Benny update

Benny has settled in Devon with Dougal our other cob. The problem is he now has some separation anxiety due to them being kept together. My daughter has been working with Benny to make it easier, taking him out to the school or main yard – where he can’t see Dougal. Benny got a bit distracted one day walking across the yard so my daughter quickly held out her hand and said “target” Benny immediately shifted his focus back and targeted her hand. Lots of scratches and praise – she had forgotten the treats!
Going out of the yard has on his own has been a problem too, my daughter had to get off and lead him when out on the lane as he was getting increasingly anxious – trigger stacking in action. My daughter in Devon has no training in clicker work so is learning by what I tell her and by reading various posts on Facebook groups.
There are many people who use clicker training for ground behaviours but not ridden ones – I know dressage riders who use it for mounting block standstills, foot care etc yet resort to whips and spurs for riding. We live in a strange world but it is getting the message across that this works in ridden work too that seems to take the longest.