# Mustang Maddy



## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Quote by Mustang Maddy:

I’m not here to mold a horse like clay.⁣
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But... I’m a horse trainer. I specialize in behavior modification, and I’m teaching the horse to alter her behaviors so she’s safe, healthy and having fun in the human world 







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And yet, my statement still stands.⁣
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It’s not my intention to take a horse, and turn her into whatever _I_ want her to be.⁣
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This is one reason I haven’t settled on a specific discipline like many trainers do. My heart is with mustangs, rehabilitation cases, and exotic animals





















all of whom have skill sets, temperaments, and wisdom that vary extensively







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And I don’t try to force them all into a box of my own choosing







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Instead of molding them like clay...⁣
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I want to see them as a beautiful stone — my only goal being to chip away at what doesn’t serve their highest purpose







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I help them shed any fear, distrust, anxiety, dissociation...⁣
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To reveal their fullest selves







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I allow their beauty, true essence and wisdom to lead the way in what we do together







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Like Michelangelo once said: ⁣
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“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.⁣
I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”⁣
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As trainers & horse people







we are sculptors







our only job to reveal the beauty that lies within every horse we know, and helping them to release what doesn’t serve them... to set them free







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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

This lady is a real inspiration to me. I just cannot NOT share.

Mustang Maddy says:

The unexpected pain of embracing compassionate training methods







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One of my students described feeling both relief and grief when her eyes were opened to her horse’s stress signals.⁣
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The traditional way we’ve been taught to train & care for horses causes a lot of stress.⁣
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Using flooding, excessive pressure. Keeping a horse isolated, restricting movement with stalls. Our most basic concepts of horse care and training go against the horse’s fundamental needs







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And we can feel that. As children, we felt bad when a horse got hit. We wanted to see horses moving freely, playing with one another.⁣
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But somewhere along the way, we were taught otherwise.⁣
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Now, with more information at our fingertips, we can find sources that confirm our intuition: it doesn’t have to be this way







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So, we dive in.⁣
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One of the many things we learn is how to identify stress signals, a vital piece of ethical training & care.⁣
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That’s where the relief and grief kicks in. There’s the solace in knowing that our horses are thriving now... and devastation for what we put them through before we knew better.⁣
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It’s painful. It can bring up a lot of guilt and shame for the way we used to do things.⁣
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If you’re in this situation, feeling this pain... I want to commend you







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Many people unwittingly reject the science of ethical practices, because they don’t want to face the grief of knowing the pain their horse has been in.⁣
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They’ll angrily reject the notion of staying below fear thresholds, addressing stress signals, etc. because they are trying to stay safe — to be able to see themselves as good people. They care, and don’t want to face the pain that change brings. And that’s a perfectly real, valid experience. Everyone is on their own journey, and will reach different conclusions than me, which I have respect for







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But back to you.⁣
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You’re willing to go there. You’re willing to step into the darkness and pain by getting to know your horse deeply, even when it hurts. There’s no stopping the grief, that’s part of the process. But you are willing to do hard things to create a more connected relationship...⁣
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And that makes you incredibly strong, brave, and kind


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Yep, looking back at some of my behavior towards animals I claimed to love can (and is at times) painful at best.

Maddy talks about this some more. Very clear she didn't wake up one morning and find herself to be where she is at present.

Maddy.............

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My first horse bucked me off every time I rode her














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I was small, and things were getting a bit out of hand, so my dad started riding her instead. And then...⁣
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I got my next horse. Her same was Sarah







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I was incredibly drawn to Sarah. She was young, quick, and sensitive. I wanted to do speed events, and she seemed like the perfect partner







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So the adventure began. Poor Sarah and I wore holes into the ground in our many runs through makeshift barrels







I couldn’t get enough of riding. It’s all I ever wanted to do, all I ever thought about.⁣
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As passionate as I was, I had no concept of developing softness at the time... and Sarah started running off with me














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Things went from had to worse. The advice I got from those around me was to get a bigger bit, so I could control her. In the photos of Sarah from childhood, I can see the bits getting progressively bigger. Longer shanks, tiedowns, & shorter reins were added one by one. She was bound up, loaded with restraints







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Eventually, the bits stopped working.⁣
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One day at a barrel race, she bolted mid pattern. I pulled on the reins with all the strength I had, and she still wouldn’t stop







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My hands were ripped up and bleeding by the time she finally slowed







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It became very clear that equipment wouldn’t solve this problem. So Sarah went off to a horse trainer, and came back lovely and soft







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In no time, she was bolting again. The trainer helped Sarah, but _I_ hadn’t properly learned to communicate with my horse, so the same old problems returned.⁣
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A trainer couldn’t fix this. A bit couldn’t fix this.⁣
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Ultimately, the only way a permanent transformation could take place is if I took up the responsibility of deeply understanding my horse







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What she desires, how she processes fear, what motivates her, what she needs in order to learn & grow.⁣
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Thankfully, I chose to take up this challenge, and everything changed for us — for the better







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Looking back, it’s hard to think about what Sarah went through. I honor her for being a huge learning point in my journey







And I thank my past self for stepping into responsibility for the horse-human relationship of my wildest dreams


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Poor Rusty..........

Shortly after I received my rescue dog Roman, I picked up a shovel laying on the ground and he immediately ran sideways with eyes rolling but fixed on me. That took a month to desensitize.

Yesterday I picked up a short piece of 4x4 lumber about 20 feet from Rusty and he had a similar reaction. 

I went on with what I was doing and he eventually came over to carefully examine exactly what it was I was doing and then left......casually.

Later I went to him for a little TLC and he was fine. But he is just so nervous and cautious about everything.

I do not think any form of pressure/release, no matter how lightly applied, would be successful in working with Rusty the mule at this point.

I first began looking into and studying positive reinforcement quite a ways back, but it was my recent discovery of Mustang Maddy that really sent me fully submerged in the +R rabbit hole. She's been a real inspiration.

Without that added impetus, I may have never had the courage to adopt Rusty and if I had, without +R, it may well have been a disastrous failure.

As it is, I am very confident and he is incrementally coming along and will, I believe, eventually 'be there'.

And he is such a great guy! I am so happy we met. And thank you Maddy!

Maddy has an online program that is open to people on the waiting list and is opening to the public on May 18th. Were it not for being somewhat financially challenged, I would join this session in a heartbeat. It's really not that expensive for the average person.

I opted for retirement a little too early and now I am "paying the piper".


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## newtrailriders (Apr 2, 2017)

@trailscout have you enrolled for her academy?


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

trailscout said:


> Were it not for being somewhat financially challenged, I would join this session in a heartbeat.


Nope. Not this go around. Hopefully I'll be able to the next session.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Maddy talks about Start, End, and Anchor signals in communication with the horse.

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These 3 things can change the way you communicate with your horse forever







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When you look around at mainstream training practices... You may notice a pattern.⁣
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The communication that most of us have been taught to use is _completely_ one way.⁣
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The human “speaks” by telling the horse what she wants, and the horse is expected to “listen” by correctly responding to any given cue







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This is the way training has been done in most circles for a very long time...⁣
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But does it _have_ to be this way in order to have safe, responsive horses?⁣
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Thankfully, no







there IS a way (many ways!) to communicate with our horses that includes them in the conversation. Their wants, needs and desires can be honored & respected in training. And yes! It can be done safely + effectively







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Here are three concepts that I use in my training to give horses a voice in what they do & what happens with their bodies







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- Start signals⁣
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Using this technique, you can have a horse tell YOU when she’s ready to perform a behavior. She can give you a signal (such as touching a traffic cone) that she’s ready for you to mount up, or accept a needle for routine care, for example.⁣
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- End signals⁣
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Your horse can let you know when something is too overwhelming, scary, or even painful by displaying a trained behavior, which lets you know to stop doing what you’re doing. I use this a lot for colt starting — if the horse does a hindquarter yield, that’s his trained signal to let me know he needs me to get off.⁣
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- Anchor signals⁣
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Basically the start and end signals wrapped into one! When a horse is doing a trained “anchor” behavior, she’s letting you know that she feels safe for you to keep doing what you’re doing. For example, holding her head even with her withers during a grooming session. If she comes out of the anchor, that’s your signal to stop.⁣
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Giving your horse a voice using these 3 techniques boosts her confidence, allows her to truly say YES to training, and opens up genuine communication







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Open, honest, respectful communication is the foundation for any relationship — including with horses







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End Quote


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I've been reading, watching, and studying various +R trainers for a while now. They are mostly all good and each have their strong points. The difference in some may be the learner. Some prefer some styles, some prefer others.

For me, as far as breaking things down to where even "I" can understand and apply, Maddy is just really great. I won't try to rank her or any of the other +R trainers, I'll just say she's really great, for me, in breaking things down.

Maybe it's her communication style. Did you know she has a communications degree from Purdue? Perhaps communication should be the first thing we study with horses before even moving on to feed, feet, and health.

And now: HERE'S MADDY!

*It’s on nearly every horsewoman/man’s mind at one point or another… 

And when it’s lacking, it can cause some serious damage, both physically and emotionally. 

Trust. 

"How do I get my horse to trust me?" Is one of the main questions I get on an ongoing basis.

And for good reason! We are working with prey animals, designed to spot and flee from danger at a moment's notice… And in the human world, we ask horses to go against their instincts on nearly every level. 

In order to have a connected relationship with our horses, building trust in a reliable, ethical way is absolutely necessary. 

That’s precisely why I am writing this training for you!

Keep reading to get my signature 5-step protocol for trust building.

I’ll be honest, there’s a lot packed into this protocol. I have nearly 4 hours of content within the HCA "deep dives library" on this very topic. 

But to help you understand a high-level view of solutions to a trust issue, I am going to lay out this protocol for you now. 
Here we go!


Step 1: Counterconditioning

Counterconditioning is an excellent tool that the use of positive reinforcement (R+) provides. It gives us the ability to help the horse go from seeing an object/place/person etc. as aversive, and moves it up the scale so that it is either neutral or appetitive (meaning the horse desires it). 

Pretty cool, right? Here’s what this looks like in action:

Let’s say that you’re having trouble haltering your horse. She’s fearful of the halter, maybe because of past experiences, or because she’s a wild horse and naturally perceives it as a threat. 

To use counterconditioning, you can click & treat your horse for touching the halter with her nose. 

Of course, you’ll break this behavior down into small steps. For example, start by making the targeting behavior very strong, and then have her target objects similar to a halter, and then have her target the halter lying on the ground, and work up to the point where she’s comfortable touching the halter when it’s in your hand. Add as many steps as needed in between! You may even need to start with click/treating for her just looking at the halter. 

Eventually, the horse will associate the very presence of the halter with an appetitive experience, instead of aversive. That’s a good start, right? 

Step 2: Increasing the Horse’s Control

I talk about this one a lot  But that’s because of how powerful it is for decreasing fear in horses (or any other animal). 

Give the horse control. 

You can use start signals, end signals, anchor behaviors, and more! I teach all of these in HCA, of course. 

Here’s this concept in action:
Sticking with the haltering example, a great way to give you horse control would be to use an "anchor" behavior, where the horse holds her head in a low position with a straight, relaxed neck. 

When she goes into this position, she is signaling to you that she’s ready to work on the haltering behavior. 

If she comes out of this position, it means she is asking you to stop. 

She has control over what happens to her body in this scenario. When she has control, she actually becomes more likely to accept what you’re doing without fear! She knows she can say "no" at any time. 

When you follow this protocol, your horse will gradually say "no" less and less <3 It’s a great feeling knowing your horse is truly saying yes, because she knows she can say no. 

When she has control, genuine trust becomes possible.

Step 3: Training Under Threshold by Systematic Desensitization

Traditional training methods would have you sending the horse into a fear reaction intentionally, and then releasing the pressure/aversive when the horse holds still… 

But did you know that you can actually train your horse without doing this?

In fact, this way of training can be very damaging. Instead, you can train your horse by intentionally staying below the "fear threshold," which builds real TRUST (vs. shutting down and coping, which can occur with traditional training). 

By using something called "shaping" — which means to break a behavior down into small steps & reward the smallest try — you can stay below a horse’s fear threshold and avoid a fight, flight or freeze reaction. 

A great way to break down the haltering behavior into tiny steps is by isolating fear factors such as: visual, tactile, duration, location, and size of the halter. 

Instead of putting a big bulky halter on for a long period of time, use just a piece of rope and work on sliding that over her nose for just a moment. 

Isolate, then you can recombine later to get the whole behavior!

Step 4: Use Clean Loops

Ah, clean loops! My favorite discovery. 

A "loop" is this sequence: cue, behavior, reward. 

When you have a "clean loop" it means that your horse responded to the cue, performed the behavior beautifully, and received the reward, all without fear or hesitation. 

When you’re working on a step, make sure to get 3-5 "clean loops" in a row before moving on to the next step. 

If you can’t get clean loops at this step, go to an easier step until you can get clean loops. Build from there  

This has been totally life changing for me and my students! 

You’ll build true confidence and trust in your horse when she feels safe doing a behavior, each step of the way.

Step 5: Create an "Escape Route"

We all know that horses' first choice for staying safe in the wild is to flee from danger. In the horse world, the ability to escape = survival. 

If you use steps 1-4, step 5 will be needed rarely! However, it is incredibly important.

Allowing your horse to have an escape route during training paves the way for a trusting relationship. When she knows she can leave, she’ll be more likely to feel safe staying with you. 

If I am using pressure & release training, I love to work with any fear inducing behaviors at liberty (no ropes or tack), in the round pen. This way, if my horse decides to leave… I let her. If she’s afraid of what we are doing, I allow her to leave the situation. I ask her to canter several laps around the round pen, and then invite her back in to work with me at an easier step. 

The horse feels safer because she can leave, but also learns that she doesn’t need to react. 

When I am using R+ techniques, I recommend using what I call the redirection, and A-B techniques. 

Let me break this down for you:

An A level behavior is a more difficult behavior that has the potential to cause a fear reaction, while a B level behavior is one that the horse is comfortable and well established with. 

When using the redirection technique, if your horse is showing fear and either stops participating or goes to leave… Let her! Redirect her to a B level behavior. This will re-engage her in the training, and build something called "behavioral momentum." You can revisit the A level behavior once you have that momentum back!

You can take this a step further by proactively using the A-B technique.

If you’re working with a horse on an A-level behavior, you can actually give her an "escape" by moving on to a B-level behavior before she has a fear reaction. Before redirection is even necessary!

This is incredibly helpful in building a horse’s confidence, as each time you work with her on a potential fear-inducing behavior, she gets to move on before ever feeling unsafe. 

There you have it! My signature protocol for building trust with your horse <3 

This 5 step protocol has made a world of difference for me and my * * HCA students! *


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## K horsey girl (Apr 20, 2021)

Wow that’s really inspiring


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

The blog below was written especially for me. I'm certain of that. At first, I had to follow the protocol of the shy fearful horse when working with Rusty. I rewarded for him actually turning towards me. Then we tapered off and I started training for neutral as he began to know and trust me more.

Now that he really knows me, even though the trust is variable, he is absolutely food .......happy. He gets so excited! So we're having to go back to some more neutral training. But I'd rather have the food happy mule rather than one that shied away at 20 feet.

Anyhow, here's Maddy's words on the subject.......

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4 Tips on how to use food rewards with a treat-crazy horse















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If you’ve tried using food rewards with your horse and she freaks out the whole session... Keep reading







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Horses who:⁣
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~ Nab treats⁣
~ Get in your space trying to get food⁣
~ Paw between behaviors⁣
~ Won’t stop searching for food⁣
~ Are food aggressive//just generally food-crazy...⁣
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Have something called an “over-aroused seeking system”







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The cause may be from past experiences such as intense hunger or improper weaning







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However, using clicker training with these horses is still possible!







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Here are my 4 tips for yaaa:⁣
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1 - Use the redirection technique







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Train for a behavior called calm default stationing (CDS), where the horse stands in a relaxed, neutral position. When in CDS, they know they’ll be rewarded continually for an easy behavior: standing relaxed. If frustration comes up for your horse, redirect them to CDS & relaxation will be built into sessions







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2 - Longer sessions







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Don’t leave your horse hanging! With high food drive horses, be careful not to leave them desperate for more. Longer sessions incorporating the tips outlined in this post will help them get into the rhythm of chill training







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3 - Begin training after an enrichment session & loose hay







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If the horse knows food is always plentiful and she’s not going into a session hungry, her seeking system will be turned down & she’ll be able to relax







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4 - Use low-value, large rewards







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Low-value means less tasty







Using timothy grass instead of alfalfa, for example, will make a huge difference in your horse’s demeanor







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*The reason for using large rewards (ex: hay cubes instead of pellets) is increased chew time







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When food is consumed, the seeking system is turned off momentarily, and the brain registers receiving the reward. Using small treats, the horse’s brain may not register consumption, so the seeking system remains over-aroused.⁣
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There you have it! Go forth and train your food loving friends with ease







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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Whaaaat??? Recess??? They get to do what THEY want?? 

That's what Maddy says.......

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Unlock your horse’s potential using her _own_ creativity







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In traditional settings, horses don’t get to be creative







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Humans have all the power, while horses are expected to comply with everything that’s asked of them. As you can imagine, this crushes creativity, which is incredibly disempowering







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A horse feeling disempowered in her life could lead to her being:⁣
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shut down⁣







dull⁣







stuck⁣







fearful⁣
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But when your horse experiences reinforcement through behavior that _she_ creates & offers, she becomes







empowered







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Her full potential is unlocked, which boosts her confidence, lights her up inside, and allows energy to flow







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How might we boost creativity, you may ask?







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My mechanism of choice is the Show Me Anything Game







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In this exercise, you’ll reward your horse for _anything_ she offers you, so she can’t go wrong.⁣
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Here’s how to set up the game:⁣
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Make sure you differentiate the game from your usual cue sessions, so that your horse doesn’t become frustrated in regular training. You could use a different treat pouch and have a softened presence, for example⁣
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Don’t cue calm default stationing⁣
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Do have a novel and not scary object in the middle of the training area⁣
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Once you’re set up for success, bring your horse in. Then, begin feeding her close to the novel object to establish it as a place of reinforcement







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If you think interaction with her nose would be fun, freely feed her directly over the object. If you want to encourage play with her feet, place the object just in front of, or behind her feet.⁣
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She should naturally form an interest in the object. Click & treat for any engagement in it, and she will continue to play!⁣
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You want to keep the rate of reinforcement up, so try to feed every 5 seconds or so, ideally no more than 10. If your horse loses interest after 5-10 seconds, simply free feed over the object once again, and she should regain interest







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Your horse may push, nibble, step on, pick up, toss, or even rest her face on the novel object...⁣
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Just for fun! And empowerment














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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

One of a long list of downsides to discovering (actually discovering) horses "later" in life is the decreased strength, stamina, vitality, flexibility, and on and on that is accompanied with advancing years.

A physical skill that requires a lot of above is difficult to acquire later in life. And to train a horse using conventional methods can involve a whole lot of above.

Without the development of positive reinforcement training, I would be left to a horse (or mule) that was a kid safe school horse. But thankfully I, and others now have another option. And it works. My rescue mule had many of the same problems that my rescue dog came with. Very fearful. It's been almost five weeks and the progress is huge. But............there's miles and miles to go still yet.

Maddy talks about this below:

Quote:

Honestly... it happens to most of us. If you rode as a kid, you were fearless. And if not fearless & a little reckless, you were at least bouncier if you ever hit the ground







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Nowadays, you don’t want to take the same risks that you used to. Your psyche, obligations, and wallet can’t afford an injury.⁣
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If you’re in the traditional training world, this kind of shift can be career/hobby ending







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If you’re not available for the “cowboy up” narrative anymore, but unaware of your other options... you basically can’t train horses. It’s dangerous — wild behavior from the horse is to be expected using these tactics







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This brings about a massive sense of loss. You can’t train the way you used to, ride the way you used to, swing your leg over a horse you never would have thought twice about before...








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On top of that... it can even feel embarrassing. You might feel silly, unskilled, weak... the list goes on.⁣
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I know how painful this is







and how much you miss the way things used to be.⁣
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But here’s another perspective:⁣
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1 - There’s _nothing_ wrong with taking a safer approach to training. If anything, it’s a testament to your more developed prefrontal cortex














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2 - The science of horse training has progressed and revealed that GOOD, ethical training is also SAFER training.⁣
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So next time you’re feeling bad about your riding/training abilities, remember that _not_ risking your life just to saddle up is for the best.⁣
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Best for your physical health, your mental health, your horse’s emotions and training, your family, and everyone who cares about you







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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Oh man! How many get to avoid this learner's pitfall? I know I didn't. It is very encouraging, in a roundabout way, to learn that someone with the skills and understanding of the equine that Maddy has also did not avoid this ever present pitfall early on. Who knows, maybe there is a; chance for me as well.

Maddy talks about her experience with The Pitfall.

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The 2 Decisions I Made That Changed My Horsemanship Forever







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These decisions came after a LOT of struggle and I knew I _needed_ to change.⁣
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Near the beginning of my horsemanship journey, I fell in love with barrel racing and other speed events







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I got a new horse named Joker, hoping that he would be the answer to all my horse problems







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Joker was trained to do it all. He was sold to me as “dead broke” and “bomb proof.”







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When I tried him out, he was automatic on the pattern. So easy, so fun... And Joker could win a barrel race







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IF...⁣
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You could get him into the trailer to _get_ to the barrel race. And then get him into the arena







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Joker was extremely “ring sour” meaning, he didn’t want to go into the arena.⁣
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And looking back... It is absolutely CRAZY the things I was told to do to get him into the arena







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Chase him with a flag⁣







Whip him with my rein until he kept going forward⁣







Blindfold him⁣
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I remember blindfolding him, and having someone lead him into the arena where I would take the blindfold off and run him.⁣
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This might sound crazy... But this was NORMAL. It’s all I knew.⁣
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It hurts my heart thinking about it now.







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And not once — Not ONCE — did I, or anyone else ask... Why? Why doesn’t he want to go into the arena?⁣
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That wasn’t a question, which is mind boggling. Because I had _so_ many people giving me advice.⁣
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But... After I decided to:⁣
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1 - Take responsibility for the results I was creating (not blame the horse)...⁣
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2 - Connect with MYSELF by recognizing & accepting my own emotions (no longer seeking validation through being tough/winning)...⁣
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I could finally see how ineffective and unethical these tactics were







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This was the turning point of my horsemanship journey.







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This is when I began seeking compassionate methods so that I could finally live my lifelong dream:⁣
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Having my horses _want_ to be with me, just as much as I want to be with them







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What moments or decisions changed your horsemanship forever?


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I watched "Teatime" today on Maddy's first video of the Mystic Experiment. First time in a couple of months. It seemed like I was watching it for the very first time although I have watched it at least 3 or 4 times as well as all the other vids a few times.

The first video of the series is long, almost an hour, but the teatime segment is last and around 20 minutes or so. I'll have to rewatch the other Teatimes but I don't remember any topping this first which was out of the park. And she's only about as old as my oldest grandchild!

I'll paste a link to that video in case anybody's interest is piqued.

But this post is mainly about a recent post/blog by Maddy. I sold one of my horse trailers to a couple that picked it up yesterday. We really hit it off on what a horse was and how they are best treated. They suggested we plan a ride. I sadly reported I had no horse to ride. One had feet problems and the mule had a ton of old baggage to unload before anyone could ride him. (he is turning out to be a pretty athletic equine!)

So anyhow, then a moment ago I read this by Maddy and it sort of hit home.

And with that, here's Maddy.........

Quote:
If you have huge aspirations you want to fulfill with your horse, but you’re feeling painfully unmotivated… You may be missing this critical piece in your horsemanship







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⁣
It’s not a tactic, tool, or process.⁣
⁣
It _is_ an essential part of our existence as human beings, and therefor, as horsewomen & men.⁣
⁣
Have you guessed it yet? It is:⁣
⁣







Community







⁣
⁣
Individualism is a massive part of the dominant culture in the west… And it makes us feel like we _should_ be able to do all of this on our own.⁣
⁣
We feel like we should be able to use enough self discipline and willpower to force ourselves to achieve our dreams







⁣
⁣
But what if it’s really not supposed to be like that?⁣
⁣
What if, instead, we surrounded ourselves with people who are just as passionate about horses & ethical methods as we are, and became inspiration for one another?







⁣
⁣
There’s nothing like bouncing ideas off of people you deeply resonate with, fanning each others’ flames, and working & playing together, doing things you share a love for







⁣
⁣
Until you cultivate a community like this… have grace for yourself. What you’re doing isn’t easy. Feeling alone and isolated is painful at a core level. But don’t give up







⁣
⁣
Keep doing what you can, when you can. And to find a community?⁣
⁣
Be yourself







⁣
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Share your thoughts, opinions, and deeply held beliefs with the world. When you’re authentic and openly embodying who you truly are, you’ll begin to attract people to be in your circle














⁣ Unquote

The video mentioned above: 













⁣






·


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

If there is a theme that Maddy repeats, and repeats, and repeats; it is: "To connect with your horse, you must first connect with yourself".

I think she believes this deeply based on her own personal experience. And I have come to believe it also, although I've yet to actually own it from from my own personal experience, but I'm progressing.

This belief is undoubtedly why she spends as much time on "TeaTime" as she does on actual training.

I just read an article on Pocket about Bruce Lee and some of the material is sooooo Maddy! And based on her belief, it is all applicable to connecting with our horse (or mule) (or donkey). And Zebra I guess.

Quoted:

_“Real self-esteem is an integration of an inner value with things in the world around you,”_ Anna Deavere Smith 



> We can see through others only when we see through ourselves. Lack of self-awareness renders us transparent; a soul that knows itself is opaque.


To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are… Yet it is remarkable that the very people who are most self-dissatisfied and crave most for a new identity have the least self-awareness. They have turned away from an unwanted self and hence never had a good look at it. The result is that those most dissatisfied can neither dissimulate nor attain a real change of heart. They are transparent, and their unwanted qualities persist through all attempts at self-dramatization and self-transformation. 


Our lack of self-awareness, Lee argues, makes us look to others to tell us who we are. (Learning not to do that is one of life's hardest, most important lessons. He considers the perilous yet profoundly human impulse for conformity.i



> We have more faith in what we imitate than in what we originate. We cannot derive a sense of absolute certitude from anything that has its roots in us. The most poignant sense of insecurity comes from standing alone; we are not alone when we imitate. It is thus with most of us! We are what other people say we are. We know ourselves chiefly by hearsay.


Note: My text color change.



> There is a powerful craving in most of us to see ourselves as instruments in the hands of others and thus free ourselves from the responsibility for acts that are prompted by our own questionable inclinations and impulses. Both the strong and the weak grasp at the alibi. The latter hide their malevolence under the virtue of obedience; they acted dishonorably because they had to obey orders. The strong, too, claim absolution by proclaiming themselves the chosen instrument of a higher power — God, history, fate, nation, or humanity.


At the root at our misguided grasping at self-worth, Lee asserts, is a confusion between pride and self-esteem. He examines the crucial difference between the two:



> Pride is a sense of worth derived from something that is not part of us, while self-esteem derives from the potentialities and achievements of self. We are proud when we identify ourselves with an imaginary self, a leader, a holy cause, a collective body of possessions. There is fear and intolerance in pride; it is insensitive and uncompromising. The less promise and potency in the self, the more imperative is the need for pride. The core of pride is self-rejection.


End Quotes. I'm going to stop there. For those interested, I'll post a link.

Some may wonder if this is all off subject. Some may think it is. I do not. Clever Hans was so gifted at reading human body language that he could do things that no human could be trained to do.

Our body language reveals to the horse exactly who we are and what we are. If we do not know the person the horse is communicating with, then the entire conversation can become a three way confusing conversation. The horse sees us as saying one thing while we see ourselves as saying something else.

That is why, I believe, that Maddy stresses the importance of self knowledge (connecting with ourselves) is of such paramount importance to equestrian pursuits. I really do.

Me? I'm still walking around in the dark with a flashlight in this wide wide rabbit hole.

Bruce Lee on Self-Actualization and the Crucial Difference Between Pride and Self-Esteem


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

This I will start working first thing tomorrow. (The anchor behavior)

I have been paying closer and closer attention to thresholds. I've been trying to go way way too fast before Rusty is ready.

Chewing is a big early threshold I've learned. Anything done that is the least bit worrisome and he'll stop chewing. Problem is, something distracting in the distance will also stop his chewing. A click will usually stop the chewing also but I can recognize that. But not always the distant distraction.

I've thought about it and I and other people also stop chewing under certain circumstances, but all of them are not fear or worry related.

This anchor behavior sounds like a very good way for the horse to communicate. And knowing/learning that you/I will respond accordingly has got to give the horse a lot more confidence. I think this is something that should work wonders. We'll see.

Here's Maddy's explanation, although I'm sure there are many more details and examples at HCA.

Quote:


MINI-TRAINING







The life-changing “anchor behavior” & how to use it







⁣
⁣
An anchor behavior is one of my favorite tools for 2-way communication





















⁣
⁣
If you’ve been following me for a minute, you know the importance of giving your horse the tools to effectively communicate with YOU⁣
⁣
And then you responding appropriately







⁣
⁣
An anchor behavior is basically a start signal AND an end signal in one







Let’s use the “head down” behavior as an example.⁣
⁣
I’ll train my horse to hold her head slightly lower than her withers, which cues that she’s ready to be brushed (start signal). She will _keep_ her head in this position to communicate that she’s comfortable with what’s happening to her, and I continue brushing. If she comes _out_ of this position by lifting her head up, I know to stop what I’m doing because she’s uncomfortable (end signal)⁣
⁣
This drastically reduces fear, speeds confidence building, & allows your horse to truly say “yes” because she has the option to say no







⁣
⁣







How to train this anchor behavior:⁣
⁣
First, I’ll train my horse to lower her head using a target. She already knows to touch the target, so I just place it where I want her head. I build consistency there.⁣
⁣
Next, I’ll get duration. I’ll ask her to keep her head in that position for gradually increasing amounts of time. I’ll do this by clicking for 1 second of her head staying in position, then two, then three, etc. I’ll work up to at least 10 seconds in duration for this behavior.⁣
⁣
Then, I’ll introduce a behavior she’s shown to be comfortable with along with the head down behavior, such as petting. I’ll pet for a couple seconds, then click/treat. I _stop_ petting if she lifts her head, and don’t click/treat. I cue the anchor to show the answer, and begin again.⁣
⁣
Lastly, I’ll introduce something new that could be scary, like the brush. She goes into the anchor & I do one stroke of the brush. If she accepts, click/treat. If she lifts her head, I stop immediately. Cue anchor again & go to an easier step. This sets the premise for the exercise, and helps the horse understand that she now has tools to say “start” and “stop”







⁣


End Quote
















⁣


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

So if a horse just isn't feeling like being brushed that day and doesn't "accept" it, do you just turn it out and try again tomorrow?


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Oh man! The following post by Maddy was really brought home to me today with my "Trusty Rusty".

He came from the county Humane Society Equine Division with many signs of previous abuse prior to being surrendered to the Humane Society.

I have what I view as the standard ole curry comb with the concentric rings and a red handle as most it seems do.

Now the first time Rusty saw it he reached out and touched it with his nose and I proceeded to curry him removing the winter's hair growth. I've curried him several times since with or without him nosing the curry first.

My mane and tail brush has finally given up the ghost. At a dollar store the other day I saw a people brush that was very similar to the one I had used and it looked sturdy and for $4 so I bought it.

It is very shiny with a bright blue paisley background. Rusty will not allow that brush to come anywhere near him including his nose.

Today I was using the clicker and treats to begin counter conditioning him with the brush in my hand. I could hold it against my chest and he was fine with the click and treats afterward and chewed happily. I moved the brush 3" away from my chest and I could see him tense up a bit but he kept chewing. When I moved it 6" from my chest he stopped chewing and tensed up more. When I moved it back to my chest he resumed chewing.

The more he is trained with counter conditioning the faster he will learn and the more he will learn that what I offer is always safe. He will submit to almost anything reasonable if tied and sort of forced. But this is being done at liberty in a 4 acre field with no halter.

It's gonna take some time and patience but oh what a mule I shall have if successful. I am learning so much in so many ways about so many things in working with Rusty.

Small steps. I have never picked up a hind yet. But I stroked both his hinds half way down for a month and clicked and treated. Now I can reach toward any of his four feet and say "Foot" and he will pick it up. Have more work to do on duration though. But it'll come I am certain providing I don't hurry.

And with that long intro.......Here's Maddy!

Quote

When I talk about the importance of shaping during training, people grasp the concept. I can practically hear them thinking “Yep, got it. Break the complex behavior down into small steps, and reward the smallest try. I do that!”⁣
⁣
But unless they’ve been in HCA or out to a clinic of mine… They may be surprised. What people _think_ I mean when I talk about shaping is often very different from what I _actually_ mean







⁣
⁣







What people think I mean:⁣
⁣
The horse won’t load in the trailer. So let’s get one step in, reward. Two steps right after that, reward. Get them on the trailer, reward, then load em’ up and lock them in.⁣
⁣







What I actually mean:⁣
⁣







Work on ONE thing at a time in any given moment. To use training lingo, train with one criterion per approximation.⁣
⁣







Use the loopy training principle. A single “clean loop” is when you are able to cue a behavior, your horse performs it, you reward the horse, and everything went smoothly. No hesitation, unwanted behaviors, or fear whatsoever. Get 3-5 clean loops in a row before moving on to the next step.⁣
⁣
If you can’t get clean loops, you go back to a previous step that the horse can be successful at. I go up & down tons of times within a single session!⁣
⁣







Isolate & recombine criteria.⁣
⁣
You can isolate each tiny piece of the trailer loading experience, get them comfortable with each part, and recombine them one at a time. For example, a few of the many things I may isolate are:⁣
⁣







Enclosed spaces. I use cones and cone bars to simulate the horse walking into a small space that I can make bigger, smaller, more or less escape routes depending on where they’re at⁣
⁣







Closing a divider. I can use those same bars to teach them how to move over for a divider into a small space⁣
⁣







Stepping forward & up, then back & down using a training bridge instead of a trailer⁣
⁣







Wobbly surface to stand on. Practice walking on a mat to simulate the destabilization they’ll feel on the trailer⁣
⁣
See the difference? Using shaping well is an absolute game changer for getting you un-stuck & finally advancing your training.⁣
⁣


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

A session with the paisley brush was included when working with Rusty this morning. When I walked back with the brush he was very askance. I was holding it against my upper chest and when I moved it a mere 3 inches toward him he swung his head away...some. 

I waited until his head returned to forward, clicked and treated. With the brush still at 3 inches. Waited for any movement (including eyeballs) toward me and clicked and treated.

After about 8 or more clicks and treats his head would come closer and closer to the brush (eyeballs also).

Eureka! He finally touched it! BIG treat. Three more touches and the session was ended with a double handful on the ground in front of him which has become the end of session signal.

Some reading this, if any do, may wonder about an equine that is afraid of a silly brush. I am hoping after this is successful, I can begin introducing something that will serve as a hand held target. Without a handle absolutely! Rusty cannot be approached with anything long and slender in one's hand. Can't even pick up anything long and slender off he ground where he's watching. Get the picture? Abused equine.

When a target is successfully introduced and solid, the plan will be to introduce a handle around 4" long and increase over time with small increments.

Rusty is a wonderful mule in terms of people oriented and friendly. (and happily very food motivated!) But rusty has a huge backlog of bad memories that will take time to layer over with good stuff. But it's coming along. And so am I in terms of patience and an altered view of the equine.

Here's said brush:


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I brushed Rusty with the blue paisley brush today!!

Today is the fourth day of doing about 5 minute sessions with him while working on other training. Today we did two short sessions.

The first seemed to be a step backwards but definitely not a step forward. I was not discouraged as I'm learning and gaining confidence that training is not a straight and linear.

Couple of hours later while sitting in a chair in the lower field and just visiting with him, I decided to do a second session.

It started about the same as always but very soon he began to come very close, and closer to the brush with his nose. I made it easier to get to and continued to wait until he at least almost touched it. 

And pretty soon he TOUCHED IT! And then harder and harder. Getting clicks and extra sized treats of course.

Then I advanced the edge of the brush lightly to his shoulder clicked and treated. Three times of that and I began to lightly brush him with a click and treat after a couple of strokes. Then harder and harder.

Then a big ole handful with lots of verbal praise and a big end of session treat on the ground.

I feel pretty confident I'll be able to brush him straight away tomorrow. But if not, we'll back up to where he's comfortable and go again.

I'm just getting my toes wet but this has the potential to be life changing.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

FWIW, Rusty now totally ignores the blue paisley brush except for the slight smile indicating his pleasure at being groomed.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Maddy talking about stress and horses:

Quote:


"Horse’s stress signals have been normalized. Here’s what’s at stake







⁣
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Longtime horse owners, newbies, and pro horse trainers alike often misinterpret horse’s body language — or miss it all together







⁣
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Much of the traditional understanding of herd dynamics, respect, how horse’s brains work, etc. has been proven by science to be incorrect...⁣
⁣
But these practices are still commonplace in the horse industry, regardless of the fact that horses display stress signals constantly throughout training. As a result, we’ve come up against several issues that effect horse and human:⁣
⁣







Horses that explode, seemingly out of nowhere, causing injury to handlers or themselves⁣
⁣







Horses that are completely shut down. They seem dull, listless and unmotivated⁣
⁣







Chronically stressed horses that are flighty and uncontrollable, once again causing injury — or damaging the humans desire to be with horses⁣
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Horses that make their people happy by being “bomb proof” “push button” and “dead broke”.... but have no life left in them.⁣
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All of these issues go back to a lack of understanding. We haven’t _seen_ the horse (even if we think we do) when these scenarios come up







⁣
⁣
Now, some people understand a horse’s stress signals, but insist that the horse _needs_ to be put through stress in order to be “successful”







⁣
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In my research & experience, this is the reality:⁣
⁣
• Horses can & should be trained primarily under the fear threshold⁣
⁣
• Learning to SEE stress signals — and then honor them by taking them as feedback & adjusting the training — creates better training results⁣
⁣
• Horses that are understood, respected, and honored can feel safe, relaxed, joyful, motivated, and ALIVE







⁣
⁣
Understanding stress signals is a massive part of the Horse-Human Connection Academy (HCA), which is precisely why my students experience progress & transformation in ways they never imagined







⁣
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When we take the time to understand our horses & respond to their needs (that we can now see with fresh eyes)...⁣
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We can solve training problems, advance our training, and best of all:⁣
⁣
Create the horse-human connection we’ve always longed for







⁣" 
















"


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I've bumped into a situation with Rusty that is similar to the situation that Maddy ran into with Mystic when training her to halter.

Maddy had broken all the steps down to small criteria and had conditioned them all. But sometimes Mystic would halter in the field at liberty and sometimes she would act as if this were the first day she had seen a halter.

Maddy was becoming frustrated and even discouraged about training this 'untrainable' mustang at liberty in a large open field. But then she discovered a step she had missed. The simple act of picking the halter up off the ground was the trigger that started building the fear. After working on just that, the liberty haltering was soon being done consistently.

Rusty was very sensitive from the get-go about having his ears being so much as touched along with his poll.

We did several 5 minute sessions over several days with the high neck and base of ears being scratched and caressed. He finally would allow the full length of his ears to be stroked............sometimes. Other times no way. If I persevered, not only would he swing his head away, but he would also take a full side step with his fores away from me.

Yesterday I discovered by accident that he was dreadfully fearful of me lifting my hand above my shoulder or even as high as my shoulder. Raise it above my head and he would take a step or two away.

So we did a couple sessions on that yesterday. Raise hand a little below shoulder, click, treat, lower hand while chewing. Repeat repeat repeat.

Didn't seem much progress was made yesterday with the two short sessions but the one session we did today had great progress.

I was holding my hand a little above my shoulder and getting slightly into his fear threshold when I would quickly click, treat, and lower my hand. I would do a 5 second countdown in my head a repeat. As the session progressed, he began to slightly swing his head TOWARD me when I raised my hand. Raising the hand appeared to have become a cue for food coming! Note: Rusty was very standoff-ish at first so I do allow and even encourage slight mugging at this stage of the game.

After a couple of those Rusty was given a big handful and a big end of session treat on the ground.

I'm very excited about this discovery as I'm thinking haltering at liberty will go smoothly after this is worked out. I may even be able to get a fly mask on him. He has really watery eyes and the flies love that.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I got my hand way up over my head today. Veeeeeerrrrrry slowly. At first he did turn his head away slightly but when I clicked he would swing back for food. Finally he would begin to swing toward me when my hand started going up. Sometimes he would say, "Stop, that's high enough ) Toward the end I would just hold my hand as high as I could and wait until he made the slightest movement toward me, click, treat, lower hand. Five second countdowns again.

I want to emphasize how careful and slow I am being. For now, if my arm was raised quickly, he'd be gone. If I acted like I was going to hit him, he'd put at least 50 feet between us or more. Don't intend to find out.

Now if I acted like I was going to hit my heart horse of 6 years he'd just ask, "What's that? New tai chi move?" That' the goal for Rusty but there's many a mile to go. Before that is just a halter and flymask. And lots to do before that happens.

Maddy posted some inspirational words for people working with a rescue. I may need a lot of those words in the days, weeks, months, (years?) that come.

Quote Maddy:

Owners, trainers, and caretakers of traumatized horses… Please stand up







⁣
⁣
I want to take a moment to honor you. To validate your experience which has been rewarding… but also scary, dangerous, frustrating, guilt ridden, shame inducing… the list goes on







⁣
⁣
Working with a horse that has been traumatized in the past due to abuse, poor training, neglect, an accident, a round up (and so on and so forth), can be difficult beyond words.⁣
⁣
So many challenges factor in here:⁣
⁣







First off, it’s hard to watch a horse struggle. You know how much fear and mistrust she’s experiencing, and it’s heartbreaking.⁣
⁣







Secondly, it’s beyond frustrating when training is going nowhere. You think you make progress, and then you’re back to the drawing board the next day after she totally regresses.⁣
⁣







Lastly, you begin to doubt that your abilities are enough to support this horse. You wonder if you’re good enough to do this, or crazy to even try.⁣
⁣
And yet, here you are. Loving, nurturing, and pouring your heart out to help this horse. So many people understandably give up, sell the horse, move on. And I’m not here to shame anyone for that decision, but want to thank you for your dedication to this horse. It means everything to her. You’ve changed her life for the better







⁣
⁣
And it does get better!







⁣
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You have options moving forward. You can learn from someone who has experience with trauma cases and apply their knowledge/method to your horse. You can hire an ethical trainer. You can find a sanctuary.⁣
⁣
You can do what I did with Mystic the mustang, and treat the journey like an experiment. Push the limits of what you believe is possible with positive reinforcement//clicker training







⁣
⁣
Mystic seemed like an impossible case. She was highly reactive, shut down, and wanted nothing to do with me at first.⁣
⁣
But with persistence, love, and a LOT of research on my part, she has totally blossomed







⁣
⁣
(You can watch The Mystic Experiment series for free on YouTube for some advice and inspiration







)⁣
⁣
I believe in you. I believe in your horse. I know it’s hard, scary and painful, but you’re not alone in this. Thank you for what you’re doing. Keep going


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Yes, this gal talks the talk. And in fact, talks it well.

But boy oh boy, does she ever walk the walk!!


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I was working with raising my hand up over my shoulder while near Rusty's head today. His first fear/worry signal is to stop chewing. 

I have learned that he progresses much faster if I stop raising my hand BEFORE he stops chewing. I think this is because the chewing is in a more learning frame of mind while the learning frame of mind is vacated when the worry becomes enough to stop chewing. If even I am chewing some food and something happens like a tire skidding or whatever, I will stop chewing. If I'm working a math problem, I'll stop thinking about that.

His progress has not been exactly outstanding and as I worked I remembered Maddy mentioning that Mystic sometimes would rather touch the halter than it touch her. Same with beginning work with a pad. So I decided to see if I could get him to touch my scary hand.

As he chewed, I held my hand about shoulder high where he would bump it if he turned his head toward me. When he finished chewing he turned his head to apparently inquire as to what I was doing.

Bump! Click! Treat. Repeat.

He was soon bumping deliberately. And my hand was going higher and higher. He was in control and things were working better than ever. I decided to quit on a high note but will be doing more tomorrow.

Normally this sort of thing is done only after the animal has learned to target on command. Problem is, he is afraid of the stick in my hand that the target is on. I've added a one foot section of pvc pipe to the paisley brush handle that he's fine with and added another foot today but have not used it yet.

I should soon be able to get him on cue for a target. Then we will really get to work.

When I finished and went to the house to play on the computer a bit, there was a post from Maddy on this very subject. Amazing coincidence!

Quoting Maddy:

How to get your horse to touch YOU on cue







⁣
⁣
A fantastic clicker training tool for reducing fear, making husbandry behaviors easy, and creating functional movements: body targets







⁣
⁣
A body target is when a horse touches a part of their body to a particular target, such as your hand







⁣
⁣
You can train your horse to move any part of his body into your hand, such as the forehead, eye, mouth, neck, shoulder, rib cage, feet, hip, etc.⁣
⁣
This helps with cooperative care behaviors like administering eye/oral medication & picking up feet. It can also be very useful for a horse who is afraid of touch, because he gets to reach out and touch the human instead of the human touching him. He gets more control and fear is reduced







⁣
⁣
Here’s how to begin teaching this behavior! I’m going to describe teaching the forehead target as an example:⁣
⁣
First, your horse should know how to stand in calm default stationing (CDS), and how to touch his nose to a handheld target.⁣
⁣
It’s important to _only_ give your horse a cue when he’s in CDS, keeping him super relaxed and a safe distance from you







⁣
⁣
So! From CDS, you’ll start by presenting the handheld target slightly in front of you while you stand at his side, so that he moves his head toward you to touch the target. ⁣
⁣
Once this is consistent, begin holding your other hand up close to your body, and ask him to touch the handheld target. The horse doesn’t need to touch your open hand yet, just get him used to your hand being present.⁣
⁣
Once you’ve gotten to the point that your horse moves his head close to your open hand as he touches the handheld target, you can begin to guide his nose to a spot that moves his forehead into your open hand







⁣
⁣
You’ll get one tiny touch, and then work up to your horse actually gently pushing his head into your hand







⁣
⁣
Next, you’ll begin to present your open hand _before_ you present the handheld target, using a verbal cue such as “target forehead.” At first you’ll need to show your horse the answer with the handheld target, but can soon fade out the handheld target completely.⁣
⁣
And voila! You have a body target trained. Are you gonna try this out? 















⁣


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Rusty is now being taken on multiple daily walks. Both -R ad +R. When walking with the halter and lead, the treat pouch is left behind to make it clear we're on a -R walk. Underneath all the fear and suspicion, Rusty appears to have had some good training at some point in the past. He is getting very soft and compliant on the lead. Nothing to grandstand about but all that I would wish for. He looks around at stuff but I would not want to discourage that. I look around also.

Rusty really does not care for small animals, including my Pygmy Goat and dog. Rusty is gradually getting the idea that I like them while at the same time the goad and dog are learning to stay out of his path.

Little Flag will act like he's going to butt and do all sorts of stuff with my horse who totally ignore him. Didn't turn out so well with Rusty.

Rusty is now touching his ears fairly consistently to my raised hand. The blue paisley brush handle has been extended to a full three feet now. He should soon be able to begin target training which should really speed things up. But as a learner, things are going as well as hoped for.

One of the really great things about +R training that I'm appreciating more and more is the safety factor. There is just absolutely no reason to do anything that could present a safety risk.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

Some of Maddy's Mystic Experiment videos may be sort of ho-hum and even boring to some. Like watching the grass grow.

BUT, when you're out there doing it, NOT boring but very useful and exciting.

The haltering video for instance. She discovered she had to start by just picking the halter up off the ground only a couple of inches. And when haltering she mentioned more than once, "Did you see her turn her head away slightly? If I had not stopped she would have just left".

Rusty is not nearly as traumatized as Mystic, but traumatized he definitely is.

I was working on haltering at liberty in a 4 acre field today. I was very encouraged as I had progressed farther than before without him stopping his chewing. But as I upped the approximation, I noticed him turning his head slightly away from me, but still chewing. When I would move down an approximation his head would come back.

I would not have read this if I had not seen Maddy reading and explaining it with Mystic. To me, this is BIG STUFF.

When Rusty would turn his head ever so slightly away, he was at the tipping point of stopping learning a new reinforcement history and recalling an old one.

I recalled the rule to get 3-5 cycles of approximation-click-treat with absolutely zero avoidance behavior before moving up in approximation (measured in 2-3 inches closer to the goal.

Keeping this in mind, Rusty allowed me to go much farther than he would have otherwise.

Thank you Maddy!!

I will mention that Rusty will allow haltering when in a pen with no problem. I am convinced that he has learned from the past that resisting is to no avail and things will go downhill if he resists haltering.

My ultimate goal is to have him halter himself out in any field while I only have to hold the halter and buckle it when he gets it on, like I already do with my heart horse. No training with him. It just sort of happened back when I switched to bitless.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

The post I made yesterday is all about the post that Maddy made today. She explains it much better than I but to really understand it, if you're like I, you have to actually see it in action to fully understand.

Here's Maddy's rendition................ :

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The vital, yet often forgotten element of ethical training







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It plays a massive role in compassionate training, regardless of whether you choose to use negative reinforcement (pressure & release) or positive reinforcement (clicker training)⁣
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It’s importance can be overlooked as we discuss the pros & cons of each reinforcement type. No matter what we choose, this is something we must always be working on if we want deep relationships with our horses







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I’m talking about







emotional attunement







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This is the ability to recognize, understand & respond to another’s emotional state⁣
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Studies show that emotional attunement is the #1 predictor of relationship success over time







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Unsupportive behavior such as minimizing the scope of a problem or discouraging the expression of feelings has been found to be particularly predictive of relationship distress







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How often do we do this to our horses?







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In mainstream practices, trainers offer a release of pressure when (and _only_ when) the horse performs the desired behavior. This is considered to be low attunement.⁣
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An example of medium attunement is when pressure is released at the first sign of relaxation in a horse in the face of fear.⁣
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High attunement is when the human stops whatever she’s doing at the _first_ sign of a “no” in the horse.⁣
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We can talk more about how this can be done in training. But the key concept here is that responding to the horse’s needs is key to a strong connection







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I’m going to paraphrase from Sarah Schlote’s blog, Connection Before Concepts: A comparison of 3 pressure-release methods







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When turning a blind eye to what the horse is communicating to us, we communicate something powerful to them: that we don’t see or “get” them.⁣
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Do you trust or feel safe with someone who doesn’t see or “get” you? Do you stay in a relationship with people like that? If you do, are you resorting to appeasement patterns or shutting down in order to make the relationship work? It’s no different for our horses. They learn to tune out pretty quickly in response to not being “heard”⁣

Edit: Th article/blog mentioned above can be found in a newly posted thread. Three Forms of Pressure-Release

Impulse Photography








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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

MustangMaddy is not the usual horse trainer nor the usual positive reinforcement horse trainer for that matter.
The thought sort of dawned on me recently that she is in at least one way similar to barefoot hoof specialist Pete Ramey whose website is hoofrehab.com.
For healthy hooves, there are an abundance of trimmers that can do an acceptable trim. A somewhat dedicated horse owner can do a completely acceptable trim on a healthy hoof that receives adequate care in other areas associated with hoof health.
For one reason or another, Pete Ramey has dedicated his energies toward the horse that has received inadequate care to the point the horse is in danger of euthanasia.
This is my perceived speculation about Mustang Maddy also.
There are lots of owners and trainers that can do an 'ok' job of training a horse in such a way that the horse will have an acceptably happy life in conjunction with the confinement required to live in a human environment, which is the only choice most horses have.
Mustang Maddy seems for whatever reason to have been drawn to the horses that could be in danger of euthanization or even worse for slaughter.
I have not seen, so far, any resource that addresses the deeply traumatized horse that is totally beyond reach by any form of negative reinforcement other that perhaps flooding them into a permanent freeze mode of submission.
This is so true and beneficial in the Mystic Experiment video series on mustangmaddy.com . She has a few other on YouTube that are helpful as well, at least to me.
I recently became the caretaker and legal owner of a rescue mule from a county owned rescue facility.
Were it not for Maddy, I would likely have never noticed Rusty's flinches with a simple touch by a finger.
Happily, they have been noticed and are being addressed out of existence.
Regrettably, my initial efforts were way past that point. He seemed ok with some more advanced training however I slowly learned that much of his positive responses were from memories of the bad things that happened if he did not provide the required positive response.
It has taken a little over 2 months of slowing regressing in the level of training (or untraining) to notice the flinches when being lightly touched with a finger. And a slight turning of the head away which Maddy also details in one of the videos and which I've never seen mentioned anywhere else.
So there it is. Why I may appear to be head over heels about Maddy. Which of course I am in terms of what she brings to the world horses.
Someday I may discuss my growing understanding of what compassion for the horse means but not today.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

In addition to standing out as the only horse trainer that I've come across that specializes in rehabilitating traumatized horses, MustangMaddy also stands out as the only horse trainer that I've found that stresses the importance of self awareness to the extent she does.
I personally am becoming increasingly impressed with the importance of self awareness in connection with successful horse training. Maddy puts it as, "You can't connect with your horse until you connect with yourself".
While driving today the thought came to me, "One must be able to reach them before one can teach them".
I'm thinking this would apply equally well to ourselves and other people also.


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

And here's a nuts and bolts bare bones follow up to the last post. Maddy does suggest there can be problem of rushing with some horses and other problems as well that may need to be addressed. But this gives the idea.

Annndddd heeree's Maddy:








Here’s the 1st step to training collection _without_ tack, whips, or pressure














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Once you have the prerequisites down pat, you can train your horse to beautifully collect her body, and you don’t need any force to do it







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In my last post, I explained the process of teaching collection, and you loved it! Now I’m going to give you the first step you need to apply that protocol







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Step 1 is this: Train your horse to walk forward alongside you to a hand cue, without latency (meaning, no hesitation from cue to behavior)







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Your horse should be familiar with clicker training, have a strong calm default stationing (CDS) & touch a handheld target on cue.⁣
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To begin, move your target away from the horse so he takes just one step, then c/t







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At this point you’ll want to c/t him for _following_ the target, not touching it. If you only c/t when he touches it, he may start to become really frustrated as he’s “chasing” the target







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Now that your horse is taking a step with the target, you’ll shape for fluency. This way, as soon as you present the target and take a step, he’s in step with you, no hesitation. Here’s how:⁣
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If he typically takes a step within 2 seconds, then that will be your starting criteria. If he waits longer than 2 secs to step, simply remove the target and don’t reward the late step forward. To avoid “negative punishment” reward something else that’s easy, such as CDS. Cue the walk forward again, and you’re likely to get a quicker response. Once that’s consistent, get a step within 1 second. Work toward an immediate response







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Now that you have fluency, create duration. Reward for two steps, then three, etc. Go back down to less duration if there’s latency, and work your way back up.⁣
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Woo! You have a fluent walk forward. All that’s left now is to fade out the handheld target.⁣
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Point your finger forward as your cue, then show him the answer by presenting the target. He should quickly associate the finger point with the walk forward, and you can gradually use the target less, till he doesn’t need it







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And there you have it! First steps to collection (and countless other fantastic behaviors)








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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

And now here's Maddy's second step to teaching a horse collection using positive reinforcement.

Quote:

The 2nd step to training collection _without_ tack, whips, or pressure







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Almost there! This is the last prerequisite you’ll need to train collection using positive reinforcement







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I explained how to train collection & the 1st prerequisite in my last couple of posts, so check those out







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The 2nd pre-req is training the backup to a hand cue with vertical flexion & fluency







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Your horse will back up in step with you when you point at her chest. She’ll have vertical flexion, meaning the line from her nose to her poll is vertical. This will naturally create an engaged hind end & core plus a lifted back & withers







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Do dis







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Present handheld target behind your horse’s nose, click/treat for _any_ movement back, even just a weight shift⁣
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Shape fluency so your horse moves back without hesitation when the target is presented. I explained how to shape for fluency in the last post!⁣
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After you get fluency at 1 step, start asking for more steps until you get to 3 fluent steps back







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Now it’s time to add in vertical flexion







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Use your target to guide her nose back & up. Place the target behind her chin and move it up a bit, c/t when she lifts her nose and flexes her neck







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From here, get 1 step backward with vertical flexion. You can reward just vertical flexion, then just steps back, then recombine both criteria to make this more understandable ⁣
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Next, work on fluency with 1 step of full vertical flexion ⁣
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Now add in duration. Build up to 5 fluent backward steps with vertical flexion







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Pro tip: when you work on duration, you’ll lose some fluency. So ping-pong between a few reps of duration // a few reps of fluency until they’re solid together







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Ta-daaa! You have a beautiful backup with vertical flexion. Now all you need to do is fade out the target







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Simply use your new cue of pointing at her chest, followed by the old cue of the target. Soon the horse will associate the behavior with the finger point, and will no longer need the target to understand the request







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Once you complete prereq’s 1 and 2, you are READY to play with collection.

End Quote


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## trailscout (Nov 23, 2020)

I would like to say this is Maddy's most important post ever. But how can I say that? How can I rate that? They're all over the top.

With that, Heeeerrrreee's Maddy!

It’s fascinating — the lessons one can learn doing “average” things







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I hopped on Kodiak bareback the other day for the first time in a long time








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He was just a bit nervous about it. He held a little tension in his body as I slid onto his wide back. After I got on, he clearly communicated his discomfort by using his “please get off” signal, which is a hindquarter yield.⁣
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This was a profound moment for me







I had these 2 main takeaways:⁣
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Firstly, Kodiak has come _so_ far… and along the way, he taught me some of my most powerful lessons as a trainer







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He is a previously wild BLM Mustang, and was a rescue case. He was given to me by someone at their wit’s end with him due to his _severe_ bucking issue







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He would go into an intense bucking fit without warning. I even injured my back pretty badly from one such occasion. He was riding along beautifully after countless hours of training… and then — BAM — I was thrown off







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This was a really difficult and painful (in more ways than one) experience, yet it yielded so much value for me personally and professionally.⁣
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Kodiak pushed me to look for new solutions. That’s when I learned to train the vitally important “end signal,” which is when, instead of communicating fear in a dangerous way, the horse can ask for me to stop what I’m doing in a safe way, and trust that I will respect his needs







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Sometimes our most painful moments are our most important teachers














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Secondly, I noticed that training the HQ yield as an end signal for the first time felt like a







lifetime ago







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Kodiak and I were in such a different place… so much has changed in our lives







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And yet, being so *thorough* and *compassionate* in his training foundation paid off years later, hundreds of miles from where our journey began. It kept my body safe, and made him feel safe.⁣
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To me, this means that…⁣
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Putting effort into quality training your horses pays off for a LIFETIME. It’s never a waste, even when it’s extremely challenging in the moment







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If you’re in the midst of challenge — don’t despair. Let it transform you. And watch as that transformation serves you for a lifetime to come.


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