When I realized my little knucklehead was terrified of everything, I had to come up with a new plan.
See The Horse You've Created and The Plan for Part 1 & 2 of this ongoing adventure.
To be honest, I didn't think it was going to work.
I had pretty much given up on any possibility that the-spookiest-horse-I've-ever-met could turn into a brave partner.
But after reviewing his training journal, I started noticing a pattern.
Here's a little background.... I've been riding and training horses for a few
Ralph Hill - I still can't believe I jumped that.
Craig Johnson - a fantastic instructor
I am a perpetual student of horses and there has not been a day in my life that I'm not reading a horse training book, watching training videos or signing up for a clinic or course somewhere. I've also had the great privilege to spend more than a year taking 6+ lessons a week with undoubtedly the best eventing coach I've ever met. Nothing changed my eventing as much as that intensive year did.
Winning Prelim on WonderPony
A lot of riders are so "invested" in the method(s) they know, that they aren't willing to try anything different. Not only will they not leave their comfort zone......some of them will absolutely crucify others practicing methods they aren't familiar with. If you have ever ventured onto the forums...... the "haters" tend to be the most outspoken.
I've never been that person.
I'll try just about anything once, and sometimes twice just to make sure...........
Being the completely & totally desperate brave soul that I am......... I ventured off in a different direction with Baby Seabiscuit.......
We took a field trip recently.............the last field trip he was blowing smoke out of both nostrils and doing his best pet dragon routine..........and that was AFTER lunging for 30 minutes.
This time..........
No lunging........... no breathing smoke..........and no shenanigans.
Bad Eventer calls that a huge success.
I'm still..............surprised.......... I really didn't think you could teach a horse to "remain calm" in any other manner than familiarization, desensitization and obedience.
Here's the typical approach. Your horse is scared of the flower pot. So circle it, or approach it, or ride past it until he gets over it. Eventually he decides it's not scary from persistence or boredom........ Or your basics are JUST SO GOOD that when he wants to spook at the flower pot you tell him to go straight instead.....and he does.
Have YOU ever owned THAT horse? Not me. I've NEVER owned that horse, the one that was so obedient his willingness over came his terror of the horse-flesh-eating-monsters hiding in the flower pot.
Needless to say that approach didn't work with Baby Seabiscuit.
I had to find a way for him to WANT to be calm. For him to TRY to be calm. So I started rewarding relaxation...............and a month later...............
click here if video not working
He's like a different horse.
So.............I'm officially coming out of the closet..........
It's called reward reinforcement........... also known as.......... clicker training.
