Caroline
Grand Prix Poster
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 2,277
|
Post by Caroline on Sept 16, 2008 12:32:37 GMT 1
aw...thank you Kelly. I'll try and get a video done some time. It's pretty funny to watch!
|
|
|
Post by victoriac on Sept 16, 2008 20:38:02 GMT 1
So sorry I missed this, I have only just joined but am really into +r training with my Beestie. Have trained all sorts of things, started a couple of years ago when I'd only had him a few months but had torn my achilles tendons so couldn't ride, for those who might be interested we have learnt; Free lunging, walk trot and canter, plus halt and change of direction, he will even do this in the field with other horses in. Back up from a tug on the tail, or from hand signals/voice from in front. Picking up any leg which is pointed at to the command 'pick up sticks' (well it amused me...) He will walk around a partially open gate and position himself so I can take his headcollar off, useful for avoiding mud. I hold up the bridle and he puts his head in and takes the bit. He does touch, so I can throw an object and he will go touch it and return, we are just starting to work on fetch. He plays with a large ball, batting it about with his head and bringing it back pushing it with his nose. We do 'stay'. Recently getting the hang of going over small jumps. Just starting to work on standing square. I have also been using it for ridden work, but here is my safety warning!!!!!!!!!!! If you want to click for a really nice trot, be ready for the sudden stop and don't bash your nose on the horses neck..... Have found it very useful for encouraging him to be interested rather than spooky and for getting him to be quiet to handle. It gives a change from schooling too as we don't hack out as yet as he has a major issue with tractors, can't blame him for this as he nearly got run into 3 times at the yard we were at previously, the YO used to throw the tractor around without checking if there was anybody about. Unfortunately there is not much opportunity to work around a moving tractor in a controled way.
|
|
Caroline
Grand Prix Poster
Intermediate Poster
Posts: 2,277
|
Post by Caroline on Sept 17, 2008 14:49:51 GMT 1
The walking backwards game started when I noticed that if I wave my finger under my horses chin with the expectation she would go back a bit to investigate, she would do just that. I found that the same thing worked with wild forest ponies too. I reinforced it by adding a carrot into the mix and she got very keen on stepping back to it. After that, the games sort of evolved. I moved back to her shoulder and beckoned her back, just using my forefinger. She came back and took the carrot. Then I just moved further and further back. It was TigerLily that first came up with the idea of reversing back towards me when she was ahead of me. I did reinforce it with carrots, but I have to give her the credit for the idea. She gets a certain look on her face when she is suggesting a game. If I like it, I play the game and if I don't think it's a good idea, I walk off. The game of fetch with carrots is just an extension of the reversing game. I started associating a hand gesture for going forwards when I threw the carrots. I could then use that to get her to walk forwards ahead of me. So I put that together with the reversing signal to get the box dance effect. One she learned the box dance, she linked it all together in a smooth way and it became one of her favourite games. In terms of safety, I would advise against the box dance game for any horse that may kick. Obviously, all horses *may* kick - but don't get into this game if you think it likely, because it inevitably involves a horse standing directly in front of you, within kick range. TigerLily has never kicked in the 5 years I have had her. Nevertheless, I don't play the game if there are other horses around or when it's windy and she is excited. Common sense really! Tango is just a matter of getting the horse to take a step back when I do and a step forward when I do. The tricky bit is the rocking and sideways mirror effect - am thus working on sideways at the moment. The basic steps of the tango are (for whoever is leading): Step back with right foot Step back with left foot Rock forward (shift weight forward onto right foot ) Rock back (shift weight backwards onto left foot) Rock forward (shift weight forward onto right foot ) Step forward and slightly to the right with left foot Step to the side with right foot Bring left foot to close against right. Repeat! Ideally add a Morticia Adams gown for theatrical effect
|
|
|
Post by jakeandbarneysmum on Sept 18, 2008 17:42:52 GMT 1
I started playing with clicker training when my big boy had to have box rest for 8 weeks, as a tool to entertain him. He wasn't too bothered about it. (He was such a superstar during that time). But the little one (New Forest pony) took to it like a duck to water. He was confined to the 1/2 acre paddock by the stables to keep the big one company, so I played with him, too. This was about 6 years ago, and he still remembers the trick, even if we haven't done it for a year!
I trained him to pick up a supplement bucket and hold it up for a treat. I put the treat in the bucket, he puts the bucket on the floor, eats the treat, and then does an "Oliver" to ask for more! I deliberately didn't use a feed bucket, as I didn't want to encourage him to pick that up unnecessarily!. We keep a special bucket just for this task.
In the field, or in an open space, we can throw the bucket away from him so he has to go and retrieve it and bring it back for his treat. He loves this game.
|
|
|
Post by VeronicaF on Sept 19, 2008 11:03:34 GMT 1
Ahh I missed this I am busy doing a house up to move into,plus been not to well with flu due to all the stress I suspect. Big Congratulations laura!!! I thought I would add these photos anyway They are a few photos, one lot of a pony who was 12 year old,who roamed untouched and unhandled on the common land where I live ,she had learned to keep people away from her by attacking them from her experiences of humans being cruel to her ,and it worked successfully for 12 years,and she stayed untouched and unhandled. I had at the time completed the stage one IH courses, a few years ago now,and needed to gain experience,I had trained her daughter beauty who was also unhandled before her to gain experience,and thought this would be the next easy step for me,(not) I found,after experiencing her attacking me, I remember I went into the house crying,thinking I can't do this,and then I thought if I want to do this I have to continue,so I went back out to her armed in cover and padding,being a cricket hat to protect my face and lots of padding in coats to give myself protection and confidence. I will never forget the look on her face as I went back out, as if to say I thought I got rid of you the first time. Anyway a long strory short,I used food on some stages with her ,as I had used on her daughter too. I found out the best food she loved most was carrots,her daughters was apples not carrots. I used this to get her to want to put the head collar herself,(excuse spelling) and then on to getting her used to having a bit in her mouth. I didn't use a clicker I used my vioce. I would hold the head collar up by her muzzle and say good girl and give her a bit of carrot,move the head collar away and move it more forwards and repeat,move it away and repeat,eventually she would put her muzzle in the head collar herself,she had unstood what I wanted her to do. and after time I would call her, she would come running and I would hold the head collar up and she would put her head in it herself, same with bit and then eventually bridle. I will add these photos of our time together,this was some years ago now she now lives happliy with her owners with her daughter beauty on their owners farm able to both being able to be handled and riden. none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the IH courses and that of what I had learnt from the courses. sorry for grammer and spelling,but hope it makes some sense? just adding these photos to show the prosess with her And this was Bess my elderly neighbours horse who has passed now but at the time of this photo,I was looking after her and helping her to get better due to a foot infection I used food to train her to keep her foot in a bucket that needed treatment. in the bucket had medication in it, and it was important she had her foot in it a long time 4 to 5 times a day.,I got her better and well and she returned to her owners, but sadly the next year she had to be PTS due to ragwort poisoning
|
|
colin
Advanced Poster
Posts: 389
|
Post by colin on Sept 19, 2008 11:50:28 GMT 1
HI
Interested in the face protecter in the first photo, neaver seen one is it on a dtandard riding hat-it would be a very useful took if there was any likelyhood of being kicked/bit/head butted in the face
best wishes
Colin
|
|
|
Post by VeronicaF on Sept 19, 2008 12:12:45 GMT 1
Hi Colin, no sadly its just a criket helmet, but it came into good use, and a good tool to hand for protection if ever needed Thank you Veronica
|
|
|
Post by VeronicaF on Sept 20, 2008 10:14:08 GMT 1
I thought I would add one more photo of Bess with her foot in a bucket,happily eating away, she had an infection in the corrney band (sorry spelling) where there is no blood supply. It doesn't look a big thing to train a horse to do, but it was so important for Bess to do this,and it did get her better.
|
|
|
Post by Susan on Sept 30, 2008 14:53:34 GMT 1
I know the competition has finished but I just remembered of one such use of the clicker I used. I used to bring in someone elses horse at night. He used to rush into the stable and even would knock me flying or stand on me. Not behaviour I like or want or used to. Now he was used to the dually (past work owner had done for loading strangly enough) but still he was rushing in and in his shoes he would often slip on the concrete floor another scary issue. So I spent an evening 1st the basic target work with the clicker so he understood the principle then I added a back up to it and worked over a scary mat forwards and backing to him only moving one foot at a time. We then worked on into the stable I wanted one step CT then one more step CT then 2 steps CT he was waiting for my question and only giving me the answer as I asked. I got him so he came in at the pace I wanted. Shame is when I told his owner I had done this ( I had asked could I work with a clicker with him by the way and she agreed) I thought she would be pleased but her remark was Oh he has always done that it doesnt bother me she also didnt seem to notice he slipped all over the place, but at least with me he didnt. It reminded me of something Mark R said it is only a problem if it is to the owner. It wasnt for her but it was for me. Never mind, but her horse used to always look up when he heard me doing clicker work with Flynn and seemed to say OK what do you want I can do it! So I spent
|
|
|
Post by LuckyRed on Oct 5, 2008 22:54:18 GMT 1
Not sure if it counts as a trick, but I struggled for years to train my ex-racehorse to stand still at the mounting block until one session with RA Nicole G at woodmancote. I climbed on to the fence (no mounting block in the School) and Nic bought Red up as if I was going to mount, if he stood still and let me get on, I would lean down (the opposite side) and give him a treat and if he moved, he got backed up down the school. It took 3 goes for the penny to drop - stand still and let mum get on and I get a treat - move and I get worked. I can now pretty much mount from anywhere anytime and he still looks round for his treat (sometimes he gets a pat, sometimes a treat)
|
|
laura
Grand Prix Poster
going for a splash
Posts: 3,867
|
Post by laura on Oct 6, 2008 9:46:51 GMT 1
its flippin useful though isn't it . We did it too ( well we do everything we can with treats ) and I get on at gates, walls, anything. With only 25" inside legs i NEED ALL THE HELP i CAN GET ;D I think this has been a great thread because it shows just how varied and USEFUL all these tasks are .......... and accomplished using positive reinforcement methodolgy.
|
|
|
Post by jakedog on Oct 16, 2008 21:52:39 GMT 1
Have to put my "success" on here too...... Fairly graphic language I am afraid - here goes.... My boy has low grade laminits that I manage with stabling and limited time out on grass. Since sawdust is getting so expensive I have "trained" him to wee in a bucket. He has a specific corner in the stable that he wees in and I caught his wee in a bucket by chance one day. He will now stand in the same area and wee when asked (bucket placed underneath him!!) and now recognises that soon after he will be given more hay. In fact, if he has finished his hay I can ask him to "walk on"(he has a good sized stable to walk around in) -as soon as he looks towards the correct area I warmly and reassuringly say "good boy". He then stands in the area and turns around - again a warm reassuring "good boy" - put bucket underneath and as soon as he lifts his hind muscles to wee I say "good boy" again. This is then followed by me going around to the side of his stable for more hay - he has to wait a few moments for this which is why I think he does so well. I try to catch a couple of wees a day if I can. It makes such a diffence to the amount of cleaning in the morning and the amount of sawdust I get through as well as the overall smell!! I think he produces more than the average amount of wee due to eating soaked hay all day!! I am soooo proud of him. I feel that he has learned this just through positive verbal feedback from me since he waits some time for the hay as a reward. He isn't able to have hand treats/treats and this is something I have avoided since doing Kelly's horse psychology course. I have even had moments when I have asked him to stand in the corner and he has clearly worked hard to push a SMALL amount out to please me/get some hay!!! What always makes me laugh is the way that he always gives a sideways glance to the bright pink bucket when he is finished - I am sure he thinks I am completely barmy - he's not far wrong. If you ever want to try this with your own I advise that you get a large bucket so that you can hold it whilst avoiding splash back onto your hand!!
|
|