FLYINGMANE
161 posts
Jun 16, 2009
7:57 PM
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Hi everyone! I have a huge question for people who knows a lot about clicker training. I have a VERY smart wild mustang. He does not let nobody to get close to him at all. I have some great sucess with the clicker training so much so that I can scratch his neck, touch a little bit his back etc. He comes to me now, in a nice and calm manor. My problem is :when I do not have any more treats, he is not interested to stay... I mean, like tonight, we had a great session, I scratch his back etc, and you could see that he was eager to be close to let me pet him. after I was done, I left to show him that we were done for the evening. He followed me, and stayed close by. I was very please with that so, I got on the other side of the fence and got him some long stem of grass. After a few "free" ones, I wanted to touch him again, WELL! he bolted! like if I had attacked him! what did I do wrong? Like I said he is very smart, and it seems that everything as to be on his own turms. Besically if it is good for him, he will try. If he realise that there is nothing in exchange to bad so sad he is not letting me touch him.... I am doing this in a free manor, not halter (well because I still can't catch him) but he is free to stay with me or to go away if there something that he does not agree with my actions. He always comes back though, trying to work it out. So, I am so very interested in your opignions. Cause, I am so so puzzle with that one! thanks
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cckiger
139 posts
Jun 17, 2009
4:03 PM
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I know next to nothing about clicker training but I think when you feed the treat they are supposed to turn the head away from you so that the horse doesn't get the impression it is taking food from you. It needs to do something and know it's a reward. You don't want the horse to think it is taking food from like it would a subordinate in the herd. My mustangs weren't born in the wild but the young one had been running on many acres of land and had only been haltered to get him to my house. He was pretty wild. It took me 2 weeks to catch him again, but then I wasn't sure what I was doing. I would approach him a little more each day in little steps. Like, if I could touch his neck I would do that and then before he moved away I'd move away, even if the touch was only 1/2 second. Then I'd try to touch his neck longer, then with the halter etc. But the key was to get a step forward and move away before he made the choice to move away. With the wild ones I've heard you can't force them. You have to get their trust and then it all comes together. Don't know if that helps any. I'm not a trainer.
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PB
815 posts
Jun 17, 2009
5:28 PM
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I know that clicker training is a foundation for training. For example when I was teaching Libby to lower her head to get her halter I would at first click if she just looked down. Then you wait a little longer to click. The horse searches for the correct action to get the click. She would then lower her head a bit more click give treat. Then a bit more click give treat, then you add a command to the action. "head down" for me. Now that she has learned the command I don't have to use the clicker or the treat. I think he knew you were through for the evening and was ready to go on with his own evening. Maybe he is just getting a little mentally tired after your sessions and is ready to stop the training too... I don't know.. I've never had a wild horse. I do know that when I work Libby or just groom her or anything. She seems very happy to be around me and enjoys the time spent, but when I turn her loose she goes on out into the paddock and back to her own agenda. She doesn't generally hang out with me, unless she is curious about something or thinks she is going to get something to eat. I think you are doing things in the right way. Just give yourself and your mustang time and patience. My hat's off to you for such a big undertaking!!
PB
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FLYINGMANE
162 posts
Jun 17, 2009
7:33 PM
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thank you for your feedback. Maybe you are right PB about been tired. I also talked to my husband and he thinks that because he was there also with me that it got Cherokee woried, who knows... I know it is a lot for him to let me be in his bubble. I have him since jan. this year, I had taken him as an help to the rescue center, by fostering him. then I fell in love with his personality and I adopted him. There is no time limits no rush at all between us. I got lot of good results with him, acutally HUGE ones. Nobody was able to have him even eating out of their hands. So, for me to be able to touch his side, scratch him it is awsome.
I just not sure about the way he acts sometimes. He is so smart! I was wondering if one day that I do not have treats, will he stop trying to get closer? Is there very good books on that? I know there is, but there is so many, wich one to choose and knowing it will help me. Yes it is a big undertaking, but I love every minutes of it. I love trying new things and to teach a horse from the ground. If I could, I would never go on a horse again to ride. It is not my thing...(go figure) but I love working with babies and with Cherokee. I had 6 horses, sold 2, and trying to sell at least two more so I can have all my time for him and one other of my boys. ouf! lots to think about!
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dog-shrink
474 posts
Jun 18, 2009
1:21 AM
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I do lots of clicker training with dogs but have never done it with horses. PB is right. I think they know when it is a training session and when it's over. Some horses want to be with you naturally, others need work to do so. When Gringo is loose he won't come to me (yet) and usually takes one step away from me if I approach him. I spend some time walking past him and sometimes stopping. At the moment I don't try to touch him and if it looks like he's going to walk away I do it first.This is a horse who has been whacked and also only caught to work so it's taking time. My horse trainer said that if we work together it will come right and we will have a better bond than with a horse who didn't need the work. So on we go!
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Bitless - not witless!
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trina24
15 posts
Jun 18, 2009
6:16 AM
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I have always trained Ben with rewards (treats) rather than other things. Even when riding, for example on Sunday we went out quite late in the evening for a peaceful hack, ha ha along comes a large tanker lorry with air brakes in the middle of the countryside!!
Managed to find a relative safe place, kept praising him which he assciociates with treats, so he kept very still until it had passed and then looked round for his treat which he duly had!! Phew was I relieved!!
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FLYINGMANE
163 posts
Jun 18, 2009
6:21 PM
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I had a very nice session tonight, a good 30 min... I am showing him to *touch* what ever I point at him, tonight was an halter. I was throwing it away from us, then walk to it and telling to "touch it" with his nose! wow! I can point his front leg and say "up" and he will. Point my finger at his bum and say "move" and he will move away from me, and move his head towards me. He follows me very closely now, always having an hear on me. I call him and he comes to me. Clicker training as been nothing but wounderfull for us. It as open doors for us to communicate. Trina24, do you give treats also while riding?
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PB
827 posts
Jun 18, 2009
6:37 PM
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Thats Great!! Just keep on... dont give up and soon you will have the trust of your horse and a halter on his head!! Libby loves small cheap dinner mints! I guess now it will have to be peanuts in the shell for her treat. PB
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Poeta
464 posts
Jun 19, 2009
6:24 PM
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Way to go FlyingMane! I knew you'd do amazing things with him. Sounds like you are well on your way to getting a halter on him soon. WOW! Have you tried laying a rope on him just to hang? Of course this is once he's okay with touching it first. Good for you! Slow and steady wins the race!
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FLYINGMANE
166 posts
Jun 22, 2009
8:21 AM
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Hi Poeta, Nice to see back! Guess what! I can touch his face! That is huge! I am so please! Yes I have tried with a rope on him loosely, but he is not there yet. We work slowly at it.
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trina24
16 posts
Jun 23, 2009
5:34 AM
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Yes I do give treats while riding if I feel that Ben has done what I have asked him to do nicely. Also if something scary (see lorry tale above) occurs and he has been brave! Seems to pay off, am sure its not what some people would think correct, but it works for us!
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