Do You Need Help De-spooking Your Horse?

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

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

CLICK HERE: Free De-spooking video

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

Have fun!

Shawna

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

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

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

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

An Update and Important News!!

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

Keep Asking Shawna!

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

FREE VIDEOS!!!

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

As always, enjoy getting your horse On Target!!

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

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

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

Ask Shawna: Keeping A Horse Upright While Saddling!

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

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

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

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

Ask Shawna: Dealing with a Mouthy/Nippy Colt

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

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

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

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

Ask Shawna: When Do You Stop Using the Clicker?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ask Shawna Answer: Picking a Trainer for your Young Horse

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ask Shawna Answer: Preparing for a Dental Check

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

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

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

Horses in the Morning: Plodder vs. Bully

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

Mounting: Look No Hands!!

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

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

Cancer, Schmancer! Facing my diagnosis.

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

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

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

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

Be well,

Shawna

Super Simple Flexion Exercise

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

Photos of me from my Sea World Days!

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

Speaking of Trailer Loading… Another Success Story!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ask Shawna Answer: 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 Answer: Training the Back up

In this video I address some of the nuances for training your horse the back up from the ground. This makes backing up undersaddle a breeze! There are some progressive training videos as Bug’s was learning to back up. Look under the category: Bug’s Blog.

Ask Shawna Answer: Teaching Your Horse to Accept Pressure/Contact

This question is from Ann. She asks about her Thoroughbred who shakes his head when he feels pressure. Through positive reinforcement you can change this from resistance to seeking the contact.

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!!

Treasure: Dealing with a Sour Puss!

The answer addresses Treasure’s cranky expression when moving into the trot.  Of course you always want to rule out that there is a physical cause or discomfort occurring.  Once you have established that it is behavioral, there are ways to improve attitude, expression and work ethic.

Horse In The Morning: Responding Correctly to Pressure

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

Ask Shawna Question re: Continuing After the Click

Hi Everyone,

This question was posted on my Facebook page by Lydia. In this video I am addressing how to teach your horse to continue on with a good attitude following the click. I focus on teaching this under saddle but the same techniques work from the ground. Simply ask for a behavior that has a well established reinforcement history. In other words, a behavior that your horse readily offers and seems to enjoy doing. Anyway, Lydia, I hope that this helps you to move to the next level. Thank you for the question and the opportunity to help you progress! Enjoy getting your horse On Target.

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!!

Keeping Your Horse on the Ball

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

Now, THAT’S a Back Up! (2nd session-ongoing series)

Okey dokey, here is the second video in the back up series. I discuss a bit about the targeting and how to strengthen this behavior. The stronger your horse gets at following the target the more willing he will be to follow it when it gets a little tougher. This goes back to the reinforcement history. In a nutshell, our horses make decisions constantly. They will opt for the things that have a good association. The more positive reinforcement associated with a task or behavior the quicker they will choose that behavior. So the better they know the target the harder they will try. Really pretty simple when you think about it.
 
I decided in this video to practice backing up with the target myself. Bugs association with me is stronger (more positive reinforcement) than his association with David. Therefore he does try harder for me than for David, at this point anyway. The target is the common thread so I want to help him understand what to do when the target moves towards his chest. They were both kind of hesitant and I want to minimize undo confusion.
 
Confusion can lead to frustration. I know it is a breakdown in communication and that it is my job to take smaller steps, to somehow figure out how to make it clearer. Training is never a recipe with precise measures but more a set of guidelines. Horses being individuals means things need to be adapted to the individuals’ personality. That is the best part of the new technology, we can work through things together and share insights.
 
Anyway, Enjoy this session with Bugs and the back up and let me know how it is going for you Mandy (and anyone else who is following along). And yes, our barn has an outdoor pizza oven!! As always, I love thoughts and comments.
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stall Manners-Stationary Target/Trailer Loading

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

Horse In The Morning: De-spooking Your Horse!

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

Bugs First Tarp Session

This video is from my helmet cam and shows Bugs first exposure to the tarp. The positive reinforcement training has gone along way toward building his confidence with new objects. How is your horse with new objects?

Bugs Free Jumping a Line (at Liberty)

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

Our First Horse Show

 

March 21, 2011

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

Mind and Body

For the horse, the mental and physical factors are interconnected. If his mind gets tense, so will his body. –Hans Senn–

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