Scavenger Hunt

I can't tell you how much fun I've had with my horse since I got back from all the conferences. I've definitely been much more relaxed without the stress of traveling (well, at least for the next three or four weeks) or horse shows to wear on me. And TC hasn't been feeling 100% because he got shots on Friday of last week, and it's also been kind of hot and he's now got a winter coat. Unfortunately for both of us, sickish TC is better than regular TC.

On Saturday TC wasn't having it, so we just wandered around. Then Sunday he was feeling a bit better and offered me a flying change, so I went with it and we got a clean one. Then we schooled them deliberately and got a clean one then too! We're still quite far away from when I want to consciously try to put them on, but I am not going to argue with him about doing them.

Monday morning TC finally felt NORMAL and that was a relief. Luckily it was warm so he wasn't a nut. Our ride went super well, we just worked on what Tracey had us do in our last lesson- putting him way into the bridle, encouraging him to step into the right rein, and getting him to move his rib cage to the left. All the while I need to sit to the right.

Wandering around looking for stuff to spook at

It went super well, with him not objecting too much to the increased level of pressure that just comes with that kind of connection. Tracey is right, as always, that having him into the bridle will mean less bolting. And sure enough, during times where he got a bit up, he got a bit light in the bridle. Because I am riding him heavier, I was able to put him back in there before he got away. So that was quite helpful. Though because it was quite warm outside, I'm also going to say that I bet if he really wanted to run off with me, being into the bridle wouldn't affect that one bit.

After the work, we went on a walk around the property.

TC has been learning some clicker training. I haven't been very methodical about it. I don't even know if he really knows what the clicker means yet. The one thing that he does know though, is that cookies are now involved in his job and that's a good thing.

In an effort to get him to be less spooky, I've been clicker training him to touch things that scare him. I was slightly worried that this would make him MORE spooky, so I've been very careful to reinforce only when he has chilled out about an object, rather than praise him for being tense.

I was able to turn him out for an hour or two TWO days in a row

This is what is currently happening:

See terrifying thing - adrenaline spike - spook - be convinced to slowly approach terrifying thing (praise whenever he takes a step toward it, ignore if he goes away) - take deep breath knowing that terrifying thing hasn't killed you yet - touch terrifying thing - click - cookie

And this is my goal:

See terrifying thing - adrenaline spike - know that terrifying thing has cookies in it - cookies are the best - take a deep breath - approach terrifying thing - touch terrifying thing - click - cookie

I want him to get to the point where that spike of adrenaline that precedes the spook is actually a discriminant stimulus for receiving clicks and cookies. Like a sign from closed to open signals that a restaurant is open so reinforcement (food) is available- the adrenaline spikes and signals that if you go poke that thing, you will get a cookie out of it.

I found a blanket to sniff, yay

So we've been doing this here and there. He's maybe had three lessons on it so far where he'd spook at something or act avoidant, then I'd convince him to go up to it, click, and cookie.

On Monday morning when we walked around the ranch, we saw that someone had put a blanket up on a tack shed. I immediately thought that TC was going to FLIP OUT about it. He hates things being up high and has definitely spooked at blankets in other locations before.

I felt it all happen in slow motion. He saw it, got a bit tense.... then put his neck down and marched over to it and stuffed his face right in it. No hesitation. Luckily I had cookies and I stuffed one into his mouth and told him how amazing he is.

Reaching up to get the best angle

It's kind of like a scavenger hunt or a video game. Go find the objects that make you scared, touch them, and get cookies!

If this continues to work, this plus reinforcing the whoa aid like crazy could be game changers. My two biggest complaints about this horse are his bolting and his spooking. Take away those and he's just perfect (well...). I'm really excited to see how things change in the future with this work. The winter will be hard and awful, I'm sure, but if we can come out of it with some good tools like this, I'll be happy!