Not the lead line, but the end of my time with Daisy. I had posted Daisy for sale on Craig's List, but for some time there were no takers. Then I dropped the price and someone was interested.
Daisy had been inadvertently rewarded for treating people like other horses, in that she had learned that if she established her dominant position with a human, using the same horse tactics that she would use to get to the top of the pecking order in a herd (rearing and wheeling, making ugly faces and kicking), that the human would turn her back out to pasture and leave her alone. The food kept coming, so she was content.
From day one with Daisy, I used treats to reward her. Now, some of you will tsk, tsk at that. And with most horses, it might not work too well. But with an accomplished, aggressively dominant horse, you must give them a reason to WANT to do your bidding. If they are unhappy with you all the time, and are always seeking that golden opportunity to squish you, believe me, they will find it eventually!
I believe that Daisy came to be fond of me, and to feel that I treated her fairly. Horses have a very strong need to feel they are being treated fairly. Their creed is simple and it is rare to see one horse treat another with excessive and unnecessary force. It is important that humans, who are so often guilty of using more force than is necessary, pull in their horns a bit.
I've seen folks take hold of a lead rope and jerk the horse horribly because the horse didn't back up when they commanded it to do so. Horses are not "word oriented." They orient to body positions. And if they back up when asked to do so, they are handing the "top dog" position to the handler. Some horses are understandably reluctant to give up their status.
I've also seen some folks slap or hit a horse because it didn't IMMEDIATELY jump to do their bidding. Patience. Humans aren't always instant, (unless, of course, they are going through basic training) and horses aren't either, until they have had much practice.
I worked to get inside this complex horse's head and think that I did so. My hands closed slowly and opened quickly. I would ask and wait for Daisy to process the information and then move her body in the indicated direction. Once she complied, she got a small treat.
Since food meant more to Daisy than just about anything else, it was the obvious choice. When all is said and done, a horse works for a human because they choose to. Either they are fearful of the consequences if they not, and do not feel sufficiently confident and accomplished to "deal" with the human, or they genuinely desire to please the human.
So often we ask things of our horses that they would never have any interest in doing out in a pasture on their own! Flex the head. Practice figure 8's with lead changes. Do spin after spin after spin. Walk over and under strange things, etc.
Daisy certainly did not have to run to the pasture gate to meet me, and she didn't have to whinny repeatedly, happy to see me each day. I took it as a compliment that she did so. When I was working with her, my "excited squirrel" chittering at her was simply human chivying. She did not have to cease whatever she was doing to elicit that response from me. She always knew that I was soft and squishy and weaker than she was. I took it as a compliment that my chittering at her caused her to do my bidding and stop whatever it was that had caused me to emit such noises (grin).
I felt a bond and a friendship with her. However, that bond did not extend to giving me exclusive and total confidence and control over keeping her safe.
I came to realize that the only behavior modification training method which seemed to work well with her was clicker training, a la Alexandra Kurland's methods. Three weeks into the daily sessions, Daisy would lower her head to the ground and keep it there until I clicked. She delighted in the clicker sessions and was wholeheartedly enthusiastic over them. But it was about as slow as watching grass grow! The last day I owned her, I decided to work exclusively on "happy faces." She was clicked and rewarded only for her head down and ears forward. Just as it is very difficult to feel cheerful if you slump your shoulders and put a scowl on your face, it is hard for a horse to be grumpy when their ears are forward and their head is down.
To progress from those two basic foundation steps to ever riding this mare would probably take a couple of years. Even being able to lead Daisy from her pasture to the barn (a good quarter of a mile away) would either take a stud chain and concentration on my part, or much more work with Daisy. I just wasn't up for the work!
Someone was interested in Daisy. I had them pick me up and drive me out to see her because I wanted them to know that they were getting the unvarnished, real Daisy. I didn't want to work with her before they came to see her. With a mare like her, the prospective buyer deserves to know what they are getting into!
I had already told the husband all about Daisy. Everything! Her beauty and the very low price must have lured them out. I was very honest with the wife, whose horse it would be. They repeatedly assured me that the wife knew all about horses, had done a great deal with them in the past, was very experienced, and had family who broke young horses and did a lot of trail riding.
I feel that the couple did not listen to what I had to say, or if they did, they didn't want to believe it of the horse. They were greedy and wanted that big, beautiful mare at the dirt cheap price. I haltered Daisy, getting the assistance of the wife, as one of my arms was still in the sling from the broken bone. Then I walked out of the pasture.
The wife worked with Daisy for nearly an hour. I never went into the pasture again. I thought that the woman was not very knowledgeable, snapping her fingers at the horse, and jerking the lead rope, but my quiet suggestions were not taken, so I stopped offering them.
The next day the wife called and said she wanted to buy the horse. Then the husband stepped in and we had a "good cop/bad cop" thing going. I was offered less than the asking price for mare, hay and 20 days board. They played hardball, saying take it or leave it. I ended up taking it, but the freebies left a bad taste in my mouth. I won't sell them anything again.
I felt somewhat badly for Daisy, however she is a big girl who has been taking care of herself for a long time now. The woman would be well advised to treat this horse with respect and fairness. If she does not, sooner or later, Daisy will kick her into next Tuesday. Daisy is a horse who will always exercise her opinions. No amount of training will ever change her personality much, short of literally breaking her spirit. Some horses are born like this. And you can read it in their faces!
I wish I'd given the facial characteristics more weight when looking at Daisy initially! You can really take some of the characteristics to the bank with you, if you will weigh the good and bad. This mare's personality is written all over her face! The inflexibility, stubbornness, determination, short fuse and ease with which she becomes frustrated is all right there in her facial features.
Today the soft cast came off of my arm and I can't wait to take a shower without the garbage bag on my arm this evening! I have thought often of Daisy and felt badly for the shock she will go through with this new, demanding, drill sergeant-type owner. But Daisy knows a lot more than this woman does, despite her bravado. In the end, I believe that Daisy will once more be a pasture ornament. Especially if she can hold out until the fall rains arrive.
At age 64, it reminds me of that saying about "old age and wisdom will triumph over youth and inexperience every time." The buyers thought I was just some foolish old lady, who didn't know spit from Shinola and who had been too easy going on Daisy. I believe that time and hindsight will eventually give them another view of things.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Trimming Daisy
I have been dreading the day our wonderful farrier would come out to give Daisy a trim because she is somewhat difficult to halter, and without two functional arms at the moment, it was an intimidating thought to have to keep her still to get her feet trimmed.
My daughter and I went out early, before the farrier arrived to work with Daisy and get her mellowed out. But fate had other plans. The peacocks down the road were screaming and that was setting off the horses in pastures around us. Daisy's head shot straight up and she was antsy. Oh terrific, I thought. Just want we don't need! Every 10-15 seconds a peacock would let loose with a humongous screech. It sounds a lot like a human screaming. It came through the trees at the far distant perimeter of the pasture and was a bit distorted. I wondered at the time if elk make some sort of screeching noise because we've got elk and deer and bear in abundance around here. (Later a neighbor reminded me of the peacocks right down the road.)
I did some target work with Daisy to get her to lower her head, but she was too anxious to keep her head down, and backed warily away when I raised the halter towards her neck. It didn't help that the two humans were trying to halter her much like a couple of guys running a sack race, each using one appendage to get the job done. While my daughter does have two functional hands and arms, she isn't accustomed to getting the halter around behind the ears before getting the horse's nose in it. At a time like this, fumbling doesn't earn one extra points!
My daughter was going to quietly brush her without the halter, but Daisy was too antsy for that either. The peacocks continued to scream (at each other, I presume).
When the farrier arrived, I walked to his truck to let him know that we had not able to happily halter Daisy. She had already created serious damage to my arm 5 weeks ago...I didn't want anything to happen to him.
Kevin, the farrier, has the serenity of a Buddhist monk. I think the only reason he isn't worked to exhaustion is because he lives in a small, rather rural area. If he were available in the Portland area, he would not be able to get to everyone who would want his services.
He smiled gently and asked if I minded if he gave Daisy a try. I said I'd be delighted. He walked in and asked her if he could touch her. He always asks a horse before he does anything--he never demands or orders.
In a flash, his nimble hands had the halter up and over her nose, and then buckled.
He picked up one of her big soup-plate feet and started rasping while I gave her clicks and treats. She has been trimmed all her life, and it appears that trimming was the ONE THING that has occurred to her which did not involve betrayal or abuse. She was perfectly delighted to have a real, live, human Pez dispenser in front of her, dispensing peppermint-flavored horse treats! One by one, Kevin was able to work his way around Daisy's feet, while she stood quietly slurping and chewing.
When treats are dispensed fairly rapidly, it changes Daisy's breathing pattern. Her breathing slows and becomes steady, and that calms her. By the time her feet were done, her eyes were large and soft, and her head was down in a relaxed position.
What a relief that she has been trimmed. Kevin remarked that I might be experiencing all sorts of problems doing other things with her, but he was happy to trim a horse who stood that quietly. With the treats coming at the front end, she never thought about turning her head to stare at him, much less nibble at him. I'm sure the nibbling and nipping can get very tiresome to a farrier.
I have noticed that clicker training and treats will cause Daisy to relax after about 15 steady minutes of click - treat repetitions. She starts to slobber and relaxes as she realizes that things are going in a very predictable and safe way for her. About 15 minutes in, she will give a small sigh and visably relax, lowering her head and neck and softening her eye.
The problem is that the next day, we start all over again, with the classic stressed or nervous horse pose of neck and head sky high, stiff muscles in the back and withers area, lowered back, and "disconnected" hind end which is stretched out too far to the rear.
I had loaned one of my books on Ttouch by Linda Tellington-Jones to a neighbor. Our neighbor has a little Poodle who has been very anxious and stressed by the move to our neighborhood. He barks at everyone and everything. So she wanted to try Ttouch on him each night. She returned the book, commenting that he was getting calmer.
I leafed through the book, scratched my head, and said, "Now why in the world didn't I think about Linda's methods before now??!" (Duh!)
So out came another of her books, which has line drawings and descriptions to help one assess the basic personality of their horse.
While Daisy has a broad expanse between her eyes and a medium to broad jowl which give her very positive traits, she also has a hard, pointed chin, straight-up ears, and other traits which give her inflexibility, stubbornness, and so on. "Nature" gave her sort of a 50/50 balance of the favorable and unfavorable, but "Nurture" enhanced the unfavorable and brought them to the forefront.
I plan to start some Ttouch work on her in the near future, including some Clouded Leopard circles on her hard chin, and to see if she will let me do some very soft work on her nostrils. The goal is to get to where I can work on her lips, gums and ears which will help her with her anxiety issues. There are other things which can help bring out her softer side, but it will probably take time to be able to do everything on the list. A tense horse often will initially resist work where they are all tensed up.
My daughter and I went out early, before the farrier arrived to work with Daisy and get her mellowed out. But fate had other plans. The peacocks down the road were screaming and that was setting off the horses in pastures around us. Daisy's head shot straight up and she was antsy. Oh terrific, I thought. Just want we don't need! Every 10-15 seconds a peacock would let loose with a humongous screech. It sounds a lot like a human screaming. It came through the trees at the far distant perimeter of the pasture and was a bit distorted. I wondered at the time if elk make some sort of screeching noise because we've got elk and deer and bear in abundance around here. (Later a neighbor reminded me of the peacocks right down the road.)
I did some target work with Daisy to get her to lower her head, but she was too anxious to keep her head down, and backed warily away when I raised the halter towards her neck. It didn't help that the two humans were trying to halter her much like a couple of guys running a sack race, each using one appendage to get the job done. While my daughter does have two functional hands and arms, she isn't accustomed to getting the halter around behind the ears before getting the horse's nose in it. At a time like this, fumbling doesn't earn one extra points!
My daughter was going to quietly brush her without the halter, but Daisy was too antsy for that either. The peacocks continued to scream (at each other, I presume).
When the farrier arrived, I walked to his truck to let him know that we had not able to happily halter Daisy. She had already created serious damage to my arm 5 weeks ago...I didn't want anything to happen to him.
Kevin, the farrier, has the serenity of a Buddhist monk. I think the only reason he isn't worked to exhaustion is because he lives in a small, rather rural area. If he were available in the Portland area, he would not be able to get to everyone who would want his services.
He smiled gently and asked if I minded if he gave Daisy a try. I said I'd be delighted. He walked in and asked her if he could touch her. He always asks a horse before he does anything--he never demands or orders.
In a flash, his nimble hands had the halter up and over her nose, and then buckled.
He picked up one of her big soup-plate feet and started rasping while I gave her clicks and treats. She has been trimmed all her life, and it appears that trimming was the ONE THING that has occurred to her which did not involve betrayal or abuse. She was perfectly delighted to have a real, live, human Pez dispenser in front of her, dispensing peppermint-flavored horse treats! One by one, Kevin was able to work his way around Daisy's feet, while she stood quietly slurping and chewing.
When treats are dispensed fairly rapidly, it changes Daisy's breathing pattern. Her breathing slows and becomes steady, and that calms her. By the time her feet were done, her eyes were large and soft, and her head was down in a relaxed position.
What a relief that she has been trimmed. Kevin remarked that I might be experiencing all sorts of problems doing other things with her, but he was happy to trim a horse who stood that quietly. With the treats coming at the front end, she never thought about turning her head to stare at him, much less nibble at him. I'm sure the nibbling and nipping can get very tiresome to a farrier.
I have noticed that clicker training and treats will cause Daisy to relax after about 15 steady minutes of click - treat repetitions. She starts to slobber and relaxes as she realizes that things are going in a very predictable and safe way for her. About 15 minutes in, she will give a small sigh and visably relax, lowering her head and neck and softening her eye.
The problem is that the next day, we start all over again, with the classic stressed or nervous horse pose of neck and head sky high, stiff muscles in the back and withers area, lowered back, and "disconnected" hind end which is stretched out too far to the rear.
I had loaned one of my books on Ttouch by Linda Tellington-Jones to a neighbor. Our neighbor has a little Poodle who has been very anxious and stressed by the move to our neighborhood. He barks at everyone and everything. So she wanted to try Ttouch on him each night. She returned the book, commenting that he was getting calmer.
I leafed through the book, scratched my head, and said, "Now why in the world didn't I think about Linda's methods before now??!" (Duh!)
So out came another of her books, which has line drawings and descriptions to help one assess the basic personality of their horse.
While Daisy has a broad expanse between her eyes and a medium to broad jowl which give her very positive traits, she also has a hard, pointed chin, straight-up ears, and other traits which give her inflexibility, stubbornness, and so on. "Nature" gave her sort of a 50/50 balance of the favorable and unfavorable, but "Nurture" enhanced the unfavorable and brought them to the forefront.
I plan to start some Ttouch work on her in the near future, including some Clouded Leopard circles on her hard chin, and to see if she will let me do some very soft work on her nostrils. The goal is to get to where I can work on her lips, gums and ears which will help her with her anxiety issues. There are other things which can help bring out her softer side, but it will probably take time to be able to do everything on the list. A tense horse often will initially resist work where they are all tensed up.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Moving Forward (even if it is at a snail's pace!)
I was able to go into the pasture with Daisy today because my daughter was with me. I'd given the surgeon my promise that I wouldn't go in with Daisy by myself until the fiberglass and ace bandage cast was off.
Both of us wanted to see if I could halter Daisy and have her pick up her feet calmly. In the past she's picked them up pretty calmly, but she does tend to get fussed over things occurring around her, and can swing round and bump a person, knocking them down.
Initially, I stayed on the outside of the pasture gate, and had her lower her head and keep her nose on the target to the count of 5. That was all she was up for and as she was too antsy to hold for 10 seconds, it was important to click BEFORE her head came back up again, so I went for 5 seconds. After a few click--treats for the head down, we both went into the pasture to halter Daisy.
She does not care for her rope halter, and I cannot say that I blame her. They are designed to make the horse feel pressure at the slightest tug. When I left her halter on her for a while, out in the pasture, it started to wear the hair off her face! She is very sensitive behind her ears and it hurt her there.
So I went back to the nice, flat, broad nylon web halter with the two homemade "fuzzies" on the crown and nose pieces. She liked that halter a lot, but prior to clicker training, she tended to haul me around almost effortlessly, like the caboose at the end of train cars.
I held the target below the noseband on the nylon web halter and had her touch the target through the noseband a few times and clicked/treated for that. Since I've had her, she's never willingly put her snoot through a halter. When I put the strap around her neck first, THEN put her nose through the noseband, she puts her ears back defensively. Daisy has a lot of bad memories that I'm having to work through. My goal is to break down things that I want her to do into bite-sized nibbles, and not lump the little pieces of a lesson into huge lumps (okay, sorry about the overused "lump" as a verb AND a noun...I just couldn't think of better way to put it).
It helped to have her touch the noseband and the target just below it several times. I was able to slip the soft noseband over her nose without trouble. And she got a click and a treat for deciding to let me do that.
I still see unsure ears as I work with her. I brushed her and her ears swiveled back to keep track of me. She often stood with her ears "akimbo" (on the sides of her head, not to the front or to the back) and I get a feeling from her of, "Okay, I'll see what comes next...you haven't hurt me---YET."
It takes about 10 or 15 minutes of clicker work and treats before Daisy really relaxes, and heaves a sigh. She is a very tense mare. I don't think she tenses up when she sees me (she comes to the gate, whinnying for me, or for the treats). I think she is tense all of the time.
I was re-reading Linda Tellington-Jones's book "Getting In TTouch with Your Horse" which is more about horse traits and personalities than it is about TTouch for the horse. I knew Linda in the 1960's, before she developed and expanded TTouch. She is truly a world class inventor/explorer into the realms of working with and bringing comfort to animals and she knows how to promote her subject. Not always as positively in the past as I would have liked, but she does get the message out!
It occurred to me that I should try doing Ttouch on Daisy to lower her head and reconnect her front and back which seems to have lost cohesiveness. I may even try a session of wrapping some track bandages knotted together in a wrap she has used to help an animal reconnect it's front and back halves.
But that will have to wait until after MY bandages come off!
Essentially, it was a good session today. Daisy picked up all four feet repeatedly, and appeared quite surprised, but very pleased to be rewarded by the click and a treat each time. She craves knowing that she did the right thing and getting positive attention for it. She wants to know that she will not suddenly be punished for not understanding something. No one would feel confident in such a position!
I finally got an email back from the Parelli folks. I'd written to the email which was purported to go to Pat Parelli. Of course, it was answered by one of his staff, about 3 weeks later. They were sorry to hear of my sad tale of woe with Daisy, but said that it is a story that has become all too familiar these days. Too many horses acting up or out, and too many riders/handlers getting hurt. They suggested that I consider either euthanizing her or finding a trainer who would accept her (and they enclosed a link to all certified Parelli trainers). This mare has been much too abused for anyone to have a successful outcome using traditional Parelli methods. I hate to even consider the outcome of that! And it would be a crying shame to put Daisy down. She's only 12 and there is a sweet, sensitive, loving horse locked away inside of her.
So clicker training is my only hope. Since Alexandra Kurland has successfully helped Fig, a bay thoroughbred mare turn around and Fig was at least as bad as Daisy, possibly worse, this appears to be the way to go. Daisy responds very well to positive reinforcement, and that triggers an intense desire to figure out what I want and to do it. She has had so little positive reinforcement in her life, much less any which made sense to her, that she is surprised and delighted with our little 15 minute clicker sessions.
Today's work was making sure she remembered how to pick up her feet, also pressing the point of her shoulder to get her to back up, and pressure on hip and wither to get her to sidestep over. Also on starting to "milk the lead rope" to get her to drop her head to the bucket lid. She was still figuring that one out when I stopped the lesson on a good note and rewarded her with a big handful of treats. The end of a lesson should always end on a high note!
Both of us wanted to see if I could halter Daisy and have her pick up her feet calmly. In the past she's picked them up pretty calmly, but she does tend to get fussed over things occurring around her, and can swing round and bump a person, knocking them down.
Initially, I stayed on the outside of the pasture gate, and had her lower her head and keep her nose on the target to the count of 5. That was all she was up for and as she was too antsy to hold for 10 seconds, it was important to click BEFORE her head came back up again, so I went for 5 seconds. After a few click--treats for the head down, we both went into the pasture to halter Daisy.
She does not care for her rope halter, and I cannot say that I blame her. They are designed to make the horse feel pressure at the slightest tug. When I left her halter on her for a while, out in the pasture, it started to wear the hair off her face! She is very sensitive behind her ears and it hurt her there.
So I went back to the nice, flat, broad nylon web halter with the two homemade "fuzzies" on the crown and nose pieces. She liked that halter a lot, but prior to clicker training, she tended to haul me around almost effortlessly, like the caboose at the end of train cars.
I held the target below the noseband on the nylon web halter and had her touch the target through the noseband a few times and clicked/treated for that. Since I've had her, she's never willingly put her snoot through a halter. When I put the strap around her neck first, THEN put her nose through the noseband, she puts her ears back defensively. Daisy has a lot of bad memories that I'm having to work through. My goal is to break down things that I want her to do into bite-sized nibbles, and not lump the little pieces of a lesson into huge lumps (okay, sorry about the overused "lump" as a verb AND a noun...I just couldn't think of better way to put it).
It helped to have her touch the noseband and the target just below it several times. I was able to slip the soft noseband over her nose without trouble. And she got a click and a treat for deciding to let me do that.
I still see unsure ears as I work with her. I brushed her and her ears swiveled back to keep track of me. She often stood with her ears "akimbo" (on the sides of her head, not to the front or to the back) and I get a feeling from her of, "Okay, I'll see what comes next...you haven't hurt me---YET."
It takes about 10 or 15 minutes of clicker work and treats before Daisy really relaxes, and heaves a sigh. She is a very tense mare. I don't think she tenses up when she sees me (she comes to the gate, whinnying for me, or for the treats). I think she is tense all of the time.
I was re-reading Linda Tellington-Jones's book "Getting In TTouch with Your Horse" which is more about horse traits and personalities than it is about TTouch for the horse. I knew Linda in the 1960's, before she developed and expanded TTouch. She is truly a world class inventor/explorer into the realms of working with and bringing comfort to animals and she knows how to promote her subject. Not always as positively in the past as I would have liked, but she does get the message out!
It occurred to me that I should try doing Ttouch on Daisy to lower her head and reconnect her front and back which seems to have lost cohesiveness. I may even try a session of wrapping some track bandages knotted together in a wrap she has used to help an animal reconnect it's front and back halves.
But that will have to wait until after MY bandages come off!
Essentially, it was a good session today. Daisy picked up all four feet repeatedly, and appeared quite surprised, but very pleased to be rewarded by the click and a treat each time. She craves knowing that she did the right thing and getting positive attention for it. She wants to know that she will not suddenly be punished for not understanding something. No one would feel confident in such a position!
I finally got an email back from the Parelli folks. I'd written to the email which was purported to go to Pat Parelli. Of course, it was answered by one of his staff, about 3 weeks later. They were sorry to hear of my sad tale of woe with Daisy, but said that it is a story that has become all too familiar these days. Too many horses acting up or out, and too many riders/handlers getting hurt. They suggested that I consider either euthanizing her or finding a trainer who would accept her (and they enclosed a link to all certified Parelli trainers). This mare has been much too abused for anyone to have a successful outcome using traditional Parelli methods. I hate to even consider the outcome of that! And it would be a crying shame to put Daisy down. She's only 12 and there is a sweet, sensitive, loving horse locked away inside of her.
So clicker training is my only hope. Since Alexandra Kurland has successfully helped Fig, a bay thoroughbred mare turn around and Fig was at least as bad as Daisy, possibly worse, this appears to be the way to go. Daisy responds very well to positive reinforcement, and that triggers an intense desire to figure out what I want and to do it. She has had so little positive reinforcement in her life, much less any which made sense to her, that she is surprised and delighted with our little 15 minute clicker sessions.
Today's work was making sure she remembered how to pick up her feet, also pressing the point of her shoulder to get her to back up, and pressure on hip and wither to get her to sidestep over. Also on starting to "milk the lead rope" to get her to drop her head to the bucket lid. She was still figuring that one out when I stopped the lesson on a good note and rewarded her with a big handful of treats. The end of a lesson should always end on a high note!
Monday, August 12, 2013
Behavior Shifts
I wish I could say that clicker training is fast (and sometimes it is when a horse just "gets it") but in Daisy's and my case, it's creeping along. Considering how abused she had been and how strongly dominant she is at present, this may be a long process, to get her to shift her trust to me and treat me as her "herd" (a herd being a safety zone for her).
Pat Parelli comments that the things a horse needs, in order, are:
1--to feel safe
2-- to feel comfortable
3--to play
4--food and procreation
Daisy now whinnies enthusiastically at me. She looks forward to those positive clicker lessons which produce so many treats and cause her to feel some sense of confidence in actions. She feels safe while we are going through the clicker--treat lessons, until someone starts mowing the grass nearby or the horses in other pastures trot off. Then she feels the need to stick her neck up, giraffe-like, and stare at what is going on around her.
When that happens, I put the target down on the ground where she can see and reach it, and sit back and wait. Her fly mask compromises some of her vision, so I tap on the plastic bucket lid target to help her figure out that it is available and waiting for her on the ground.
Yesterday, I got very good results when I sat down on the ground just beyond her pasture gate. I could not be stepped on, but was close enough to manipulate the bucket lid-target and feed her treats.
As a major goal is getting her to lower her head and carry it lower, sitting on the ground and feeding her near the ground caused her to quickly figure out that it was just too darned much trouble to keep raising her head again each time. Why bother?! She started keeping her head near the ground to be ready for the next "touch and stay on the target" and the treat.
When I start working with her, I have to go back to "touch the target" but not ask her to hold her nose on the target, on the ground. She doesn't want to put her head down more than for a touch-and-go initially.
I wish I could halter her and go in with her, to vary the training and work on backing from a light touch on the point of her shoulder, but I gave my word that I'd stay out of her pasture until the bandages on the broken/dislocated arm come off. So all I can do for now is work on head lowering by working from the ground myself!
Daisy does not like her rope halter. It is not all that comfy to wear, and was not designed for comfort. She was fond of her webbing halter with the soft covers over the nose and crown pieces. I stopped using this halter when she dragged me hither and yon. It may e time to go back to it, and see if clicker training can make a lady out of her with it. After all, clicker training is about staying safe, AND not using force.
Pat Parelli comments that the things a horse needs, in order, are:
1--to feel safe
2-- to feel comfortable
3--to play
4--food and procreation
Daisy now whinnies enthusiastically at me. She looks forward to those positive clicker lessons which produce so many treats and cause her to feel some sense of confidence in actions. She feels safe while we are going through the clicker--treat lessons, until someone starts mowing the grass nearby or the horses in other pastures trot off. Then she feels the need to stick her neck up, giraffe-like, and stare at what is going on around her.
When that happens, I put the target down on the ground where she can see and reach it, and sit back and wait. Her fly mask compromises some of her vision, so I tap on the plastic bucket lid target to help her figure out that it is available and waiting for her on the ground.
Yesterday, I got very good results when I sat down on the ground just beyond her pasture gate. I could not be stepped on, but was close enough to manipulate the bucket lid-target and feed her treats.
As a major goal is getting her to lower her head and carry it lower, sitting on the ground and feeding her near the ground caused her to quickly figure out that it was just too darned much trouble to keep raising her head again each time. Why bother?! She started keeping her head near the ground to be ready for the next "touch and stay on the target" and the treat.
When I start working with her, I have to go back to "touch the target" but not ask her to hold her nose on the target, on the ground. She doesn't want to put her head down more than for a touch-and-go initially.
I wish I could halter her and go in with her, to vary the training and work on backing from a light touch on the point of her shoulder, but I gave my word that I'd stay out of her pasture until the bandages on the broken/dislocated arm come off. So all I can do for now is work on head lowering by working from the ground myself!
Daisy does not like her rope halter. It is not all that comfy to wear, and was not designed for comfort. She was fond of her webbing halter with the soft covers over the nose and crown pieces. I stopped using this halter when she dragged me hither and yon. It may e time to go back to it, and see if clicker training can make a lady out of her with it. After all, clicker training is about staying safe, AND not using force.
Friday, August 9, 2013
A Fresh Start
August 9, 2013-----I had done some work with a target and a clicker with Daisy after the broken arm, but her "barging" and mugging me or treats got worse, so I discouragedly left her alone in her pasture for a few weeks. It is ni darned fun to be constantly worried about one's safety and welfare!
I have been attempting to work on clicker training with a target, clicker and treats with Daisy, however my only source of information on the mechanics of clicker training (the "do's and don'ts) was what I could glean from The Clicker Center's free information, and that just was not enough. One MUST get the DVD's and use the techniques shown to get the desired results, and keep the horse from becoming frustrated!
Being concerned for my future safety, I wrote to some horse sanctuaries in our state, telling them about Daisy and asking if they would accept her. Turns out every one of them is full up with sad cases who have been starved, and PMU mares from the premarin-making business. I also posted an ad on Craig's List, being honest about Daisy''s strengths and weaknesses, but...no takers.
So, after viewing the very comprehensive first DVD in a collection of about 19 or 20 by the experienced and capable Alexandra Kurland, I wrote to her and explained my dilemma. I only have the use of one arm right now. I don't trust the horse. I don't feel safe around her. She has many "hates" including longeing, round pens, being led out of her pasture, twirling ropes or any form of what she views as intimidation, etc. This is one abused mare!
Alexandra wrote back, suggesting that I put a string on a basin, and shove it under the pasture gate. I could work from the safety of the other side of the gate, and reward Daisy by dropping treats into the basin. Id the basin got scooted too far inside the pasture and away from the ate, it could be brought back by pulling on the string.
So, armed with my trusty foam square on a dowel and some horse treats, I gave this plan a try, this time following the tips and tricks that I'd seen on the video. No more standing with my hand in my treat pocket! That encourages mugging by the horse. Things went very well. It was the first time that I had felt safe around Daisy! Wow!
There are 6 basic foundation steps in horse clicker training: 1) Target (teach horse to touch a target), 2) "Happy Faces" (reward when one ear, then both ears flip forward, as it is difficult for a horse to be grumpy when doing the equivalent of smiling), 3) Backing (working on backing from very light pressure, then teaching to back in a square pattern and working with horse to teach it to organize its movements in a small space), 4) Lowered head (Teaching horse to lower head to ground, then learm to hold that pose for 10 seconds), 5) Grown ups are talking...please do not interrupt (Teaches horse to wait patiently and not mug you for more treats so horse does not treat you like a vending machine), and 6) Mat work (horse learns to stand with front feet on a mat or piece of plywood eventually for long period of time).
These 6 lessons expand in many different directions over time, helping to teach happy trailer loading, ground tying, patience, to not crowd the handler and a myriad of other lessons.
I presented the target and Daisy touched it, I clicked with my mouth (I was using a real dog clicker until Daisy was very familiar with the click=--treat sequence, then was able to just make a click with my mouth). After clicking, the target was removed, then the treat given,, but low and behind her outstretched head. The horse comes to learn that th position for receiving goodies is with the neck arched and head lowered and towards the chest.
I had been resting my hand in my pocket, where the goodies were, or sometimes reloading my hand with the next treat before presenting the target again. These things will lead to a frustrated horse who mugs the handler for treats. After watching the video "Clicker Training 1" I keep my hand out of y pocket until it is time to present a treat. And there is a space o time after the click where I remove the target and reach for a treat. This interval is necessary for the horse to learn that the treat WILL be forthcoming and to be patient and relax.
I alternated with a bright yellow bucket lid, and foam target on a stick as targets. Tomorrow I'll take the 1liter pop bottle (minus the soda pop, of course) that I painted white and try using that for a target because it is more portable than a bucket lid or foam on a stick. One could jam an empty 1 liter pop bottle into a large pocket in a jacket and have a target when it is needed.
I am four weeks into the soft cast, and have two more to go before the bandages come off. I've promised my family and the surgeon that I will not go in with Daisy until then. Once I can go into her pasture with her once again, I plan to start out asking her to touching the target, which she is very good at, then see if I can progress to haltering her and working on a little backing and possibly a little standing on a rubber door mat.
Daisy makes grumpy faces often, and her head and neck shoot up like a giraffe. It is stressful and wearing for her as well as for me. When a horse's body is often stiff, it is hard on them.
I worked a bit tonight on "Happy Faces" but made a boo-boo! Well, she and I are learning this together. She makes mistakes and I make mistakes. Clicker training is about letting the horse try things to figure out what gets him the click and treat. I get over-anxious and am accustomed to correcting the horse, when what works better is to let the horse think and figure it out. For example, putting your fingers lightly on the horse's point of shoulder and WAITING for the horse to back up. Not pushing the horse. Increasing pressure over time if the horse doesn't get it. And removing your hand at the slightest attempt to shift backwards.
Daisy didn't put her ears forward, which is "Happy Faces and earns a click and treat. I can get one ear forward, but rarely two. She would shoot her head up and both ears would go hard forward at a sound or another horse, but she'd be looking to her left or right, not straight ahead at me. I clicked and treated for the ears forward but now realize that was not the thing to do. When you get a problem...back up to a prior step. In this case that would be clicking and treating for just one ear forward, and the attention on me. The goal is both ears forward, and the chin tucked, neck arched nicely--a lovely pose.
The photo is of a prior day, in the round pen, before my "accident" with her...but illustrates her naturally high head. And that is a "normal" pose for her at the moment. Her head can go much higher than that!
As Scarlet O'Hara commented in Gone With The Wind, "Tomorrow is another day!"
I have been attempting to work on clicker training with a target, clicker and treats with Daisy, however my only source of information on the mechanics of clicker training (the "do's and don'ts) was what I could glean from The Clicker Center's free information, and that just was not enough. One MUST get the DVD's and use the techniques shown to get the desired results, and keep the horse from becoming frustrated!
Being concerned for my future safety, I wrote to some horse sanctuaries in our state, telling them about Daisy and asking if they would accept her. Turns out every one of them is full up with sad cases who have been starved, and PMU mares from the premarin-making business. I also posted an ad on Craig's List, being honest about Daisy''s strengths and weaknesses, but...no takers.
So, after viewing the very comprehensive first DVD in a collection of about 19 or 20 by the experienced and capable Alexandra Kurland, I wrote to her and explained my dilemma. I only have the use of one arm right now. I don't trust the horse. I don't feel safe around her. She has many "hates" including longeing, round pens, being led out of her pasture, twirling ropes or any form of what she views as intimidation, etc. This is one abused mare!
Alexandra wrote back, suggesting that I put a string on a basin, and shove it under the pasture gate. I could work from the safety of the other side of the gate, and reward Daisy by dropping treats into the basin. Id the basin got scooted too far inside the pasture and away from the ate, it could be brought back by pulling on the string.
So, armed with my trusty foam square on a dowel and some horse treats, I gave this plan a try, this time following the tips and tricks that I'd seen on the video. No more standing with my hand in my treat pocket! That encourages mugging by the horse. Things went very well. It was the first time that I had felt safe around Daisy! Wow!
There are 6 basic foundation steps in horse clicker training: 1) Target (teach horse to touch a target), 2) "Happy Faces" (reward when one ear, then both ears flip forward, as it is difficult for a horse to be grumpy when doing the equivalent of smiling), 3) Backing (working on backing from very light pressure, then teaching to back in a square pattern and working with horse to teach it to organize its movements in a small space), 4) Lowered head (Teaching horse to lower head to ground, then learm to hold that pose for 10 seconds), 5) Grown ups are talking...please do not interrupt (Teaches horse to wait patiently and not mug you for more treats so horse does not treat you like a vending machine), and 6) Mat work (horse learns to stand with front feet on a mat or piece of plywood eventually for long period of time).
These 6 lessons expand in many different directions over time, helping to teach happy trailer loading, ground tying, patience, to not crowd the handler and a myriad of other lessons.
I presented the target and Daisy touched it, I clicked with my mouth (I was using a real dog clicker until Daisy was very familiar with the click=--treat sequence, then was able to just make a click with my mouth). After clicking, the target was removed, then the treat given,, but low and behind her outstretched head. The horse comes to learn that th position for receiving goodies is with the neck arched and head lowered and towards the chest.
I had been resting my hand in my pocket, where the goodies were, or sometimes reloading my hand with the next treat before presenting the target again. These things will lead to a frustrated horse who mugs the handler for treats. After watching the video "Clicker Training 1" I keep my hand out of y pocket until it is time to present a treat. And there is a space o time after the click where I remove the target and reach for a treat. This interval is necessary for the horse to learn that the treat WILL be forthcoming and to be patient and relax.
I alternated with a bright yellow bucket lid, and foam target on a stick as targets. Tomorrow I'll take the 1liter pop bottle (minus the soda pop, of course) that I painted white and try using that for a target because it is more portable than a bucket lid or foam on a stick. One could jam an empty 1 liter pop bottle into a large pocket in a jacket and have a target when it is needed.
I am four weeks into the soft cast, and have two more to go before the bandages come off. I've promised my family and the surgeon that I will not go in with Daisy until then. Once I can go into her pasture with her once again, I plan to start out asking her to touching the target, which she is very good at, then see if I can progress to haltering her and working on a little backing and possibly a little standing on a rubber door mat.
Daisy makes grumpy faces often, and her head and neck shoot up like a giraffe. It is stressful and wearing for her as well as for me. When a horse's body is often stiff, it is hard on them.
I worked a bit tonight on "Happy Faces" but made a boo-boo! Well, she and I are learning this together. She makes mistakes and I make mistakes. Clicker training is about letting the horse try things to figure out what gets him the click and treat. I get over-anxious and am accustomed to correcting the horse, when what works better is to let the horse think and figure it out. For example, putting your fingers lightly on the horse's point of shoulder and WAITING for the horse to back up. Not pushing the horse. Increasing pressure over time if the horse doesn't get it. And removing your hand at the slightest attempt to shift backwards.
Daisy didn't put her ears forward, which is "Happy Faces and earns a click and treat. I can get one ear forward, but rarely two. She would shoot her head up and both ears would go hard forward at a sound or another horse, but she'd be looking to her left or right, not straight ahead at me. I clicked and treated for the ears forward but now realize that was not the thing to do. When you get a problem...back up to a prior step. In this case that would be clicking and treating for just one ear forward, and the attention on me. The goal is both ears forward, and the chin tucked, neck arched nicely--a lovely pose.
The photo is of a prior day, in the round pen, before my "accident" with her...but illustrates her naturally high head. And that is a "normal" pose for her at the moment. Her head can go much higher than that!
As Scarlet O'Hara commented in Gone With The Wind, "Tomorrow is another day!"
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