Snickers teaches me something
Published by Cari Zancanelli under empowered horse trainers, empowered horses, horse training on 10:29 PM
Yesterday I decided to work with some of the horses and chose Snickers first. Or, I should say that Snickers was the first one to approach me. Ever since I started clicker training him, he views of training have changed completely. He loves it!
So first I tried to get him to cross a ditch. He's the only one who won't jump the irrigation ditch, so we worked on that for awhile. Then I began to groom him without being tied. He stood in one place nicely, but spent the entire session looking for me to give him a treat. He fidgeted (but didn't move his feet). I was concentrating on being present with him, but for the first time I realized that he doesn't seem to enjoy grooming.
This intrigued me. Was it because no one really spent time grooming him before we got him? Did he just not like it? Was he so used to people not being tuned in to him in general that he'd given up, or was his personality such that he needed something to keep him occupied at all times?
The answer didn't come to me that day, so I will be watching to see if I can figure this out. I also spent time with Tequila, who seemed to be anxious to work. I walked both horses down the road a ways to get them off the property and do something different. She was really good - moved forward easily while Snickers kept stopping and hesitated a lot, although he had been down that road more often than Tequila (she's only been down there once). Maybe that's just the difference between mares and geldings.
In any case, my "work" is still focused on spending "quality time" with the horses - being present with them, focusing completely on them and nothing else. We do a little bit of lunging for collection, maybe five minutes. Still, what strikes me most was that somehow the horses know that things have changed. How do I know that they know? It's a few little things, like being less reactive to me. It's not that they are disrespectful, it's more that they are calmer and they know we aren't on the former program anymore.
It just proves to me that everything Imke Spilker said was true. The most important thing in working with horses is your intention, your dedication to the moment and communication. Not dictation - a two-way street. That part is still difficult, especially with Snickers because we don't have a two-way thing going yet. I can't always tell what he's trying to tell me.
I sense that he desperately wants something to happen but I'm not sure exactly what that is.
So, while it may seem like nothing is happening, lots of things are happening!
 |
| Snickers in summer |
So first I tried to get him to cross a ditch. He's the only one who won't jump the irrigation ditch, so we worked on that for awhile. Then I began to groom him without being tied. He stood in one place nicely, but spent the entire session looking for me to give him a treat. He fidgeted (but didn't move his feet). I was concentrating on being present with him, but for the first time I realized that he doesn't seem to enjoy grooming.
This intrigued me. Was it because no one really spent time grooming him before we got him? Did he just not like it? Was he so used to people not being tuned in to him in general that he'd given up, or was his personality such that he needed something to keep him occupied at all times?
The answer didn't come to me that day, so I will be watching to see if I can figure this out. I also spent time with Tequila, who seemed to be anxious to work. I walked both horses down the road a ways to get them off the property and do something different. She was really good - moved forward easily while Snickers kept stopping and hesitated a lot, although he had been down that road more often than Tequila (she's only been down there once). Maybe that's just the difference between mares and geldings.
 |
| Tequila |
In any case, my "work" is still focused on spending "quality time" with the horses - being present with them, focusing completely on them and nothing else. We do a little bit of lunging for collection, maybe five minutes. Still, what strikes me most was that somehow the horses know that things have changed. How do I know that they know? It's a few little things, like being less reactive to me. It's not that they are disrespectful, it's more that they are calmer and they know we aren't on the former program anymore.
It just proves to me that everything Imke Spilker said was true. The most important thing in working with horses is your intention, your dedication to the moment and communication. Not dictation - a two-way street. That part is still difficult, especially with Snickers because we don't have a two-way thing going yet. I can't always tell what he's trying to tell me.
I sense that he desperately wants something to happen but I'm not sure exactly what that is.
So, while it may seem like nothing is happening, lots of things are happening!
 |
| Tequila |
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