Sassy and I worked on a bit of clicker training this morning. She is pretty polite, but can become a bit exhuberant while walking to the pasture. She started doing this little bounce....its not really a rear.....and its not every time. I am reading it as exhuberance to be out with her buddies. She did not bounce today...so she was clicked and rewarded for standing there as I opened the gate....then I like for her to go in ...swing around to face me.....lower her head....and wait....then I release her from her halter. She did very well with all these except the waiting today. She pawed during the pause. Im not quite sure what the best way to deal with the pawing is. Suggestions are MORE than welcome. What I have been doing...is ignoring the action as she is doing it. As soon as she stops I click and reward the hoof being on the ground...with the verbal word down. The other times she has pawed in what I perceive to be impatience on her part is when I have walked away from her when she is crosstied.... As I said....Suggestions / Advice is more than welcome!!!! It is still cold here....but they are saying it will warm up just in time for the rain to start!!! Hope Spring is happening where some of you guys are ♥
♥ Hugs from Sassy and Krista in Ohio ♥
Sassy looks GREAT, I realy like her.
ReplyDeleteYes Thank you God for creating such beautyfull horses.
About the pawing. When she does it while your groundworking her I would make her go either back up or yield her hindquarters. I don't know how much she can take with her leg, but she must response quick and now! and everytime she even moves make her move more, until she doesn't want to move.
If she's doing it when she's tied ( I have one who did that too) leave...(unless she freaking out ofcourse) But I let them stand until they settle down even if it is an hour. And that's very hard to do...I felt awefull but he is doing so much better now. My big horse Spirit is also very impatients and paws, but then I just yell HE QUIT and that's the key :-) wish it was that easy on every one hahaha.
Good luck
How is Sassy's hock doing? Is she completely healed now? She looks great! Good that you are not letting the bouncing to the field get out of hand! I am always interested in the clicker training but never used it myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Marion!!! When you tell him quit is it after his hoof is back to ground??? There is still swelling...but no limping. I am going to try the yeilding of the hindquarters!!! If then if that doesnt show a response...I will try the making go back up.
ReplyDeleteJessica..No...we are still on restriction to flat ground work only and not over an hour and a half at a time. Swelling is less, but still there. OOOO you would LOVE clicker training. Sassy and I have so much fun with it..and my daughter uses it with her spotted draft <3