Information
There were a few posts about driving last week. I was extremely busy so
was unable to write in some replies. I have taught horses to drive using
clicker training and otherwise. IMHO the most important things to teach
were a solid Whoa, desensitizing to having the body/legs touched, and
standing. There is much made about the cart but I found if I did the
desensitizing well, the cart was a piece of cake. I will try to write how
I train driving in several posts.
First of all the whoa. It needs to be on both verbal and rein cue. You
can capture it by watching for when your horse is about to stop anyway then
giving the cue as the horse stops. You can shape it by adding some tension
on both reins, then clicking for slowing down, up the criteria to stopping
on one foot, up the criteria to stopping with a second foot, and so on
until the horse stops when it feels tension on both reins. Don't change the
tension you want to use just follow the horse until it offers the correct
behavior. Add the verbal after you have the behavior happening and before
you add the tension. Soon your horse will anticipate and stop before you
apply the reins. Note, DO NOT plant your feet, set your hands, and just
stop hoping a horse which has no clue will just stop. It might or it might
not. In either case you have set your horse up for punishment without
teaching it what to do first.
Practice stopping with the lead rope. Once your horse understands
"whoa" practice it without any equipment on the horse. Then with a rope
draped across the horses back, then with the rope dragging on the ground.
Then past scary objects, halfway through doors, out in the pasture, down the
driveway, with you on either side, with you behind or in front. This is one
of the most important things you will ever teach your horse so do LOTS of
it. To keep yourself from being bored try to change each situation where
you ask for a whoa after being successful in a previous situation. Be sure
to keep your criteria for a whoa consistent. Mine is a complete stop within
two steps and a calm demeanor for the verbal cue. The rein cue (or lead
line) is a very subtle addition of even pressure after which he should stop
on the next footfall, squaring himself up, relaxed and waiting for the next
cue. James only gets a click and reward for meeting this criteria. If I
don't get it I go back and retrain, or start from a less scary place where
he can do the behavior working my way into the scary place. If you are
having trouble with your horse walking politely on lead by forging or
dashing away from you, lots of practice with whoa with help get rid of those
problems. I always reward him for meeting my criteria. This is a behavior
I do not want to fall apart or become sloppy. It may save my life and his.
(It already has saved his)
Another first step to having a wonderful driving horse is teaching it to
stand. Click/reward for all four feet on the ground, head straight. This
should be fairly easy to get after a whoa. Initially you may only get 2
seconds. As the horse begins to understand staying in place start to
increase the time. You can increase the time on a variable schedule. For
example if you are up to 5 seconds consistently you can do a set of 5,
3,6,2,5,1,7,4 seconds. This way the training does not just get harder and
harder. The horse will pay attention more because the click can come at any
time.
When you have achieved a 30 second stay it is time for you to start with
distractions. Try just moving an arm, then take a step, remember lots of
early success is better than early failure; Click OFTEN. Eventually you
want to be able to walk in either direction all the way around your
horse,and go 20 feet away from your horse in any direction without your
horse moving one foot or swinging the head about. You may want to loop the
lead rope around the horses neck just in case your horse moves. Keep the
distance short until your horse is pretty reliable. You want to be able to
catch your horse on the first step it takes when it fails this exercise.
Simply place the horse back where it was and repeat the trial. If the horse
does more than one step off at a walk you are asking for too much. Make the
exercise easier and build your way up to your goal slower.
The next step will be introducing the equipment. Now that you have a
solid stand bring out the equipment. Do a stand while you lift the harness,
click for standing still. Then work on being able to move the harness.
Carry it all around the horse. Approach the horse with the harness. Take
one strap and touch the horse gently with it all over. Click for standing.
Touch the horse around the head, neck, chest, front legs, back legs, hips,
and barrel. When your horse will stand steady for that start to be less
gentle with the strap. I am NOT suggesting you whip your horse but the
contact should be similar to what the horse will feel if a strap suddenly
came loose and recoiled on your horse. Swing a lead or strap around near
your horse. Do both sides and over the back. (note if you have used a
swinging lead to keep your horse from forging on the lead line this exercise
will be difficult) The object is to have a horse who doesn't mind straps
all over, flapping about. Continue this exercise until your horse is VERY
calm and steady.
Now up the ante again. You want your horse to stand while you drop the
harness. Drop the harness all over the place. Work your way up to dropping
the harness next to the horse, then draping the harness over the horse. Now
you are ready to put the harness on. Untangle it , and place it where
it belongs. Part of what you are working on here is noise sensitivity.
Carts, carriages, and anything else you hitch your horse to will make noise.
The day you are in a rush your harness will make noise. Work through the
nervousness while the horse is still naked.
You don't have to do all this in one day. Take the time to get this
behavior really solid. Having a horse which will stand stay is a big asset
when it comes to driving. IF you drop something you can get out of the
vehicle and pick it up. Your horse will stand nicely while you harness and
unharness. IF there is a problem with a piece of equipment your horse will
wait calmly while you sort it out. When you meet a friend on the road you
can stop and chat. Remember to get not only standing but standing calmly,
head straight to body and not above the withers.
All of the exercises for driving are good for riding horses. In the trail
classes around here the rider must drag a plactic bag on a rope behind the
horse. Training the horse to allow something to follow it and make noise
helps the rider accomplish this feat. If you don't use a blanket (turnout
sheet, rug) that is another item you can use to desensitize the horse to
being touched all over.
By now you should have a very good whoa, and a fairly good stand
happening. Now when you practice your whoa vary the intensity of your voice
and of your physical cue. Most of us are very calm and quiet when we train
but when we are in danger our voice gets loud and our hands get strong. If
you take the time to teach your horse that this is just a variation on how
you may ask for a whoa then your horse will be less likely to be further
upset by you when you are in a crisis situation. You will also find out now
while you are safe what your horse will do if you yell or pull hard on the
lead (reins, etc).
It is also time to start moving (do I hear a YAY? G). Start in a normal
leading position. You can have tack or not at this point. Start to walk
forward when your horse takes a step click and reward. If your horse is
remaining standing you may want to make a kissy noise to get s/he started.
After 3 times stop using the kissy noise. When you click youir horse should
stop to get the reward this is good since you can't teach your horse to step
forward if it is already moving. When your horse seems sure that moving
forward is what you want (3-50 clicks later) Start to vary your position a
bit. Instead of being by the head drop back a step so you are by the neck.
Try being on the other side. Once your horse will take a step forward
(straight, not turning towards you) with you by the withers area it is time
to add a verbal cue. Give the cue just as your horse is about to take a
step. After pairing the cue with the action 50 -100 times give the cue when
your horse is not likely to be taking a step. If your horse moves great if
not go back to pairing the cue with the action until the association is
made. Only give the cue once. Please refrain from chanting the cue once
your horse is moving.
Once your horse has learned to step off upon hearing the cue do more
variations as to where you are when you ask. Click and reward only for
straight forward movement at this point. Try giving the cue from various
points of a 5 foot circle around your horse. Don't forget to give the cue
from behind the horse. I would not suggest you give the cue when you are
standing directly in front of your horse 8&
When your horse is doing this well you can take the next step of adding
the physical cue. For me this is taking up slack in the reins. I maintain
a light but steady contact while I am driving. If the reins are loose I
want the horse to remain standing. This is how I manage to get in and out
of the vehicle. Add the physical cue the same way you added the verbal
cue. Take up the slack before the horse takes a step, click and reward for
a straight forward walk.
When your horse seems OK with this (always takes a step forward does not
back or do something else) it will be time to proof the cue. In one five
minute session give the cue click/reward for an immediate step. Do this
10 times. Then do nothing for 30 seconds. Chances are your horse will move
off. Simply put the horse back where it was and wait another 30 seconds.
When your horse stops walking off and gives you the "WHAT?" look give the
cue to walk. click and reward. Wait 15 seconds if your horse has not moved
give the cue to walk. IF horse moved gently put horse back where it was.
When your horse starts to wait for your cue before stepping off it is time
to add variations of what you will do before giving the cue. Soemtimes give
the cue right away, sometimes wait a few seconds, sometimes take a step in
any direction (build this to a few steps), sometimes bend over to pick
something up off the ground. The point is to teach your horse not to
anticipate but rather to wait for your cue. This step will make the cue
relevant for your horse and make your horse safer to drive.
Related links