Category: Benny

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2017 and onwards.

What will 2017 bring?

I am studying to be an equine behaviourist but so far am unsure whether I want to practice as a behaviourist. The equine part of the equation seems to be the easiest component. Changing peoples long held believes is very difficult, so many don’t even understand the basics of how animals learn. I don’t blame the average horse owner as they are not taught this at riding schools or even in colleges at diploma level.
If people are using pressure to motivate horses they need to understand that it is the relief of that pressure that reinforces the behaviour. This is basic negative reinforcement but I did not learn about this from the British Horse Society or even when I was doing natural horsemanship. I did learn that it is the release that teaches the behaviour but not that it was the use of an aversive stimulus nor was negative reinforcement ever mentioned.
It was only when I investigated clicker training that I learned about positive and negative reinforcement. The more I learned the more convinced I was that positive reinforcement is better for the emotional health of the horse, it gives them a choice. They can say “no” instead of being too afraid to object due to the adverse consequences of non-compliance. Even when I was doing natural horsemanship the horse was not allowed to walk away as this was seen as being “disrespectful”.

Benny taught me so much – he was very adept at escaping the escalating aversives and he introduced me to positive reinforcement.

Mojo is teaching me even more, horses can teach us so much, if we listen, than any human can.
We do not need to subscribe to any particular genre of horsemanship, we need to learn as much as we can from as many sources as possible. Only then can we truly decide what is in the best interest of the horse. To be blinkered or brainwashed by clever marketing is very limiting but unfortunately very common.
So I do find the human animal very hard to understand  – it is the human who has to change if the horse is to have a better life.

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Benny and Dougal

We spent Christmas and New Year in Devon with our daughter Sam. Sam has Benny and Dougal – the 2 cobs.
I rode Dougal a couple of times but the weather wasn’t very conducive to going too far.
On the last ride Sam and I went round the block and half way we had a tractor behind us and needed to get on the grass verge to let it pass. There were 2 ponies coming in the opposite directions who also had to come on the verge. Once the tractor had passed, Benny and Dougal tried to follow the other ponies and took a bit of persuading that they weren’t going the same way. We stood on the verge until they calmed down and reassured them.
We decided to walk the ride as Dougal was still a little excited after seeing the other ponies. Dougal jogged a little and Benny had to trot to catch up. They walked through the ford which was flowing well.
They were possibly a bit lively due to being in all night – the other rides had been afternoon ones.
Benny has settled well, although still hasn’t been out very far on his own.

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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.

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Benny goes to Devon

Sorry for the lack of posts recently but I had cataract surgery so haven’t been doing much.

After some deliberation it was decided that my daughter in Devon would have Benny on loan with view to him staying with her. our older cob is already in Devon so it will be goods for Benny to get out and about.

The journey was longer than anticipated due to accidents and traffic but he arrived unscathed and seemed calm when introduced to Dougal.

A few days after he arrived he got a bit anxious when leaving Dougal and walking across the yard so my daughter held out her hand and said “target” Benny immediately switched his attention back to her and carried on calmly, a verbal bridge signal was given and lots of scratches and praise as my daughter forgot the treats. My daughter has no history of clicker training and picked this up from me. Good to know it works for other people not just the person who trained him.

Benny has been out hacking with company but got a bout of separation anxiety going out alone. This will get better over time and some positive reinforcement training.

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Relaxation

A non horsey friend came today for a little ride on Benny, we got some good trot sessions from a verbal cue and with him following my hand held target stick. My friend was surprised that positive reinforcement was not the norm in horse training, she has a background in special education schools so is well versed in the use of positive reinforcement.

My instructor was also surprised as I bridged and treated Benny for going past some scary jumps in the corner of the school during my lesson on Monday. He spooked at them and I took him up to have a look, bridged/treated as he relaxed next to them. Rode him past on both reins and bridged etc for calmly passing. Not many people it seems treat from the saddle in the conventional world!

Later when I took him to the field the tractor was moving large bales of straw, a bit scary but he targeted my hand and stood beside the tractor and even tried to touch it, bridged/treated and carried on to the field.

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New Yard

I have moved Benny and Kit to a yard with a sandschool but have to stable them at the moment. They have a little turn out area they can go to kick up their heels but it is not ideal. At least they are dry now and I can begin to get them clean and get some weight on Kit. Benny was a bit anxious on first arrival, yesterday I took him for a walk inhand to explore the place. He stopped and looked and sniffed at everything – I bridged and treated for the touching of objects – jumps in the sandschool were a bit strange (with ducks as fillers). In the afternoon another visit to the school and all was calm he offered sideways over a pole so I accepted – he likes doing that. I led him round and he followed my hand as a target. We did a few traveling circles like that – he made no attempt to leave. Today I will take my saddle and if he feels calm I will ride him in the school. I am reading Stephanie Burns book “Move Closer, Stay Longer” just what I need. Walk him round until we are both relaxed, breathing and connected. He is much less reactive than Kit ever was – so it is my brain that needs rewiring.

Update – Benny was good, mainly walked with a little trot. There was another cob ( his next door neighbour) in the arena going round at great speed and jumping. He didn’t worry, 2 little spooks at pigeons and flapping fence tape. We stood in the corner whilst the other horse jumped – it was a little lively. The horse cantered past both ways Benny just stood and watched. Hope to increase the time and speed over the next few days. I bridged and treated him for standing still and for relaxation. He even stood still when the yard dog barked at him.

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New Saddles

We now have new western saddles for Benny and Smoke – both Equiflex ones.

Very comfy to ride on and Benny is getting used to the strings – did some Systematic Desensitation and Counter Conditioning.

my cob Benny
Benny and his new saddle
Smoke and his new saddle.
Smoke and his new saddle.
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More Bridge and Target Training

Recently I have been using a verbal bridge and target with Smoke and he is getting very calm with taking the treats. I made a target using a Kidz carrot stick with a glove on the end as I thought this useful for taking out riding. He follows it very well now.
Now Liz is back riding I thought I had better do some more work with Benny.

Today I went to work some more with my target stick with a glove on the end. Different glove today but they both (Benny and Smoke) targeted immediately. This glove is partly yellow so will be good to take out riding. The problem I have is that they all want to come into the arena. First I wanted Benny but he wouldn’t squeeze past Mel so Smoke got in first. Then after working with Smoke I opened the gate and let Benny in. Smoke then followed the target to the gate and eventually went back in to the field – with plenty of treats of course. Both were very good although Smoke seems to stick with me following the target for longer. Benny was very good at lateral flexions using the target. All at liberty as it stops me inadvertently adding a pressure cue from the rope. I really must train them to station but haven’t quite got the method fixed in my head.

This is all fascinating stuff and well worth the effort to perfect.

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Back Care

Benny slipped over in the field when Mel spun round and he was in the way. I played online with him and he seemed fine at all gaits. A few days later when I went to ride him he seemed a little stiff, walked him round and did a few turns, circles, weave patterns and then smaller circles. He seemed reluctant to go forward and as i had the Light Rider on him I wondered if that was the problem, after changing to the cradle bridle he was no different. Luz got on to see it it was me holding him back and she also found him stiff and slightly lame on the side he fell. it is a good thing we could both recognise his soreness before it got worse.
Pat Carlton was contacted and she came a few days later to check him. After some manipulation for a sore back, poll and shoulder he had a few days of just inhand work.
Just as I was about to organise myself for a ride, Liz was kicked my Mel and has a sprained wrist. So I will ride on Sunday and also ride Smoke Liz’s other horse.

I have been to Sherree Ginger for some confidence coaching and am banishing my negative thoughts, a little at a time I will ride in the school, then the field and finally out on the trail. With a wonderful network of friends and family to support me. It will take time to reconnect my neural pathways to a positive state but I can visualise a time when I would get on anything. It is achievable and once my new western saddle arrives we will be out and about again.

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More Connection

Been a little while since I did much with Benny, holidays and outings with my daughter and her horse have taken priority. I walked him in hand last week when I got back from holiday as my western saddle does not fit correctly so is for sale. I am awaiting a replacement and trying to save some more pennies! Ideally I would like an Equiflex lightweight saddle – so hopefully the Western Saddler can find one to fit.

So I have been watching some Equine Liberty Sports videos to give me something to do in the meanwhile. We have done the first few exercises successfully, Be With Me, Come To Me and hip over.
Today I had him on line to start and practiced the classical inhand position, used a pointing finger to ask Benny to walk on next to me but with me at his shoulder. This he managed very well and turned with the hip over movement to go the other way.Next asked him ot circle with the finger pointing where I wanted him to go, he tried to leave once but as we were only walking I just upped my energy and pointed to get his attention back.
I then turned him loose whilst I ate my lunch and he grazed. After lunch I walked next to him as he wandered around and when he grazed I bent down and pulled up some grass – this really did get his attention. Then some liberty play, I asked him to trot and using the pointing finger and a stick as a guide he trotted round the arena, when he tried to come in I upped my energy and pointed again to ask him to go round once more. stopped him with a look at his hindquarters the first time a and drew him to me, a rub and a scratch were all he got and he didn’t even ask for a treat! The subsequent times I stopped him all I said was “whoa” and he stopped then turned to face me and I invited him to come towards me. On asking for canter I used voice commands and again he stopped on a whoa. All in all a good session, he did get a treat afterwards.