One of the reasons I've returned to Clicker Training with my horses is the purchase of a horse in October 2005 who has presented some special training challenges.
This 1/2 Arabian is now 11 years old and was owned by the same girl (from age 9 to 18) since he was two years old. His training has been indifferent: he knows how to be bridled, saddled, ridden at walk and trot, and lifts his feet up well for the farrier, however, he spooks easily, little confidence, a built up ewe neck from carrying his head high from tension and poor training etc... When he came to us, he was hard to catch and he still doesn't like being touched around the head.
He has shown little interest in humans so I decided to start working him with clicker training to break through this boundary wall he seems to present to people. Since he has been exposed to traditional horse training methods, I wanted to see if Clicker Training would interest him.
So far we have been working intensely with a head-down cue. He will touch the target for head down, side to side bends, between the legs bend and follow the target (most of the time). Recent training I've added is stepping into the wash bay, following even more freely, bending the head left and putting the nose into the halter, and loading into the trailer.
What I wanted to post though is the change in his attitude. He's gone from a standoffish horse who is aloof, to one that quietly follows me about when I'm working on other horses, waiting his time to be trained. I really think he's ready to blossom and it's due to Clicker Training and the TTeam (Linda Tellington-Jones) work that we've been doing these last two months. Who knows where we will by Christmas!
My websites ~ www.EQenlighten.com & www.PonyPartners.com
