Since we started to use clicker training with Dina she has never failed to be caught and the change in her overall attitude has been phenomenal. As a result her owner, Sarah, thought she might be able to address the second problem on her list - The Farrier. Having been hit with a rasp in the past Dina has retaliated by kicking a farrier and gets upset just at the sight of one in the yard. We're working on this incrementally and our first step was to see whether she would accept anyone other than Sarah handling her feet. Next would she accept them using a rasp?
The answer was a resounding yes. To finish this part of the session I used some pleasant and gentle manipulation techniques aimed at changing her mind about having her feet handled.
Our next task was to see 'how low we could go' when it came to incremental training. Dina was shown in modern Arabian classes as a youngster which involved having bags and flags shaken at her in order to show her at her (most frightened) best. This means she is extremely wary of anything which flaps.
She wasn't very sure about being asked to follow a completely folded umbrella. If she had pulled back then I might have been pulled towards her, along with the brolly.
Better then to ask Tracey to carry it so that we can follow it independently.
And even stand quietly next to it partly unfurled.
