Tag: horse training

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Mojo being ridden.

Today my daughter Liz came to help me with Mojo. He is still a little unsure of new people and he hasn’t seen Liz for a while. So Liz brought him in and took his rug off and gave him some chaff.
Then we got the tack out and put the mounting block and a mat in the school.
Liz then went to get Mojo out of the stable, he turned his back – as he did with me when I first started with him. Liz stood quietly and reinforced any sign of him turning round and coming to her. Held out the headcollar and let him sniff it a few times, then he let her put it on.
We tied him loosely next to his hay net and let him eat whilst we groomed and Liz cleaned his feet.
Then I saddle him and gradually and gently did up his girth. We then put on his bitless bridle and attached the 12 ft line and took him in the school.
Liz asked him to walk a few circles – he responded very well to voice cues and walked and trotted – a bit hurried at first but he soon relaxed.
We then asked him to stand by the mounting block, I counter conditioned him to Liz mounting – he was slightly tense at first but she sat quietly and he relaxed again. Then she asked him to walk forward, which he did from a voice cue.
Liz walked and trotted him around the arena, he was quite stiff round the corners but he didn’t seem anxious. We only did about 4 minutes – 2 on each rein, then Liz asked him to “whoa” and he stopped and stood queitly.

I need to do more with his fear of strangers, so he gets used to anyone handling him.
Also do some long lining to get him bending more and continue with his stretching exercises.

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Mojo and saddling

Mojo is pain free now after his Equine Touch therapy, so it is back on track with his saddle desensitisation.
I have been able to put on his numnah and surcingle with no problems, so a few days a ago I tried his saddle again. He was fine with having it on and the girth fastened and walking around with it on.
He still needs to be happy to stand at the mounting block so that is what we did today. Just with his surcingle on, it took a few attempts to get it fastened due to my clumsiness!
We got there in the end and I was very pleased with him.
Sorry for my very dusty pony!

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Horse Charming

Max Easey – horse charmer extraordinaire has a website. An excellent resource for all your horse charming needs.

Horse Charming

Max has studied with some of the best positive reinforcement trainers both in the UK and the USA. As a linguist Max can explain in ways we can understand, making the learning process both educational and pleasurable.

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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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Terminology

An interesting note on Facebook about the terms people use to describe some horse training techniques. Some describe the release in pressure/release or the retreat in approach and retreat as a reward, this makes it more acceptable but is not correct. The release follows the addition of an aversive stimulus and is at the best relief but not a reward, it is negative reinforcement in that something the horse finds aversive is removed.

I must remember to use the correct terminology as well. Some groups on Facebook get very upset when I say that what they do is negative reinforcement, some admit they use it but don’t think positive reinforcement works for horses.

Personally I think we can use all quadrants of operant conditioning in training but keep the negative reinforcement as a safety measure, or use non-escalating pressure (e.g tension on a lead rope with no increase in pressure – just waiting until the horse relaxes or moves forward). Also the positive punishment can be used in extreme circumstances if it averts a dangerous situation.