|
For a while now at dog training classes I've
been quoting 2 rules, first
'Do no harm', and
'Rewarded behaviours happen again'
Lately I notice that a lot of what I'm
teaching dog wise is reflected or mirrored in my reading and
learning with horses. Everything is everything else.
And an even bigger thing is noticing that my
attitude in dealing with people has also changed for the
better, too. The whole clicker training way of looking for
the positive to reward stops your focus on what is NOT, and
gives you a whole lot more positive attitude to life.
So from now on regardless of whether I
actually have a clicker in my hand or not, regardless of
whether I am actively training or not, I will still have a
clicker mindset – in all my training and in all my dealings;
with dogs, horses, people, family, friends, relatives, even
bosses -
How often can I say yes,
yes that is right,
yes thankyou that was well done.
Pearls of Wisdom
"Make
the right thing obvious"
Train where you can
Train what you DO want
Trust the process
Everything is everything else
Aggression comes from a place of fear
Don't start with your end goal
Ah, training holes! They're a wonderful
thing!
Every time you discover a training hole that gives
you a new project to work on.
And that's a good thing.
AK/TCTT
My training and my expectations of my horses
are governed by principles. And one of the key principles
is
you cannot ask for something and expect to get it on a
consistent basis unless you have gone through a teaching
process to teach it to your horse.
AK/TCTT
The solution: go to basic principles: train
where you and your horse can be successful.
AK/TCTT
How far into this work you explore is so very
dependant upon the horses you have.
Some of us are blessed
with great teachers.
They don't let us sit back and think we
know what we are doing.
They keep challenging us to learn
more.
AK/TCTT
If you can't watch it, you shouldn't ask your
horse to go through it.
AK/TCTT
That's the greatest thing about horses - they
are designed to keep you humble :) Just as soon as you think
you might actually know something, some horse comes along to
re-school you :) It's a good thing:)
J-A/CR
If she knew what you wanted and BELIEVED she
was able to do it.... She would BE doing it.
SF/CR
Yes I think this is an aspect to horses which
is so frequently missed:
the horse wants to get along, he
wants to find meaning in what you are doing. Horses are
social,
gregarious creatures. I think, sometimes, that
people underestimate horses (and other creatures)
and
somehow imagine that since we are human that the world
revolves around us.
SF/CR
A good trainer can get a horse following
him/herself around like a puppy and it doesn't HAVE to have
a thing to do with being 'top horse'. It has to do
with arranging things such that the horse finds ways to get
what he wants which just so happen to involve me getting
what I want.
SF/CR
I would also add that respect is a two way
street. Nearly all (ok probably ALL) of the people I've
ever taught have had trouble with this concept. The problem
isn't just that the horse is in YOUR space but chances are
you were in his first. And in fact MISSED (there we go,
late again) missed the signs that the horse gave the first,
second, third time around that he wasn't entirely
comfortable with how in HIS face YOU were. He tried to tell
ya but you weren't listening until HIS message got SO loud
you couldn't miss it....
And you got mad! When it comes right down to it can we
blame the horse for our rudeness
SF/CR
I wouldn't worry as much about are you
feeding quickly enough as are you
CLICKING OFTEN ENOUGH.
<<<<<<HUGE CONCEPT!!!
SF/CR
Your own mind and preconceived notions are
preventing you from seeing the obvious.
There is only ONE
set of behavioral laws. They always work and are
always 'in play'.
No matter WHAT training method is
being employed. That which is rewarded will occur more
frequently. That which is not 'rewarded' will
eventually extinguish.
One would think that a person
such as yourself would see the beauty in such a simple
universal rule. ;-)
SF/CR
To the horse principles count more! Breaking
things down, waiting rather than demanding, and rewarding
the behavior you want are what makes or breaks any given
process. Well done!
SF/CR
|
