This message is from: Gail Russell <g...@zeliga.com>
I would try the food avenue, with a click. Maybe, put him in a round pen and ask for a trot or canter. As soon as he starts to trot or canter, click and then treat with a carrot or apple piece (small). Then put some kind of single item in the round pen that he will reach (a cone) or go over (cavaletti or jump). When he reaches the cone or jump, click and treat. It will not take long before he will start rushing over to the jump or cone. In fact, it will become a bit of a problem. You will have to teach an "opposite, incompatible behavior" to defuse the fact that he will become a cone or jump seeking fool once he figures out the game. (Everyone worries about food-trained horses mauling their owners for treats. Little do they know that that is not the biggest problem with food training. If you do not teach an opposite, countervailing behavior, the enthusiasm for the trained behavior can get out of hand. (By the way, the way to stop mugging is to teach an opposite incompatible behavior, that of turning the head away when food is offered without a preceeding click.) I had a Fjord that did not like to canter and did not like to jump. Using carrots and clicks we had him pulling toward the jumps. Another thing you can do is squeeze with your legs. The second he goes forward, click and treat. Yes, he will stop dead, so you are not really getting what you want in the end, but you can slowly work up to more steps or more energy (not both in the same training cycle). The above is a quickie explanation. You should really buy one of Alexandra Kurland's books and join her e-mail list, and read the blogs of some of the people who subscribe to that list as well. Gail Important FjordHorse List Links: Subscription Management: http://tinyurl.com/5msa7e FH-L Archives: http://tinyurl.com/rcepw FH_L Shirts: http://tinyurl.com/8yky94l
