I don’t know what to expect. Marcy and I agreed we had no idea how he would be once we were at the show but we might as well find out. We would play it by ear and work from his comfort zone and plan our activities accordingly. I was so excited. It was his first show and I hadn’t shown in 17 years!!

 

The plan was mostly for Bugs to get some exposure to new things and places. We were going in the lowest classes (if he seemed settled enough). We were leaving on Friday and coming home on Sunday. Nothing ventured nothing gained… right?

 

Everything was packed up and ready to go. Everything except Bugs. I had planned for everything but the trailer loading! I am going to elaborate on the trailer loading in my next post. For now I am going to focus on the show. So much to see in just one weekend!

We got to the show and his eyes were huge. I have not seen the whites of his eyes too often. I could see ‘em now! His suspicious streak was bubbling up a little bit. He was not sure what all of this was about. He settled a bit after we started walking to his stall. He resisted going into his stall at first . Everything seemed to be a trap to him at this point. The grooms got him ready for a lunge. It seemed like a good way to get him settled and take the edge off. I am not a big proponent of excessive lunging but at his point it seemed like it could help to set him up for success.

 

During the lunging process he was looking around and not very fluid or focused to start but ended up doing pretty well. Then we got him ready to be ridden. He seemed to find comfort as we settled into familiar exercises that we practice at home. As he would bend around my leg and soften throughout, I would click and reinforce his cooperation. He just became more focused on me and seemed to ignore the distractions around him. He was great! I felt an internal sigh of relief. You never know what is going to happen when you change your horses environment.

 

When we planned on coming to the show I knew to be ready for anything. Everything seems so different when you are looking at it from your green horse’s eyes (or ears). I had clicker and target on hand in case I needed to get him focused on something constructive, to channel his energy. I had previously worked with Bugs to desensitize unusual stimuli. This goes a long way towards teaching horses to handle situations like this well and to minimize spookiness. Our work was paying off as he was making great decisions!

 

The next day we were ready to show. He was lunged a little in the morning. We started with flat classes. Next we had our jumping classes. Just the lowest classes (yes, against ponies!) He was terrific. He rode just like he was at home. I think he was starting to enjoy all that there was to absorb. He is a curious and nosy horse. Once he decided it was safe he seemed to move on to thinking it was kinda fun in the curious way, not the celebratory way. He was just taking in the sights.

 

Bugs got better as he went. The show helps me to gage our progress. Not only where we are on our skill level under saddle but also where Bugs is psychologically. He was relaxed, focused, willing and confident. I have to admit I felt like a proud parent. The blue ribbons didn’t hurt either!

Do tell!!

Everyone does such different things with their horses. What is it you do with your horse? I would like to know if you have goals set for you and your horse. Are you working on anything in particular? Please share your thoughts comments.

Horses In The Morning: Bugs’ First Show!

Listen in to Friday’s show and hear all about how Bugs did at his first show! Click here for the link to the show.

Horses In The Morning: Operant Conditioning Explained

« Previous Page — Next Page »