BRIDGE EMOTIONS and APPROACHÂ
from one exercise to another
We often play with exercises that are not only beneficial to the muscles development, but which are also building-up the horse emotionally and spiritually.
In this particular case, this young horse had (and to certain extent still has) a tendency to make himself smaller and uncertain/unwanting to try harder whenever criteria grew, and things were received by him as harder than before. I thought what to do… Lowering the criteria was no longer a solution, cause on the other hand he is by nature very smart and playful horse and he used it to “have more treats by showing less”. And than I got it. By observing him on the paddock as he played with other male horses I learned that what always makes him happier, bigger and prouder are the pesades.
We immediately started practicing this exercise during our daily sessions. To teach him this exercise I used clicker training and positive reinforcement as a training approach.
What changed all for us was BRIDGING EMOTIONS connected with pesades to the situations in which he was previously feeling “smaller”. I started to break with the pesade-cue any exercise during which I saw him feeling less “proud” and less “secure about himself”.
It brought us many positive results and emotional growth.
Furious Dancer is more happy, willing and secure about himself than ever before.
Thanks again for inspiration. Can you refer to a good source (a book perhaps?) on clicker training?
Yes, Sari I will write to you privately and suggest you further reading.