Off to Shaftesbury to work with a horse that is reluctant to load. He always travels really well and is calm and cool when he gets to his destination. It is as important to work with the owner as it is the horse, especially when the horse's behaviour resolves itself fairly rapidly and you no longer have the horse to practise with! Here I am being the horse.
With a combination of clickered treats and gentle pressure and release Harley was soon going in and out willingly. I am told, sometimes by other IH people, that it isn't possible to use clickered rewards without having a separate session dedicated to that first. I don't find that is the case providing the clickered treats are introduced well before the horse might have experienced a rise in their adrenalin. The object for me is not to break a pattern of behaviour but to divert it. Harley certainly got the idea very quickly and recognised that he was being rewarded for even thinking forwards. The art is in the timing.
Email 4.7.14: "I'd like to thank you very much for your help, we've been practising and he went straight in first time without hesitation. The real test comes tomorrow as we are off to camp for the weekend! But I'm sure he'll be fine." CF
Email received 7.7.14: "Just to let you know we had a wonderful time at camp and he walked straight in the lorry to leave and come back. I couldn't have gone without your help and I can't thank you enough!" CF
