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!!

How to Deal with New Colt’s Fear of Being Handled

QUESTION:

Hi Shawna,
I just had a colt born on 4/14/12. He is 9 days old now. Up to now, I have been going to the paddock area where he and his mother are and fairly easily catching him and holding him and petting him and talking to him for a few minutes twice a day. (I did imprint him about 2 hours after he was born). Today (at 9 days), I could not catch him — he is running away. My husband did catch him, and we both held him and petted him and talked to him. Should I be leaving him alone at this point and NOT chasing him? Am I reinforcing inappropriate behavior with him running away from me? Aren’t I supposed to be petting and handling him at this stage daily to get him used to it, or should I lay off? If so, for how long? For several days, we have also been putting a halter on him and then removing it, just to get him used to it. Obviously, we are new at this. What should and shouldn’t we be doing at this stage — just sitting in the paddock and watching him and letting him get used to us and see that we won’t hurt him? Help! Thanks very much!

RESPONSE:

Hi Carolyn,
I am very happy to hear of your new addition!! Okay let’s get down to business…definitely stop chasing him. He is clearly expressing how he feels about being handled. I imagine it is too much stimulus right now. It is probably overwhelming him and he is trying to avoid it. I think you have the right idea just hanging out with him and his mom in the paddock. Let him get to know you on his own terms. Since he is now a little wary of your presence it may take him a little time until he begins to relax around you. There are some things I would suggest you try. First, stop trying to pursue him but instead have good quality, relaxed time with mom. Horses, being social animals, are vicarious learners. This means they learn through observation. Your little guy will learn a lot about life (and survival) by watching and mimicking his mom. If she is calm, relaxed and interested in you, he will, more than likely, become that way too. If she approaches you and looks forward to your presence, he will learn that this is how to respond to humans. I recommend working on building that bond with her and let him observe her interest in you. I would also suggest having him watch you put the halter on and off of mom, handling her feet, touching her all over, etc. I would do these things at liberty, in the paddock, where he is free to watch and see her choice to stand quietly. This is only if she is good and relaxed with these things (I am assuming that she is) otherwise he will remember her fear and worry. If she is not comfortable with theses things, I would definitely work on it ASAP utilizing positive reinforcement and progressing in small steps to get her relaxed, but that would be an issue to be addressed in a separate post.

Also, I suggest not trying to approach him. In fact I think if he approaches you, that you should calmly retreat a bit. This will build his confidence around you. I suspect right now he is probably a little fearful of being handled and chased but when you change your demeanor and your intent he will start to build trust. When hanging out try being low to the ground. It is less intimidating to the young or worried horse. When you squat or sit down they will feel safer and become bolder. Of course you need to be sure that it is safe to do this in your environment. When he is very comfortable around you again, try scratching his withers. Most babies find this very enjoyable and will scratch each others withers. However, be aware that he may want to reciprocate by scratching you back. Quietly reposition yourself (or his head) so he can’t reach you. I know from experience that these things will help you re-establish a good relationship with your new colt. On my blog, I have suggestions for useful things to teach young horses once they are weaned, well, you may actually start before they are weaned. Use the search bar and search: Teaching a Foal: Starting Them off Right. It is an exiting time. Enjoy the journey with your new foal. Please keep me posted on your progress.

Horse with a Fear of Fly Spray

QUESTION:

Hi Shawna-
I recently adopted a 5 year old Morgan who is terrified of the fly spray bottle. He tries to turn and bolt if he just hears it spray. I’ve gotten him to allow me to spray him on his left side but when I try to spray his right side he again, tries to bolt or if I’m holding him he’ll act like he wants to rear up. Any suggestions on how I can help him?

RESPONSE:

Well, it is that time of year again, well at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere.   This is a common dilemma and one that is easily remedied using positive reinforcement.  Horses, often times, don’t seem to like the feel of the spray touching them.  Then they start putting together that sound (of the spray bottle) means I am about to have the feeling of being sprayed that I don’t like.  Next thing you know they start identifying the bottle that leads to the sound, which leads to the feeling they don’t like.  It is a whole process of association.  Utilizing positive reinforcement we can rebuild the association with fly spray to one that they look forward to instead of one they want to avoid.  Since food is a very strong motivator it goes a long way toward building a new reinforcement history.  Everything our horses do is because of an existing reinforcement history, either they are seeking something they want (positive reinforcement) or they are avoiding something the don’t want (negative reinforcement).   Every behavior your horse does or doesn’t do is because of this associative learning.  Okay, enough of the Psych 101 lesson…let’s get down to what can be done.

So, Brandi, I suggest starting with a spray bottle filled with water so you are not wasting fly spray during the training process.  I know the bigger problem is on his right side but I would suggest starting on the left side.  We want to go through the small steps on the left side first since we will have the most success there and this will allow us the most opportunity for reinforcement.  During this process we will be building a good association with the fly spray, so by the time we get to the more troublesome right side we have a little more…well, clout.  You may also let him smell the bottle before you get started, sometimes this helps them settle a bit.   I usually start by standing next to the horse with one hand on his shoulder or flank. Touching them usually has a calming effect but it also allows me to feel their level of anxiety.    With the other hand I reach out and spray the bottle in the opposite direction.   I try to make it as far away as I can reach at first. Since his reaction to the spraying seems to be a bit more severe, I suspect he may get a bit tense.  Keep spraying until you detect the slightest bit of relaxation.  Often times I feel it first in their bodies but it may be that you see the head lower slightly or the eyes and nostrils soften.  When you sense relaxation you want to click and reinforce.  You may use another bridge signal besides a clicker (verbal, whistle, etc) but I will refer to the bridge signal as a click for this post.  It is important to keep in mind that your horse will remember what he was doing when he earned the click so you want to click on the behavior you would like to see repeated.  In this case you want relaxation.

We are starting where he is most comfortable because it is one of the ways you can set him up for success.  If you start with the troubled side you probably wouldn’t get a chance to draw attention to the correct behavior since he is less likely to stand still.  Also try to think what other things you can do to ensure his success.  Does he have a place he is more comfortable?  Is he better after a turn out or some exercise?  You may fade these things out down the line but for now if it may help him to be more relaxed.  Another thing I would recommend is to give him a choice.  If you can work him without a halter and lead rope that would be the best way to start.  Maybe in a stall or round pen or even a paddock.  But at the very least have him in a halter with a lead rope but don’t use it to restrain him.  Keep it as slack as possible and allow him to wander to the end of the lead rope if he chooses.  He will be more relaxed and progress faster when he feels he has options.  When using positive reinforcement the horse is very interested in training since their is something in it for him so he will make good decisions as he builds a new reinforcement history.

Next,  when he is consistently standing quietly for this spraying into the air, slowly begin closing the angle getting nearer to his body.  You may also start with spraying it downward and slowly move it upward.   Never move the spray bottle closer until he is absolutely relaxed with the previous step.   Continue with this process.  When he is ready for the spray to touch him I recommend starting with the lower legs.   They are usually the least reactive to the spray touching their legs, however, they are individuals and he may respond differently.  The idea is to start where he will be the most relaxed.  By now he should have the idea that relaxation is what gets him rewarded so he will be trying to practice this new behavior.  Continue with the same slow, gradual process while spraying different areas of his body.  Reinforce for relaxation and good choices.

It is important to allow him time to process his lessons. Don’t start out with the expectation of spraying him on the first day.  All good training is a series of small, clear steps called successive approximations.  I recommend allowing him to set the pace.  It may be a few days or maybe a week.  It is better to go too slow then too fast.  I also suggest doing short sweet sessions.  Keep them around 5 minutes and lots of food reinforcement.  Since the presence of the fly spray bottle probably still brings him some anxiety at this point the short session can serve as a reinforcement in the early stages.

Okay, once he is rock solid on the left side it is time to start the process again but this time on the right side. The left side probably went pretty well since he isn’t as worried about that side. However, the time spent on the left side will serve us well on the right. We have taught him how to behave when he is being sprayed, to stand quietly and not because he has no choice but because there is something in it for him. In the process he has learned that the spray bottle is a good thing, not to be feared. However, we should not assume the same lesson will carry directly over to the right side, often times it doesn’t at first. I suspect he will progress quickly through the steps this time but, again, I let him dictate the pace. As you get him solid on both sides, I would suggest trying not to startle him by spraying him when he isn’t expecting it. Maybe give him a bit of a warning shot off to the side. This way he know what is coming next. Even the most seasoned horse can still be startled by a sudden spray. When he is calm and confident about the whole process I suggest moving to actual fly spray. Keep in mind the smell may remind him of the old association. So take a couple steps back to start. This will help remind him of the new process. Also, this is pretty much a no brainer, but I want to remind everyone to never spray fly spray around your horse’s face or eyes. Spraying a little on a washcloth and rubbing the areas will be a better solution.

I made an assumption that your horse knows about the early stages of clicker training…if not, there is a little more info on the first video in this free series: DeSpooking Your Horse 3-part video series.

Okay Brandi, I know this sounds like a lot of steps but I just wanted to cover as many steps as possible. Your horse will probably fly right through some parts and slower at others but it won’t be long until fly spray is a non-issue. As he has consistently shown he is unfazed by the whole process you may slowly start to fade how often you feed him for the correct behavior. I would still recommend feeding him now and then, as a way to say thank you but it won’t be necessary to maintain his calm attitude about fly spray. If you have more questions or need some help along the way please let me know, I am happy to help. The same goes for anyone else reading this post. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. If you know of someone who is having a similar issue, feel free to share this post with them via the Facebook, Twitter or email buttons below. Thanks guys!!

Handling a Feral Horse’s Feet

QUESTION:

Having recently purchased a very feral 5year old who had belonged to travelers, I too have found it extremly helpful to use food as a motivator. After 3 months i have achieved so much with this horse through the use of treats as a reward. He backs up away from the gate to allow me in, stands when asked, lowers his head to put the headcollar on. I will state that i do not feed from the hand the treat always goes onto the floor for him. He whinnys as soon as he hears my voice and comes to my call now at quite some speed sometimes. If im out he watch’s my ever move and follows me every where. I have never experience such a bond with a horse before in such a short space of time. I am now trying to tackle his main issue – his feet. Due to him being tethered by the method of tying his front two feet together i can not get near his feet, instead he trys to rear up, snatch them away, kick out. Any ideas on how to tackle this would be much appreciated.

RESPONSE:

Hi Paula, You are off to a great start. It sounds like you have developed a great bond with your horse. Now let’s get to those feet. Right now he has an unpleasant association with his feet being handled. The best way I have found to address this is to start with an area that is comfortable being touched. Our objective is to get him to associate having his feet touched as a good thing. First, I suggest doing what you can to set him up for success. When does he tend to be the quietest? After exercise? Does he have a place that he is more comfortable? Is a certain time of day better for him? Find whatever may help him to be more relaxed. Next, I would work him without a halter and lead rope. This ensures he has a choice and works to build a horses confidence. Also, in his past when they tethered his feet, I imagine they had him in a headstall with a lead rope. That means there would be an association between the headstall and being tethered. We will address that down the road but for now we want to avoid things that may trigger his defensive reaction.

To begin, I suggest touching him where he is comfortable being handled. Our goal is to move down his leg, so maybe you start at the top of the legs. I suggest choosing either working the front legs or the back legs. Pick the ones that he is the least sensitive about and alternate between the right and the left. If all is going well, wrap your hands around his leg so it feels like it is being held and massage the upper leg. You may reinforce him for good relaxed responses.

I should add that having a cue that tells him when he did something correct will be very helpful for this exercise. It will tell him that what he just did was correct and a reward is coming. It effectively bridges that gap between those two moments in time. Without the bridge signal he will associate what is happening when the food is delivered rather than his desired behavior. If you can’t feed in the middle of the activity, you miss the moment and it can lead to an unintentended result. Here is an example: Once upon a time a woman was working on teaching her young horse how to lift her legs. She was feeding a reward without using a bridge signal. She came to me as she was baffled why her horse was pulling her leg out of her hand and promptly putting it on the ground. I asked her when she was feeding the filly. She reported as soon as she was done. Here was the problem, she was feeding the horse for her foot being on the ground. The young horse put two and two together…the sooner my foot hits the ground the sooner I get reinforced. She was pulling her foot so she could do what got her fed. By adding a bridge signal, in this case a clicker, she could communicate that holding her foot was the behavior that was earning her a reward even though the food came when her foot was on the ground. The clicker worked as a bookmark to pinpoint a moment in time. I think in your situation it would help quite a bit. I have a three part video that will show you the clicker conditioning process (and some basic de-spooking work) if you want to learn more about teaching a bridge signal. Here is a link: http://despookingyourhorse.com.

I am going to use the term bridge signal (click) in the rest of the post. So, when he is standing quietly and relaxed for the upper leg move down a bit and repeat. The best way to do this in the beginning is in quick short sessions. Lot’s of reinforcement in short order. So maybe you leave it here for the first day. Start again and repeat, making progress. Never move to the next place until there is no reaction to the previous level. Always click on the behavior you want to see more of, in this case relaxation. This whole process starts with him relaxed and builds a good association with his leg being touched. As you work down the leg he will recall the previous exercise. When you get to his sensitive area (probably below the knee or hock) start just touching at first, don’t try to hold or massage yet. We have to take small steps (successive approximations) with the more sensitive areas. Slower is better. If he allows you to touch his leg and remains relaxed, click and reinforce. If he gets kind of tense look for the slightest relaxation then click and reinforce this relaxation. Slowly progress to more massaging and then eventually to lifting the leg and holding the leg/foot. Always click relaxation and softness during this process. Slowly increase the handling and manipulating of his leg position. I would also work on teaching him to lift his foot when you tap or point to his foot. This must be taught to be very soft, relaxed and not lifting it to high. Too much energy in this and you may be reinforcing his lifting/cocking his leg. Before I go on I want to add: ALWAYS keep safety in mind when dealing with a worried horses legs. Keep yourself positioned out of possible flying feet. Dealing with this situation can be dangerous and unpredictable. It may be best to have a qualified professional assist you, so please, if you are the slightest bit uncertain, get professional help.

When you have had success with the first pair of legs, move to the other pair and start the exercise from the beginning. Success is handling with no tension or worried reaction. When you have all feet handled without a halter, it is time to try the exercise with the halter and lead rope. This may alter things more than you expect. We have a tendency to think like humans but for your horse this might be a significant change. When this is good, move to different areas and then different times of day. If you have any setbacks just back up a bit with the training steps and remind him. I know this sounds as if l like a lot of steps but it will go faster than it seems. Depending on the individual horse, they tend to move fast through some parts and slower through others. Okay, Paula I hope this gives you some ideas of how to maximize the positive reinforcement training for dealing with your horses fears. If you have any questions or would like more help please don’t hesitate to ask. I would love to hear feedback, progress or comments.

ADDENDUM: Utilizing something to touch his legs could be a good intermediate step if he is sensitive to touch in general. This keeps you away from his feet but allows you to desensitize his legs to touch. It may still be a different story when you are manually handling his legs but it will be a good approximation. I find the lunge whip is a good choice since it is flexible and will not harm the horse if he kicks out. Someone (Tina) had suggested using a glove on a stick. She stuffs the glove so it keeps it’s form. I think that is a clever idea too.

My Horse is a Nervous Nelly in the Wash Bay!

Horse Not So Hot on Hot Shoeing

I love this question!  Tiffany asks about teaching her horse to accept hot shoeing.  Her farrier is coming on this day.  She has started the target training so her mare has a good start.  Implementing basic target work and positive reinforcement while she is being shod will help her today but I also give her some ideas for addressing the issue a little more systematically for the long run. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments!

QUESTION:

Shawna- I have just received my clicker and treat bucket and love implementing them into my play/ ground work time! My mare, who many have told me to sell her, is responding very well! It also allows me to know I am not sending her a mixed signal She is not a big fan of hot shoeing, sometimes she will stand but not always! Often pulling away I am excited to implement the clicker in today’s visit! Any suggestions would be great Thank you for your knowledge and helpful tips!

RESPONSE:

Hi Tiffany, I am so glad to hear how well your mare is responding. It always does my heart such good.

I do have some ideas for her shoeing. There are many different sensations associated with this process. There is the sound. That sizzling when the shoe is pressed on their hoof, the sight of the smoke, the smell and the hammering can’ be very settling if they are already feeling suspicious. When I watch a young horse transition from trimming to getting their first pair of shoes I am always kind of impressed when they stand quietly. If I were a horse I am not sure I would be so calm.

Since we don’t really know which part she is most worried about we will have to assume they all need work. I am making an assumption that she is relaxed with trimming and general farrier work. In either case I would still recommend building up a good association with these tasks. If she is worried, even slightly, it will help her to feel more comfortable with these elements. Actually, she will not simply tolerate these procedures but actually look forward to them. If she is completely relaxed it will still establish a stronger reinforcement history (association) with this part of the process and that will help for the hot shoeing.

For these exercises I recommend picking up her feet, moving them around, stretching them forward like you are going to be putting them on the stand, put them between your legs and tap on he hoof, to mimic the hammering of nails, etc. All the while you will want to reinforce when she is soft, relaxed and let’s you manipulate her feet. If she feels resistance, gently continue what you are doing until she feels relaxed. Remember that letting go is a form of reinforcement (avoidance). Of course, always keep safety in mind. Dealing with feet has some inherent risks. Break it down to small steps going slow enough that she is comfortable. Never move to the next step until she is comfortable with the previous step. THe progress will depend on how comfortable she was when you began these exercises. You may start this in her stall or paddock. When she is good and solid I would also do some sessions in the place where she gets shod. You may also have a second person play the part of the farrier. You wait by the side and step up to reinforce randomly but she should always look relaxed, soft eyes, lips, ears and lower head carriage.

A good intermediate step would be to have her watch as other horses are getting their shoes re-done. Keep in mind horses, or any social animal, are vicarious learners. This means they learn by watching and react to the reactions of those around them so I wouldn’t have her watch a horse who was not so good with the farrier. Pick ones that are nice and relaxed. You may start with her back a bit and if she is calm move closer. While she is watching I would ask her to target, lift her feet and generally relax. Reinforce her when she is relaxed and when she is focusing on the things you are asking her to do and not when she is looking worried at the smoke, let’s say. If she gets a little big eyed simply and calmly ask her to target and get back to something safe and familiar. I would also give her some time just watching and relaxing, this will help to build her patience. This allowing her to witness the procedure without being the “customer” or maybe she would use the word “victim” gives her a chance to see what is happening but also to build a relaxed and positive association with the whole process (sight, sounds and smells). Sometimes just being able to see it helps them. When it is their turn they can’t really look at what maybe worrying them and this may add to their suspicion. Do this as often as you can. Always check with the farrier so you are not in their way.

Next step, when she is in need of being shod, I would first let your farrier know what you are doing and been doing. Even if they don’t understand the training they are appreciative of your effort and they are VERY appreciative when the horses have overcome their fear. I usually tell them that I will want to reinforce through the process but communicate with them before you actually click so they can anticipate the shift that may happen when your horse hears the bridge signal. So, it usually goes something like this: I take her to the farrier stall/ wash rack…where ever they usually work. I would have the target and ask her to target, click and feed a good relaxed response. This is to let her know that the target training session is in effect. It tends to help them shift from their old mind set (association) to a the new one they have with the target. I usually stand off to the side, a few feet away. If you are too close it may be distracting for her and she may be too much of a busy body. As he/she starts the early stuff I would find a point, communicate that you are going to click and feed. The farrier doesn’t need to stop what he/she is doing. I would then retreat and wait a bit longer. When all is calm again repeat the process. I would suggest putting more time between clicks during the first part, saving more reinforcement for her more challenging part. If it you like (and it works out with your farrier) you may also give her a short break. Remember that the break should only be initiated when she is calm since it is a form of reinforcement. If she looks totally calm I would just keep her where she is and let the process continue. THe goal is to fade out all of these tools down the road. If all went well, the next time I would put more time in between clicks/rewards. Then, the time after that, I would start being further away, etc. You are fading yourself out of the picture. When she gets over it and realizes the whole process is not threatening or worth worrying about she will just stand quietly like other horses.

I know it always sounds like a lot of steps but I like to break it down the best i can. These are called successive approximations and they usually go pretty quickly. If you think about it, right now there is no real motivation for her to get over this fear. However, when you add the positive reinforcement it changes her focus and it helps her to become an active part of the training process. She is wanting to succeed as well.

Well, I hope this helps to give you some direction. If you have more questions as you progress please let me know. Okay, Tiffany, i look forward to hearing from you along the way! :0)

REPLY:

You have been a huge help! Thank you for the direction I will work with her before he comes today so she will have something positive to look forward to while he is working. I will also build on the tools you have given me over the next 6 weeks until he arrives again. I will keep you posted! Thank you again for your wonderful advise to help me and my horsey journey!

UPDATE FROM TIFFANY:

Hey I am sure you will not be surprised that it went wonderful  Before he arrived I went went into the stall to pick her feet. I clicked during the picking and rewarded with a treat, and I also clicked when I released her hoof. By her 3 foot I would say “foot” and she would shift her weight ready for me to pick up her foot. Also licking and chewing  When my farrier arrived I told him that I was starting to use clicker training, he said he also has another client using it as well (he is very open to the natural approach). He informed me he was out of propane so we wouldn’t be hot shoeing today. I was thinking this might be a good building point. I followed your instructions rewarding when she was relaxed, head down. The first 3 feet went great! I found I couldn’t stand right next to her because she would search for the treat and I didn’t want her to be off balanced for him as he was under her. Her last foot she pulled her foot from him, I asked why he thought she did that? He said he thought she just got lazy. After the Farrier was done I asked how he thought she did? ( I already had my WOW moment  ) he said she was “night and day!”

Thank you so very much for your help and enlightenment! I feel that because of people like you the horse world has been blessed  I will keep you posted when he comes back and hot shoes  Thanks again.

 

 

Teach Your Horse to Relax Under Saddle

This is a question about using clicker training/positive reinforcement under saddle to help horses become more relaxed.

QUESTION-Jackie:

Shawna, can I ask- can you use clicker training to promote relaxation under saddle??

ANSWER-Ask Shawna-On Target Training:

Yes, it is great for relaxation. The positive reinforcement training helps build their confidence and trust so the relaxation really starts within them.

First I always recommend thinking what you can do to set him up for success, when is he most likely to be the most relaxed. Maybe after a turn out or longe? maybe it is a particular time of day or a certain ring? Whatever may help him to be his calmest. Later you we can fade these tools out of the picture but for now they can be useful. Once clicker and target training/conditioning is done you are ready take it under saddle.

I ride with a waist pack for grain or treats and I attach a stick clicker to my riding stick so it is easy to get to. As you are in the saddle look for the slightest relaxation. It is usually easily felt by the rider. As you feel the slightest softening of the muscles, lowering of the head or even an exhale, click and feed (C/R). Sometimes horses will soften more after a warm up, if that is the case warm him up a bit and then focus on those moments of relaxation. Some horses will be better before their adrenaline gets going, if that is the case I recommend starting right off looking for softening. Well, you should be watching/feeling for it all along, but try to identify what you can do to help him get to that place. So anytime you feel relaxation draw attention to it with the C/R.

The more you get a chance to reinforce him for softening the more often you will see it. He will most likely get the idea pretty quickly. Working downward transitions should also help. Starting with the slower gaits is usually the most successful with the nervous horse. Start with the walk to the halt. Look for the slightest softening or even the slowing. You may also teach him to lower his head as a behavior from the ground first. As he builds up a reinforcement history with this behavior he will be more apt to do it at other times too.

It is an amazing tool for helping the horses to relax yet be able to transition between work and relaxation. Let me know if you want more guidance as you get started or if you have more questions. :0)

Solutions for the Barn Sour/Buddy Sour Horse and Other Great Tips

If you haven’t already heard of Horse Radio Network, well it is high time you did! They have great tips and topics on all of the shows. I suggest you go to their website and have yourself a look around. Besides, I am a regular guest on the Horses in the Morning radio show and have regular tips on Horse Tip Daily. Here is a link for my latest tip and it will get you to the website. There is so much great information on their website you could be there for days!

Click on this link: Solutions for the Barn/Buddy Sour Horse and Other Tips

Teaching a Timid (or Fearful) Horse to be Braver

This is an issue that happens with horses who have had very little interaction with humans (often young and feral horses) and horses who have had some trauma associated with training. This is a question from my Facebook Ask Shawna/ On Target Training page…

Maeve:

My new horse backs away into corner when I enter stable. I kept staying in one place and clicking and rewarding for last few visits but He still won’t come forward to me if I have no food!!!

Shawna:

Okay, Please remind me what you are looking for from your new horse. To approach you? Is he being stand-offish? What have you done with him up to this point? Clicker and target? I have some ideas but want to be sure I have a good understanding of the situation. Thank Maeve! :0)

Maeve:

Yes, I have done clicker and just started target. He is a worrier and spooks a lot so I have been trying to install trust for me. It’s kinda working. I will e-mail you to-morrow more details. Lately, He is backing into corner when I enter stable, I stand and wait till he does one step forward at a time to me and click and reward but its not working. Also I have used the target-touch, target-click-reward but the minute I step to him he backs again!! I am going to try again and again but I thought you may have some other ideas or info that I don’t know that are probably on your DVDs.

Shawna:

Another suggestion that may help if he is feeling wary is to squat down in a corner of the stall. If you feel confident he will be calm you can sit on the ground in his stall. If you are not feeling safe squatting or sitting, just lean against a wall and relax. Don’t ask him to do anything. Just sit, wait and be quiet. Click and reinforce when he takes a step toward you. Stay where you are (nice and low) and let him do the approaching.

I use this approach, or more correctly a lack of approach, on feral horses or naive marine mammals. It helps the timid animals to build confidence. Being lower helps horses to feel safer and there is no approaching them, which can feel imposing to some horses. It will let him feel like it is really his choice. There are no expectations. You don’t need to look at him the whole time. Just kind of do your own thing, relax and be patient. Offer reinforcement to him when he gets closer or shows interest.

Don’t worry that he is only approaching when there is food present. I think right now, it seems, he is not so sure about people. He may start out wanting the food but soon the association will change and he will look to people as a good thing, as opposed to something to avoid. The food will become less important and he will just seek human interaction. When he starts to come over more and feels safe enough to actually be interested in you, I would encourage you to sometimes just go into his stall and hang out, maybe read a book. Just let him be in close proximity with you. You don’t need to have food (maybe just a carrot or two) as it is less of a training session and more about bonding time.

Anyway, I think this will help to build his trust and ultimately his interest in people. This will help to build a better foundation to work from. As always…Keep me posted!

Maeve:

Thanks a mill, thats great. Will do that today. He does love people He is 14 but sooo soft and sensitive. He just isn’t sure. I have him only 5 months. I am nervous riding him as I am always waiting for a spook but I have to just get through that. It’s me as usual not the horse. I am not nervous on the ground at all have been around horses all my life. My last horse I had for 14 yrs. and I feel like I’m starting all over again and I’m getting older !!!! Thanks again M.

Maeve:

It worked Shawna, in one minute. What a clever horse, thnx

Shawna:

New horses can do that to us! It is like starting over on a lot of levels. Especially when you have been with one horse for so long. They are a familiar friend with whom you share a bond and understanding. The new guy is full of unknowns. It sounds like you are on the right track with him. Go slow and let him set the schedule for this exercise. You will know when he turns that corner and seems to look forward to time with you. Then I suggest going back to the target and moving onto other behaviors. At this point, I suspect his training will move along a bit quicker. Remember to be flexible and adjust to his pace. You are doing a great job!!

I am sure we will have more but that’s where we are in the training right now. Hopefully the story will be never ending. As Maeve helps her horse to overcome this issue she will move on to another task, continuing to grow as they move along in training and building their relationship.

Horse Who is Nervous / Afraid of Longeing and Whips

This question was posted on my Facebook page and I thought this will help some of you who have similar issues. Please let me know if you have questions or comments!

QUESTION: Carrie asks:

Hi, i’m hoping you can help as my daughter needs a bit of advice. My friend has bought a Welsh Sec D 4yr old mare, she was apparently broken though i think to fast to soon. Two wks ago she bucked my friends husband off, for apparently no reason. My Georgie, is starting from the beginning, by backing her again & doing things very slowly. Millie the mare doesn’t have a nasty bone in her body but she gets scared very easily which makes us wonder what was done to her in her short life. She was sold as a yearling at the Welsh sales by the breeder, a friends granddaughter bought her, but they are a bit heavy handed which makes me wonder just what they did to her. She will lunge on the left rein but is terrified on the right, also terrified of any whips, to the point i think she has been hit badly hit by one. What can you suggest to take her forward successfully. xx

ANSWER: Ask Shawna-On Target Training says:

Hi Carrie, I am so glad Millie is with you. She will make real strides and I have found the horses who have been through tough times often become the most devoted students when you shift to positive reinforcement. You are on the right track. Start her like she is learning it for the first time but this time slower and let her get her head around each step. Remember to never move to the next step until she is solid on the previous step. enjoy the journey with her. Lot’s of ground work will help to earn her trust.

If you haven’t already, I would suggest having your veterinarian check her out to be sure she isn’t having some physical discomfort before you proceed any further. This will only add to her unpleasant association with working and people if she does have some pain. I always prefer to rule this out first.

She sounds like the type of her horse who may stand quietly on the outside while inside she may be quite worried and even fearful. Watch for any signs of relaxation. Her eye, nostrils and ears to soften. Look for her head to lower a bit and neck muscles to relax. Click and reinforce (C/R) her for this and she will start to offer it more often. This behavior will serve itself since she will be relieved to be able to relax. You can click and reinforce this anytime you see her offer this behavior. Always keep an eye out for signs of relaxation. I can’t imagine how horrible it must feel to not understand what is going on around you and yet fear the repercussions of your not knowing. A clear training program shouldn’t be scary but encouraging. You will gain her trust.

I think the whip should serve as an extension of our hands and shouldn’t be someting used to instill fear. Teaching her to touch the whip may help her to acclimate to it a bit too. You can do this like teaching her to target. It may also help to have her follow the whip. Sometimes having the whip retreat helps her to feel that she is pursuing it and it isn’t pursuing her. This often changes the mind set and builds boldness. You don’t want to over train the targeting on the whip. We just want her to learn it has several purposes and they are all safe. You got off to a good start and I suggest follow through with that desensitization training you have started with the whip touching her all over.

As far as longeing goes, I suggest you start with her on a lead rope. I suggest not using longeing equipment at first. The equipment may trigger the fear she has with longeing to the right so let’s not go there yet. Ask her to go the good way (to her left) at a walk and reinforce her for responding correctly. I would suggest using your hand and raise it slow and calm toward her barrel (where the leg will eventually be asking her to move forward) I would suggest using an auditory cue like a cluck as well. This may help to communicate what you are asking. You may also use a target for the early stages and ask her to follow the target (with her nose) as well as moving off of your hand and cluck. This may help her to focus more on the target then the scary aspects of longeing. I say your hand but I mean Georgie’s hand! I know she is good on this side but it will help her learn this new fun training is in effect and build up a new better association with this behavior. Next, I would start just leading her from the other side reinforce her for walking nicely. Next step back a little and slowly, calmly and confidently raise your hand slightly toward her barrel(cluck) and ask her to walk on just a little. It is like a micro longeing session. As soon as she walks forward and relaxes a little bit C/R. Feed her handsomely for this. You are going to be rebuilding a new reinforcement history with this right side. You will rebalance the scales so instead of fear she knows what to do and she looks forward to it since there may be something in it for her that she values. I would keep these sessions short and sweet. Sometimes it even helps to ask her with a smile on your face. It sounds kind of weird but it can change our subtle body language. Believe me she is paying attention to the subtlest changes in her humans and smiling often times changes us from intense to more relaxed. Later we will re-introduce the whip and faster gaits but for now I would suggest working on getting the walk solid. I suggest pogressing like this through the next portions as well.

This is where I suggest you start. I wish I was there and could watch as you progress but I know you and Georgie are going to do great. Horse’s being individuals sometimes respond a little differently and need some adjustments in training. Please keep me posted. I am here to help every step of the way if you need it!

Ask Shawna: Horse with Major Mounting Fears

Here is a question sent in by Peggy, but I have heard from a couple other people with very similar issues so I thought it was a good time to address this potentially dangerous issue.

QUESTION: I have a spanish (?) mustang mare who is 7 years old who I rescued from the slaughter house last year. She definitely has had some past traumas. She has come so far in terms of trust and settling since I’ve had her but the one thing I really want to “fix” is her tendency to bolt or buck when mounting….she is quiet and relaxed up to that point when you swing your leg over (the point of no return!) I have worked extensively with her on the ground, desentisizing her even to a dummy that I throw over her back (stuffed jeans with boots attached). I have begun the target training with her and she is VERY food motivated so I’m hoping I can somehow use this to solve this problem. The question I have though is How? Thanks so much! you have already been a great help.

This is was an update as Peggy got a start on things: At this point I can stand in the stirrup with her for quite a while without any worries from her. I praise her and rub her all over and then when I get down I give her small little bits of carrot. This is how she learned to pick her feet up for trimming and now she is a pro at it…with just little bits of carrot!

ANSWER: First of all I want to say kudos to you for rescuing this mare and for taking the time to discover the horse that is under all of the trauma. I have found, over and over, that the horses who have been abused or have suffered under harsh training, respond VERY well to positive reinforcement. They usually end up being the most loyal and committed horses. They have found a safe harbor and they never want to let it go. The rehabilitated horse can be a real diamond in the rough.

Your mare seems to have a trauma of some sort related to the rider getting on her back. It is important to first rule out any physical cause. Be certain that there is not an injury or soreness in her back, that the saddle isn’t causing her any pain. These things can certainly cause pain and a drastic reaction. Often times the rider getting in the saddle can exaserbate the pain. The association is made with the mounting process. Even when the problem has been resolved the horse is now anticipating the pain. Horses make these associations all the time. This is part of the learning process.

In your horse’s case there is certainly some unpleasant association with mounting. Whether the origin is physical pain or emotional trauma does not really matter as we will address it the same way. We will rebuild a new, better association with the mounting process. You are on the right track with the dummy. I love that you put boots on it!! You are also on the right track with introducing the carrots. We are just going to tweek this a little bit. The best thing to do is to break it down to little steps and to create the mounting as closely as possible. It helps that you have recognized a specific action that seems to set her off. It makes it easier to pinpoint this particular issue. Sometimes it isn’t so clear and you need to break down all the little steps along the way. We want to establish a good reinforcement history with not only the leg swinging over but the actions that happen before and after as well. We don’t want her to just stand there and tolerate the mounting, although for a little bit she will be in this phase, we want her to look forward to mounting. By using the positive reinforcement, we have a great motivator to re-balance the scales and her association.

So here is what I recommend:

Start doing her target work at the mounting block. This gets her attention out of defensive mode and onto something that she has had success with and enjoys doing. This means she has a good association with target training. This will start to change her view of the mounting block. She may not be showing anxiety with being at the mounting block but that doesn’t matter. The stronger we get the association with the whole process the better. Next, do the dummy thing again, this time with positive reinforcement being a part of the equation. So click and reinforce each time the dummy swings that leg over. Here is a crucial factor. Renforce while the dummy is still on her not when it has been removed. You want the association when the pressure or weight is on her. If you reinforce when it is removed she may make the association that as soon as the weight is off it will get reinforced.

At ths point I would recommend, if possible get someone else to help you for 2 or 3 sessions. You choose who would be better mounting and who would be better on the ground. It is easy to direct from above if you feel you are the better choice for mounting. I would have the person on the ground asking her to target. Clicking and feeding correct responses. You want to see her attention on the target and not paying attention to the rider. The rider’s actions seemed to have caused her bucking and bolting in the first place so we want to help her focus on something besides the rider. Start with the weight in the stirrup. If she is quiet and solid bounce around a bit shifting weight without swinging a leg over. If she is good for this I would suggest feeding her well and leaving it here for the day. You have given her food reinforcement but also quit trying to mount which will be reinforcing to her as well.

Next day you might try leaning your body accross the saddle. It is more weight but isn’t the leg yet and it isn’t such a vulnerable position. Always keep safety in mind as you progress. Keep her focusing on target training. Feeding her well for her good choices. Never move to the next step until she is solid with the previous step. I think at this point she will be focused on the trainer with the target.

As you progress, look for her to be relaxed always reinforcing her for soft eyes, soft lips, low head carriage. Try to reinforce as ears and eyes are on the ground trainer vs. the rider. Since the issue stems from the riders’s activity we want the focus off of the rider at this point. Progress slowly. It is always better to go to slow then too fast.

This next part has to be your call as it is a feeling as opposed to something I can lay out in steps. When you feel she is ready to try the leg over, do it slow and low while the ground person is asking her to target. This is a behvioral tool with a long technical name but in a nutshell you are giving something to do that has a strong reinforcement history. She has a decision to make, touch the target or go off bucking. She can’t do both. At this point in time she is loving the target and will most likely stay completely focused on the target. When she lets you in the saddle have the ground person reinforce her a LOT. You want to build a strong association,i.e. “Rider in the saddle is GOOD!!” The first couple of times I would have the ground person reinforce. Even lead her around a bit, click and reinforce her, have her touch the target. When she has been good you will begin to shift the focus to the rider. Have her target as the rider gets on (this will help to set her up for success) and now the rider reinforces from the saddle. I ride with a waist/fanny pack and a clicker on a riding stick or in your hand. Lean forward and reinforce her. If that goes well the next time have the ground person there with the target but not asking her to target when the rider mounts. The rider will click and feed once in the saddle. Then ask her to walk off, click and reinforce her again for responding well.

Well there is a pretty detailed plan for you. Of course horse are individuals and you may choose to modify as you move along. I know you will have success. I wish I was there to see her attitude turn around, that is the best part!! It is such a great feeling. I can’t wait to hear how it all goes!

Ask Shawna: My Horse Won’t Drink Water at Shows!

Question from Stacy:

Hi Shawna, I can’t wait to get the training package! I am having trouble getting my horse to drink water at shows. She won’t drink til we get home. Can you help me encourage my horse to drink?

Answer from Shawna:

This is a new scenario for me but I know we can get her to learn to drink as a trained behavior. I have never had a horse who won’t drink any old water you put in front of him. So I have not experimented with these tactics myself. But I imagine you have heard of putting something in the water (like mint extract or electrolytes) while at home. It will be more familiar and a stronger association when she gets water that may taste and smell different than her usual water. That may help if you haven’t tried this. However, her problem may be related to nervousness and being in a new environment.

We will start at home and get it on a signal. Okay, the first thing to think about is if you know a time that she is likely to drink water. Maybe it is after eating or after being ridden or when she first comes in from the paddock. I have a couple things to try. The first one is called “capturing” and it can be done in conjunction with the other plan I will out-line. I suggest watching her at the times that you think she may drink. When she does, click and feed. It may help to be further away at first if she gets distracted by your presence. You can click as soon as she goes to her water. I am thinking she will stop and watch you. Step away but still watch. Just wait, she is still thirsty and will eventually go back click again, etc. This is how we teach the Sea Lions to holler. We just reinforce them and pretty soon they are doing it all the time (a little annoying at first) then we put it on a signal. Pretty soon she will be drinking water for your attention and reinforcement. Start getting closer and putting a signal in just before you think she is going to drink. She will associate that signal(maybe it is a point to the water and verbal “drink”, it can be whatever you would like)

The other approach I suggest is get a bucket to be her drinking bucket. At the times when she tends to be thirsty enter her stall with the water, set it on the ground and give her a point to the water, tap the water or even use a target to get her nose to the water. Click and reinforce. When she is consistent with touching look for any movement of her lips. It may mean you splash a bit take the water to her lips so she can kind of taste it or lick, reinforce any licking or moving lips. Keep along these lines and I imagine she will soon turn that lipping/licking into actual drinking. At first, I would interrupt it with a click. Then let it go a little bit, letting her drink longer and longer. Remember to click on the behavior you want to see more of, when she is drinking(or even flapping lips in the beginning) not when she has quit or moved away from the bucket. I also suggest you feed her alot for each of these approximations so it makes a bigger impression on her. When she is consistently responding correctly I suggest trying at different times of day so she learns to respond to your cue vs. her thirst. Next, I suggest moving just outside of the stall or paddock where ever she lives. Use the same bucket and the same cue. She may be a little slower again. Look for those baby steps we took to help her in the beginning to build up her confidence. When she is good there try someplace else. Pretty soon she should be drinking any place, any time around the barn. You can even have her do it just before feeding time. she drinks and she gets a jackpot of food. When you go to the show take the same bucket and take some of your water if you can for the first lessons. It will be the most familiar and will help to set her up for success. Set it on the ground and give her the cue. Go back to the baby steps if necessary. She’ll get it figured out. The good thing about using the positive reinforcement is that it also promotes relaxation within the horse and it may even help to settle her nerves at the show. Felling more settled will also allow her to respond to her natural thirst.

Well, I have never had to teach a horse to drink but I have taught a whale to urinate on command! I am confident we can get it figured out, though it may take a little tinkering here and there. Pay attention to her habits, what she seems to respond to and adapt the training to what seems to be working for her and your situation. Please keep me updated. I am here to help you along the way. I am excited to see this through to the end!

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?

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

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: 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 Answer: Catching the Horse Who Doesn’t Want to be Caught

In this video answer I address the horse who avoids being caught or who panics once caught. It is a quick and easy process to rebalance the scales and have your horse coming to you!!

Ask Shawna: Barn/Buddy Sour and Herd Bound Horses

Another Ask Shawna Answer… This question was posted by Sharon. I address barn sour/buddy sour/herd bound behavior in horses. Of course there are many factors involved but positive reinforcement has worked wonders in each of these areas. Please post your questions to askshawna.com!!

Flying Lead Change-One and Done!

Well, as you can tell from the title we have started a new and exciting phase of training! Flying lead chages are a pretty big mile marker. It seems like Bugs is ready to put on his “big boy pants”!! When we were at the show we were great but he didn’t know changes yet. I want to state loud and clear that I never want to over face a horse. I know that consistant success is built on a solid foundation. No two horses are the same. Recognizing when your horse is ready to move forward comes from a close relationship, one that is part instruction and part listening, a conversation if you will.

That being said, Marcy (my hunter/jumper trainer) and I feel that Bugs is ready. He routinely makes good decisions and doesn’t get flustered when he doesn’t understand a new lesson. He focuses and tries to solve the puzzle. The positive reinforcement really helps him to be involved and to perservere.

We had a flat lesson with Jan and her green horse, Annie. Marcy has been helping me to adjust my position and my seat is getting more solid with every lesson, well, nearly every lesson. Bugs was good, listening and soft. He had a bit of extra energy but he mostly keeps that to himself at this point. As Jan and I finished up, Marcy put a pole on the ground (across the diagnal) for Bugs and myself to work on a flying change. We discussed the next part of the lesson, the shifts in balance and positioning necessary to allow him and to support him through the change in his lead. My goal was to shift the balance as we crossed the pole. This can be a challenging proposition. You are channeling a lot of energy and horses can get excited, sometimes too excited. A flying change, when new, is a bold manuever and you need that energy, but it helps to know that you can bring your horse back to a soft, listening mindset.

Bugs seems to pick up the left lead easier than the right so we start off on the right lead. This way we can try to set him up for success when we are asking to change his lead. So, off we go! As we come across the diagnol I have got my ears pealed and a big smile on my face. It seems to me that Bugs likes to figure things out and finds comfort in being compliant. This moved him out of his comfort zone. He was not sure what was going on. He was trying to do something, but just wasn’t right. I think he feared that his actions might be taken as disobedience. The first couple of times he was a little wound up, maybe even a little worried. I just stayed very relaxed and focused on getting him back after the attempt. Then we started again, giving him time to settle into a nice calm, controlled canter. The next couple times he still didn’t get it but he seemed a little more settled. I knew that we were on the right path. His mind was more settled and processing as opposed to reactionary. On about the 5th time he got it right! I clicked, reinforced with a few handfuls of treats and lots of praise (he responds well to verbal praise too).

It is tempting to want to do it again right away but I recognize that the better thing to do is to let him rest in his success. I am very poud of Bugs and his good decisions. He really seems to enjoy the challenges that come with training. I am excited for this next week. We have trailer loading, backing up and flying lead changes to look forward to!!

Too Revved Up!!

December 15th(ish) 2010

Okay,  so my first post was referring to how good Bugs was about all of the commotion, from guys hanging lights in trees to a new course being built in the ring, jump rails tumbling. Well, the very next day Bugs went into the ring and was spooky and wild!!  He wanted and to whirl and hop and bolt away.  There was no reasoning with him at this point.  I always try to remind myself to not rely on emotion at this point but to go to my head and to recall the best way to deal with the erratic behavior.  I immediately thought about sinking my weight down in to my heels to assure a nice low center of gravity.  I reminded myself to keep my head and shoulders up and to look ahead and finally to keep him moving forward on a circle.  Fortunately, I stayed in the saddle.  It made me think of a quote from Hans Senn(I love his quotes) it goes something like this: When your horse is at his worst you need to be at your best.  Don’t panic together.  Good advice if you ask me.

I couldn’t really tell what had caused Bugs behavior. It seemed to be a culmination of a little of this and a little of that.   Fortunately, we happened to have a visiting rider who is very experienced and is good with horses who are too wound up.  He got on and rode through his issues.

This was a side of Bugs that I hadn’t seen.  We had some rain and the horses were on the walker as opposed to being ridden so he may have been a little fresher than usual.  But still, that is no excuse but rather a reminder of what I need to work on with him.  I want Bugs to have all of that energy but learn to use it constructive ways, like moving forward in a big bold trot, or jumping (soon, we’ll get to that in a few entries).  Well, it is definitely something to work on.

Bugs: A Horse with Big Shoes to Fill!

December, 14, 2010

Bugs is like a big kid.  Bugs has been with me since early last spring.  He is a 7 year old, 16.3 Chestnut appendix quarter horse.  Both his dam and sire were appendix so he has his fair share of thoroughbred in him.  I love this about him, since I have a real affinity for thoroughbreds.  Mint is a thoroughbred you know.   And you know I love my Mint!  Mint has been my shining example of  positive reinforcement.  He has a huge repertoire of behaviors both from the ground and undersaddle.  He embodies On Target Training with his huge heart and  great disposition.  He is a pleasure for anyone to be around and I hear it from people all the time.  He is light and responsive in the saddle, making me feel like a highly effective rider even on my worst day.  This is what I wanted, another Mint!  Of course, this is not how Mint started out.
 
Let’s start with Bugs beginnings… He was in a pasture with very little interaction until he was 4 years old.  That is a long time. There is a window when young horses are very trainable and then there is a time when they are more set in their ways.  Bugs kinda missed that window.  At 4 he was taken from the pasture and it was decided he was going to be a roping horse.  Talk about a square peg in a round hole.  Needless to say this didn’t go so well for Bugs.  I don’t know all of the details but he came away with a scar on his face and a suspicious disposition.
 
My friend Marcy had been around Bugs and saw that he wasn’t going down a good path.  He was off to the horse auction.  She stepped in and took him to her barn, which is a hunter/jumper barn.  This is not something that Marcy had done before.  She was not sure how this would end or where he was going to go, she just felt it in her heart to give him a chance. For the next couple of years he was in a low pressure program and taught the basics.  It was clear to her that he really wanted to please but he still needed a gentle touch.  She had invested too much to just let anyone have him and felt somewhat protective of her charge.
 
This is when I enter the picture.  Due to personal reasons Mint had been turned out for 7 years and I had barely ridden.  Mint was newly out of retirement but he is getting older and I thought it was time to have a new addition, not only for riding but for the positive reinforcement training.  I asked her about buying a horse.  Marcy saw a potentially good fit with me and Bugs.  I dusted off my chaps and showed up at Marcy’s barn to try Bugs.  I wasn’t on him for a minute when he spooked and wheeled.  Poof, I’m on the ground.  Me being newly back in the saddle, my seat wasn’t real solid.  He ended up by the rail, as I went to go get him he was visibly trembling with fear, afraid of the repercussions.
 
At that instant, I knew he was meant for me.  It broke my heart to see him so worried.  I knew I had the tools to help him.  Now, this is not how one should choose their horses. Bugs had been doing great with Jenn, who rides for Marcy.  He felt safe with Jenn and his routine.  This, clearly, did not carry over to me.
 
Marcy, being the voice of reason, wouldn’t let me make a decision until I spent more time with Bugs.  He came to the barn where I was boarding.  He showed me how suspicious he seemed to feel in the new situation.  He broke through two leather halters in two days by pulling back in the cross ties.  I never became disheartened and he began to trust me and even more, to look forward to time with me.  When I would pull up in my truck both of my horses would start whinnying.  I got some riding in but not on a consistent basis.  I knew we were moving to a new barn in October, a really nice barn I might add.  Marcy is the trainer at the new barn and we were getting into a riding/training program together and utilizing the positive reinforcement.  We are both doing great and making great strides.  Bugs is growing up!!
 
Patty, who owns the barn was hosting an elaborate Christmas party the other day at the barn.  This meant trucks and workmen were everywhere.  They were decorating, hanging plastic to tent the barn areas, putting in a dance floor, bar, hanging lights and bringing in a mechanical bull.  This was seemed to be sheer terror for some horses(and rider’s).  But Bugs was totally sensible and calm.  He made me feel really proud.  I think Bugs is a great edition to On Target Training.  We have a lot to learn together but he, like Mint, is showing that love of learning and growing a big heart.  There is a part of me that wanted him to be all done, just like Mint is now, and then I realized what a great journey it is and wondered why it is I always want to hurry.  Bugs will never be just like Mint, but that is fine with me, he is going to be just like Bugs and that is shaping up to be great news.  He is a Blessing and I am ever thankful that he is in my life.  Bugs has a shining future and I look forward to the journey that lies ahead of us.

Progress in training – Hans Senn

Correct training makes a horse systematically better. Training should be progressive; however, it is better to progress one year too late than one day too early. More demands may produce more resistance. Sometimes it is wiser to reach a temporary compromise and look for a solution later than provoke a major problem. Give your horse the benefit of the doubt. Go slowly.
- Hans Senn

Fear vs. Punishment – Hans Senn

Your horse learns more from praise than from punishment. Teach your horse to respect and like you, not to fear and mistrust you. Make your horse comfortable and he will make you comfortable.
- Hans Senn

Teaching Your Horse to Stand Quietly for the Farrier

Well, it is high time I get started fielding some of these great questions that keep coming to me through Ask Shawna. There are so many great topics that I wasn’t sure where to begin, so I just pulled from the top. Here is today’s question sent in by Susanna:

“I have a one year old filly who hates it when her legs and feet are handled. Especially hind-legs. I’ve tried to let her get used to it slowly and she gets a click and treat for it. Short touches are ok, but she has to cope with trimmings every couple weeks and gets very nervous and you have to start all over again.”

Hi Susanna,

You are off to a good start. That she will let you handle her legs and feet even for short spells says that you are making progress, so kudos to you for that. Now we need to focus on longevity and acclimating her to the tasks that the farrier performs during the trimmings. Keep in mind that all of our horses learn through operant conditioning. This means they are constantly trying to figure out how to either get things that they want or how to avoid the things that they don’t want. They build up is what is referred to as a reinforcement history. They form associations with the things that they experience. The good news is, with the correct amount of reinforcement we can change these associations for the better. I think of them as scales that are out of balance. With the use of reinforcement we can put more weight on the side of the scale that represents the desired behavior. You are certainly on the right track.

Be sure that you have taken the time to really be sure that she understands the clicker and it’s significance. She should always stand with her head forward with proper manners without getting pushy or mouthy when food is present. Also, I recommend target training. I recommend it for every behavior even if it will not physically be used for a particular behavior. The process teaches them how to engage in the learning process and is, in my opinion, an essential part of teaching our horses a work ethic. In this particular case I recommend using the target as we build up her tolerance. The target becomes a familiar object with a very strong reinforcement history. It can serve as a pacifier of sorts. We will want to fade it out of the picture later but for now it will help serve our purpose. So be sure she is strong with touching her nose to a target. I am making an assumption that you know what the heck I’m talking about but if you don’t just let me know or check out the web site or video for more instruction about proper clicker or target training.

I also recommend doing the sessions right before feeding time if your schedule allows. The food will have a higher perceived value for her at this time. I also recommend using a mix of reinforcements. Choose several treats that she likes. This changes up the anticipation of what comes next. Volumes have been written about schedules of reinforcement. It has been proven that the more predictable is not always the best way to raise criteria, and  what we want to do is to step up her eagerness to stand still and be patient. By changing how much and what type of treat, we will peak her interest. I want you to sometimes feed a small handful and sometimes feed a couple handfuls. She will work harder to achieve her favorite and to get the larger amount. On those days when you don’t have a lot of time I would, at the least, ask her to lift a foot  or two before each feeding.  Also, be sure that she has had some exercise or turn out before her training sessions so she isn’t a ball of energy, this will help set her up to succeed.

I suggest to work her as much as possible in the same place where the farrier is working with her so she builds up a desirable reinforcement history with this spot. Also, to mimic the things that the farrier does. Go slow and build up her confidence with each of these tasks. Sometimes they can feel insecure about not being able to have all four feet available to flee so we need to build her trust. I may be reiterating a bit here but I don’t really know what steps you have taken so I’m just going to cover some steps. Start by making sure that she is comfortable with you handling her all over her body not just her legs. Start where she is most comfortable and click and treat when she is standing still AND relaxed. Relaxed is really our focus. We can teach her to stand still but if she is not truly relaxed then we may be reinforcing the wrong attitude and it will come to a head somewhere down the line. Only move on when she is relaxed and calm. Watch her eyes, ears, body language and feel those muscles. When she softens click and feed. Continue this process to the legs and feet. Remember to go at her speed. At first short sessions with a lot of reinforcement will be the best. Quit while she still wants more. Again this will peak her interest and anticipation. In her head we want her thinking… “come back and touch my legs!!” I have found I make MUCH more progress with three 5 minute sessions than with one 30 or 40 minute session. Build up the time once she is comfortable with this phase. Then vary the length of the sessions sometimes quick and sometimes long.

Next is handling her feet. Begin each step by reinforcing the smallest steps. As you begin to teach her to pick up her feet or to allow you to pick them up, think of the small steps in between. For example look for her knee to bend. This indicates that she took the weight off of this foot. This is worthy of a pretty good sized reinforcement. Give her a couple handfuls. The more she participates the faster the progress. Once you have the foot try to put it down only when she softens and relaxes the foot and leg. Remember to click while you have the foot in your hand. You want to click on the behavior that you want to see more of, she will remember what she was doing when she heard the click. If you click when she has her foot on the ground she will try to get her foot back on the ground so she gets the click. Once she is relaxed with this behavior begin to move the feet around a bit. Your farrier will stretch her out pretty good but we want to build up to that degree. Again click and feed small steps and relaxation. If she gets tense back up a little and rebuild the step before and go a little slower. Try to hold until you feel relaxation. When she is good with this and trusting you to do this I would introduce someone else into the equation. The point is to mimic the farrier in this equation. I would choose someone who is familiar with horses and their body language. Start back at the beginning, even though she has been good . This way you set her up for success by going back to her most comfortable place. You will quickly move through the paces. I would use the target at this point. You work the target while your friend handles her legs. This will give her something else to focus on and often helps to prevent horses from getting too wound up. If she is doing good I would suggest intermittent use of the target. This sounds like a lot of steps but I suspect she will go pretty quick.

Just when you get it worked out, get her nice and calm… here comes the farrier! Talk to your farrier and tell him/her what you are working on. After all, this investment of time will make his/her life easier down the road. Farriers want our horses to be good about trims and shoeing even more than we do! As he steps up to her ask her to target and click and reinforce. This will put her in the “work” mode. The target will be like an old familiar friend and will help give her a place to put some of that nervous energy.  I have found that the target helps the farrier become more of an incidental just like in her sessions.   If she is pretty nervous stay close and ask her to target now and then and reinforce. If she is somewhat calm I would stay nearby but not right at her head since she may fidget just trying to do something to please you. As things are going good with the farrier ask if it is okay to click and reinforce. Make sure that she is doing something worth reinforcing. Feed her well. If possible I would maybe do a foot or two, have him/her work on another horse and then get back to her after she has had a break. As time goes by she will get better and better and you can fade yourself out of this equation. She will realize that there isn’t anything to fear and it will just be part of her routine. Taking the time now will build her confidence.  Continue the sessions between the farrier visits even if she is perfect.  Remember the scale illustration?  This will build up the reinforcement on the correct side of the scales giving her a reason to want to stand still.

Well Susanna, I find my self wanting to go on and on but should wrap it up.   I hope this helped give you some ideas for making progress with your filly.  Thank you for sending in your question.

I will continue to answer some of the questions sent into Ask Shawna. There is much more to come so stay tuned and enjoy getting your horse On Target!

Question about treats, mounting and progress with a worried horse

This question was sent to me in FaceBook and I thought I would post it here for others who may have similar situations. I am glad to have a place to share. I removed her name just in case she wanted anonymity!!

So here is the question and response:

Hi,

I hope you don’t mind such a silly question in your inbox, but I was just wondering what size treats you use and if it matters as long as the horse can smell/taste it and take it from the hand without problem. Also, how can you tell if the horse is being motivated?

I cut my carrot treats pretty small for one horse…My clicker practice horse, a horse that is extremely sound and quite loving/affectionate. I wanted to gain some experience with her first since she is an easy horse to deal with. It was obvious that she thought this new game was just too cool and she was clearly motivated. We got down target training easily along with some basic ground manners, ground tying, backing up without contact, and better leading She does not belong to me, but my neighbors kindly let me borrow her for this experiment.

I recently started working on my own horse, who has many problems, is overall high strung, and is extremely nervous in general from past abuse from a previous owner. She’s a much different horse temperament wise than the one I started out with. I really can’t tell if she is motivated. I did make progress the first day unless it was a fluke. She won’t stand still for mounting and I have neither a mounting block nor a saddle. She just dances around nervously and then takes off as soon as I get on. I tried to target train her first so I could clearly tell that she was understanding, but she didn’t seem interested at all.

I decided to try again with mounting and told her to stand, then rewarded her after just a couple seconds. I gradually increased the time and started touching her, then moving towards her side, putting a hand on her back, arm over her back, and I finally got to being able to stand on one foot and have my other leg completely over her. This was all in a matter of 10 minutes. I’m not sure if she was more motivated by the treat (small carrot pieces) or by the fact that she is desperate for two way communication after being abused and misunderstood. I just can’t tell with her, she’s always so nervous and stand off-ish. She wasn’t reaching back for the treats or turning her head much either, I was just basically putting them in her mouth. It doesn’t sound like she’s really that motivated, yet, she stood there completely still and about as relaxed as I’ve ever seen her in the round pen.

Am I doing this right so far or do I need to find a treat that she is more enthused about? It would be nice if she could act like a normal horse for once in her life lol.

Shawna Corrin Karrasch July 31 at 7:29am:

Hi,
I am glad that your horse is with you. I would suggest that you try other treats and see if you can find something that she seems to respond to with more enthusiasm. Size and flavor can make a difference for some horses. Sometimes just peaking their interest at first and then they become more interested in the training process and you can then vary treats or just use some of their grain. When I am working with a bit in their mouth I recommend using something that will dissolve, like pelleted grain or sugar. Carrots will stay in chunks and they may not be able to chew thoroughly before I ask them to work.

However, I think the real issue is her sounds more like internal worry than the actual treat. You are making good strides with her relaxation but her apprehension may run deep. I recommend making the sessions be shorter and easier. Move a little slower and expect a little less with more reinforcement. Your on the right track but I suspect that she still feels a good deal of suspicion. Be patient and only move forward when you feel more boldness on her part. Often times horses won’t embrace eating treats when they feel some anxiety. The choice to take any treat shows some relaxation but that she doesn’t just get right to enjoying them could be a sign of some conflict in her psychological state. Maybe it is as simple as a better treat but I suspect not. I have also seen a number of horses be great on the ground but when the rider gets on they can shut down a bit. Take itty bitty baby steps (called successive approximations) Also it may help if you have someone get on with you on the ground doing target work. Essentially you are saying don’t worry about the rider just focus on me and the target and ignore the rider. This can help to change her association and to rebalance an established history and to re-establish a new, more positive reinforcement history. I suggest you move forward only when you have a enthusiastic attitude during the target sessions.

Shorter and more reinforcement per attempt will help. Also doing sessions before meals (or even using part of her rationed food) may help her food motivation. Eventually you will be able to do the sessions anytime or place but at first this may help you to set her up for success.

I also think that, if possible, using some kind of mounting block, step ladder, fence, something safe for her, will take a lot of the physical challenge out of the mounting process and can allow you to gently place your weight on her back. It can be very taxing on our horses. Also be sure there is not some sort of injury or pain adding to her discomfort. Check with your vet to rule out physical causes. Even though she may get a clean bill of health it doesn’t rule out the possibility of some past association with pain making her worry every time someone gets on her back. Fearful that the pain will return.. Whether it is physical or psychological, you can rebalance the scales for her and teach her to stand quietly.

You are on the right track. They are all such individuals. You will get there. If it is any consolation, my main horse Mint (he is in lots of videos from my website and in the book and DVD) was one of the worst horses I had ever worked. He would walk away from target training. He was very indifferent and a real quitter with no heart. You see quite the opposite now. Well, I hope that this helps you out and gives you some new ideas. It is hard sometimes to evaluate without physically seeing the situation. Let me know how it goes for the next step. I look forward to hearing of your progress.

Positive Reinforcement in Horse Training

There are different ways to reward your horse for a job well done. In this clip Shawna explains the importance of reward reinforcement in order to achieve consistent training success.

Bridge the Horse Training Gap

In this clip, Shawna explains the reasoning behind using a ‘clicker’ or bridge signal and why it is an essential step to getting your horse On Target.

Building Blocks for Training Your Horse

Whether you use On Target Training or another training method, take small steps to build your horse’s foundation for learning. The term used for this is Successive Approximation.