<% appTitle="Ridecamp Archives" %> Ridecamp: RE: [RC] food aggression/respecting my space
Ridecamp@Endurance.Net

[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]
Current to Wed Jul 23 17:33:13 GMT 2003
  • Next by Date: Re: [RC] food aggression/respecting my space
  • - Catherine Davidson
  • Prev by Date: Re: [RC] food aggression/respecting my space
  • - Tracey

    RE: [RC] food aggression/respecting my space - Dolores Arste


    Tracy wrote:
    "Personally, my response to food aggression is simple : if you don't show me
    manners, you don't eat, mate."
    
    The clicker adds "yes, those are the manners I want to see"
    
    The clicker is a "marker" signal that tells the horse exactly when he is
    doing the right thing. It is like being able to "yes" that is what I want
    you to do and here is your reward at EXACTLY the moment you horse does the
    right thing no matter how close or far away the horse is or whether he is
    attached to you or not.
    
    Now, it depends on exactly what you want the horse TO DO, when you approach
    with food that will guide you in the training. I had an exuberant 2 YO who
    would rear in my face and swing to kick me a feeding time. He had NEVER been
    hand fed prior to this.
    
    He is 6 now and I use clicker training all the time for everything we train
    now. But, at the time all I wanted him to do was to go stand quietly by his
    food bucket when I approached with grain. Here's how I did it. First I
    taught him to target. This teaches them the rules of the game and that they
    have control of the vending machine but that they must earn it. I used a
    small plastic soda bottle and stood outside the stall. I held it up and his
    natural curiosity caused him to touch it "Click" and hand him a treat.
    Surprise is the first reaction you get. I repeated this for about 10 minutes
    until he seemed to get the idea that it was touching the target that earned
    the click and the treat. For the first day, I fed him his dinner 1 handful
    at a time while targeting.
    
    The next feeding, I moved the target around to see if I could still get him
    to touch it. And, fed him his meal this way. The next day, I went in and he
    followed the target which was outstretched in my hand away from my body to
    his food bucket. If he touched it on the way C/T. Do not let him snatch
    anything out of the feeding can or whatever you use. Take a bit out and
    stretch out your hand away from you with the small bit in the hand.
    
    If he is too aggressive to go in with, you can hold the target over the
    bucket over the stall. Take you time he may have trouble finding it.
    
    So, in about 3 and 1/2 meals, when I went to the stall with dinner, I would
    hold the target over his bucket. When he would touch it, I would dump his
    food in. Pretty soon, as soon as he saw me, he'd go stand next to his bucket
    and I could click and feed him. From 2 to 4, that is pretty much all I did
    with the clicker.
    
    There are two great websites you can visit for more information.
    
    WWW.theclickercenter.com
    
    and
    
    www.clickryder.com
    
    There is also a clicker email list similar to ride camp
    
    PS: if you don't have a stall or if you want your horse to do something else
    at feeding time, feel free to write back.
    
    Dolores
    
    
    Personally, my response to food aggression is simple : if you don't show me
    manners, you don't eat, mate.
    
    
    Tracey
    
    
    
    
    
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
     Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
     Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
     Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
    
    

    Replies
    Re: [RC] food aggression/respecting my space, Tracey