Possibly my last loading job. This is eighteen year old Arabian, Dom, who has not loaded in less than forty-five minutes for quite a few years. Even so, we did not work against the clock today. We just wanted to show him that his new trailer is safe as he has always travelled in a horsebox, facing backwards and entering sideways before.
It would be easy to label him as stubborn but he passed several lots of droppings while we were working with him...
I used clicker rewards to thank him for every step that he took forward...
...and eventually enclosed him with the panels to ask him to engage with the trailer...
...once he had been in and out of the trailer a couple of times, it all became a lot easier and we ended the session with him walking on and off very calmly and easily.
Meanwhile, five year old Odey, can be a little worried about life...
...particularly about having his ears touched. We used simple touch and move away techniques and a more certain touch (fingers-together-as-if-wearing-mittens) to help him to like having his ears touched. I think it was light, tickly touch that was bothering him.
His groundwork was pretty 'spot-on' and his owner Georgie has been practising Straightness Training with him. He just needs to be encouraged to do things a little more slowly...
...rather than rushing and anticipating. He needs to breathe and relax more.
He struck me as a horse that has been in trouble with people before and we needed to let him know that he isn't. We can help him with that by being clear and consistent and utterly fair.
