Teaching the excited horse to practice impulse control
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Often times horses are prone to being excitable. In this video I start teaching Bendi to settle. I am using positive reinforcement which can add to excitement. However, food is an VERY powerful reinforcer and can help the horses learn how to settle, both inside and out. I know that we can use equipment to minimize physical activity but that doesn't change their emotional state. By building a good reinforcement history with their choice to settle, they will elect to do this in all sorts of situations, even when adrenalin is high. They learn to enjoy practicing self regulation. I actually focus on the horse's choice to physically settle by watching for the physical signs(eyes, jaw, ears, neck tension, head position, tail swishing, etc.) Pretty soon, their emotional state matches the physical state. By building a strong, desirable relationship with slowing, stopping, standing, resting they will choose these well-reinforced behaviors. These behaviors end up bringing comfort once they have a well established positive reinforcement history. My goal, as always, is to teach this as their default behavior. Many horses learn that positive reinforcement training is all about activity. However, this tends to create busy horses. Instead, I set out to teach horses to be relaxed, and calm yet enthusiastic and engaged. In this video I demonstrate the earliest steps of this process. These are the 3 beginning training sessions(within 24 hours) with a very active and enthusiastic horse. This method also works well for horses with food issues. It provides some satiation which can help to desensitize the value of the food while also addressing the over arousal. Heck, this works with everything from yearlings, OTTB's, rescues, feral horses, athletes and stall-bound horses on recovery…you name it!
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Hi Shawna, I met you at a demonstration in Norco California around 2013/2014. I watched your videos and got your book and worked your clicker training techniques with my 9 month old Fell Pony filly. We played games, walked on tarps, covered with a tarp, touching games, leading and stopping and I paired with cue words. It was hard for me to use a clicker and so my marker wasn’t a click but a word “GOOD!” She is now 8 years old and a dream. People ask me all the time why is she so calm, eager to do anything, and loves to be with people. They are amazed that just about anything is ok and she catches on so quickly. As her training advanced to riding I could find no trainers that knew of positive reinforcement. I looked for the most gentle trainers and found it was perfectly fine for her to be trained by others with different training styles. I told trainers to say GOOD when she did the right thing they were asking for to mark the correct behavior. At the end of the lesson I would reward with a jackpot of hay pellets saying GOOD! Girl to connect all the “GOODS” with the payoff. We have such a good relationship, our communication and trust is solid and learning new things are fun. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts! We (myself and my pony send you much love!
Thank you so much for this video! I’ve been looking for ways to build up my very active/busy-minded mare, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone actually address the behavior I’m working with. Really excited to start working with her on this
I’d love to see a follow up video of this guy‘s progress.
Hi Shawna, I met you at a demonstration in Norco California around 2013/2014. I watched your videos and got your book and worked your clicker training techniques with my 9 month old Fell Pony filly. We played games, walked on tarps, covered with a tarp, played in water puddles, touching scary items games, leading and stopping, farrier and vet handling… and I paired with cue words. It was hard for me to use a clicker and so my marker wasn’t a click but a word “GOOD!” She is now 8 years old and a dream. People ask me all the time why is she so calm, eager to do anything, and loves to be with people. They are amazed that just about anything is ok and she catches on so quickly. As her training advanced to riding I could find no trainers that knew of positive reinforcement. I looked for the most gentle trainers and found it was perfectly fine for her to be trained by others with different training styles. I told trainers to say GOOD! when she did the right thing they were asking for to mark the correct behavior. At the end of the lesson I would reward with a jackpot of hay pellets saying GOOD! Girl to connect all the “GOODS” with the payoff. We have such a good relationship, our communication and trust is solid and learning new things are always fun. Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts! We (myself and my pony) send you much love!
Wow. This is clearly a very bright boy!
So fantastic! I can never get enough of your videos Shawna. *:D
That horse is huge
Thank you 🙂 My mare is always very high in energy, it’s helpful 👍
Very nice, subtle yet powerful training! Thank you!
Shawna you are changing my horses life and my life. I have just started on our +R training all thanks to finding your videos, thank you. My boy can get excitable at times and I wasn't sure what to do. I am so glad I found this video as I now know what will help us. One thing I'm not sure about, is it OK to do a short session (5/6 mins) every day or should I give him a break from it? We have been doing a session each day for 8 days so far. Rudy (Rodolfo) is really good at looking away (now though, I think I need to make sure he is more calmer). I am using a loo brush as his target and he knows he needs to touch it (more times than I ask for though) to do the right thing. I am loving learning about +R training, the feeling is great. :-)
I loved how the "stay with me" refreng matched with you trying to get the horses' attention back to you again haha :D Great videoes. Absolutely love them! Just found your videoes on youtube. Really wan't to try clicker training now. Love the way you teach,it's easy to understand, and I like that you talk just the right amount.. Many trainers here on youtube talk waaay too much, they just go on and on and it makes it really hard to follow what they are trying to teach! But you keep it simple, and explain why you are doing what you are doing when.. Very easy to follow..
Hello. I’ve just found your videos yesterday, and I love them. I’ve recently adopted a rescue palomino Quarter\appaloosa horse that came from the kill pen. He’s very sweet, and I have no idea why he ended up in the kill pen. I’m thinking about training him to do clicker training, as I think it will help us both. He’s not very good at backing up, so hopefully clicker training will help with that. He follows me, and will stay while I back away, but he doesn’t like to back. I’ve taught him to smile, kiss, and hug, I’m hoping to teach him how to bow as well. Really would like to get him better at picking up his hooves, and one day just by me pointing at them. Any tips that you have for me and my boy, Louie, I would really appreciate. Thanks.
@shawnakarrasch
4 жыл бұрын
Hi Emmie! Please forgive the delay in responding to your question- I would love it if you would submit this question to the Ask Shawna page on my website, www.on-target-training.com. Click on the Ask Shawna tab, and fill out the form. I post all answers on this KZread channel!
How many horses do you own
Can you give us examples of what reinforcers you use other? Also I'd love to know where you get those treat pouches!
@shawnakarrasch
5 жыл бұрын
Ethan, I tend to use food that is part of their diets. We feed Cavalor feed which is low in sugar. Cavalier also makes a great low sugar treat called cavalor crunchies.
Hay! What did you food him?
@shawnakarrasch
5 жыл бұрын
Eliane, cavalor feed which is low in sugar. So any food that fits within their diet. Lower value is better for most horses.