Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2009 18:09:30 GMT 1
Given the recent discussions on the DG about mixing +R and -R, I thought this might be an interesting one to post about. No photos, I'm afraid, not enough hands...
I'd met Mac before to work on leading and riding problems. We'd discovered some soreness in his back that owner Gemma has since address with physios and saddlers, and we'd also Gemma's leading, and taught her longlining. It was great to go back today and see them so much better. Fab leading!
The problem to address today was clipping. Gemma had tried using pressure and release and it had helped but she still wasn't quite there, and was struggling to see why. I have to say, one of the problems was just working with a clipper phobic horse alone, it is tricky sometimes.
I've recently had a other success mixing in some clicker work with pressure and release with clipper phobic horses and Gemma agreed we could work this way with Mac. The reason I find this works so well is that you can engage the horse in the process, teach him to target your clippers even while running, but at the same time show him that what he thought he feared is, in fact, ok. There also an element of distraction, that the horse is no longer focussed just on the clippers but also on working out how to get his next treat!
It took about an hour, including teaching Mac about targetting first the end of a whip (
), then targetting the non-running shaver (my trusty lady shave!), then targetting it running.
There's quite a gap to bridge between not running and running. Touching something that is buzzing madly at you is a different ball game to something just lying quietly in a hand. To get there, I asked Gemma to lead Mac around while I switched it on a distance away from him, and then come closer to me - he was coming to me rather than me advancing on him - and then to follow me as I walked. Hang on! Predators don't walk away like that! And... you don't follow predators, do you...
Oh, so it can't be that bad really, can it...?
Within a minute or so, Mac's nose was coming forwards, eager to understand what it was that I was holding that was making that noise. Then we were back with the clicker, targetting the shaver, moving my position so that I was moving towards his side, bringing his head round to engage with me (and the shaver) while doing so.
From there, I started stroking him with the hand not holding the shaver to bring in the physical with the sound, and then put the shaver on my arm so that he could feel the buzz running through my hand. That was the only time that he reacted and tried to walk away, so back to pressure and release, asking him to stand still and releasing him for doing that, but sticking with him as he moved. And then back to clicker, asking him to look round at what we were doing, as the shaver moved down my arm, onto my hand, and then onto his back.
From there, is was simply a matter of expanding the area he could feel the vibrating, and working on the other side (which Gemma did). We then switched to the real clippers (I use my ladyshave first as it is cordless, fits nicely in my hand and is very buzzy - most clippers after that are a relief!), and Mac stood grazing as they went all over him. I think his head lifted once when Gemma started moving into his belly area, and that was it.
So, I don't know about anyone else but Mac certainly agreed that mixing reinforcements was just fine, and actually, since you mention it, those clippers aren't too bad, either!
I'd met Mac before to work on leading and riding problems. We'd discovered some soreness in his back that owner Gemma has since address with physios and saddlers, and we'd also Gemma's leading, and taught her longlining. It was great to go back today and see them so much better. Fab leading!
The problem to address today was clipping. Gemma had tried using pressure and release and it had helped but she still wasn't quite there, and was struggling to see why. I have to say, one of the problems was just working with a clipper phobic horse alone, it is tricky sometimes.
I've recently had a other success mixing in some clicker work with pressure and release with clipper phobic horses and Gemma agreed we could work this way with Mac. The reason I find this works so well is that you can engage the horse in the process, teach him to target your clippers even while running, but at the same time show him that what he thought he feared is, in fact, ok. There also an element of distraction, that the horse is no longer focussed just on the clippers but also on working out how to get his next treat!
It took about an hour, including teaching Mac about targetting first the end of a whip (
), then targetting the non-running shaver (my trusty lady shave!), then targetting it running. There's quite a gap to bridge between not running and running. Touching something that is buzzing madly at you is a different ball game to something just lying quietly in a hand. To get there, I asked Gemma to lead Mac around while I switched it on a distance away from him, and then come closer to me - he was coming to me rather than me advancing on him - and then to follow me as I walked. Hang on! Predators don't walk away like that! And... you don't follow predators, do you...
Oh, so it can't be that bad really, can it...?Within a minute or so, Mac's nose was coming forwards, eager to understand what it was that I was holding that was making that noise. Then we were back with the clicker, targetting the shaver, moving my position so that I was moving towards his side, bringing his head round to engage with me (and the shaver) while doing so.
From there, I started stroking him with the hand not holding the shaver to bring in the physical with the sound, and then put the shaver on my arm so that he could feel the buzz running through my hand. That was the only time that he reacted and tried to walk away, so back to pressure and release, asking him to stand still and releasing him for doing that, but sticking with him as he moved. And then back to clicker, asking him to look round at what we were doing, as the shaver moved down my arm, onto my hand, and then onto his back.
From there, is was simply a matter of expanding the area he could feel the vibrating, and working on the other side (which Gemma did). We then switched to the real clippers (I use my ladyshave first as it is cordless, fits nicely in my hand and is very buzzy - most clippers after that are a relief!), and Mac stood grazing as they went all over him. I think his head lifted once when Gemma started moving into his belly area, and that was it.
So, I don't know about anyone else but Mac certainly agreed that mixing reinforcements was just fine, and actually, since you mention it, those clippers aren't too bad, either!