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Session #1 - a little before noon
Little Man was fairly close to the fence when I went out. He walked part way than stopped and watched me. I stopped by a dirt mound and laid all my things down so I could decide what I wanted to do. I opted for the washcloth (lightly spritzed with marigold spray) first. Then I walked over to him and asked him to touch it. He did. I held it various places, then stroked it on his face, neck, and sides (about halfway back). I was able to stroke it on his back almost to his croup! I did this while standing beside his head, and facing his head.
He is still not quite comfortable with my standing beside him, and I must admit I am not either. I am beginning to think he is not likely to kick me, but since he has before and he still feels quite defensive, I don't like to take chances. Not only would it not do me any good, I think it would set him back if he kicked me, as well, so it's best for both of us if I don't put us in a situation where that would be likely.
I put the washcloth down and moved to the catch-'em halter. I had him target it, then I looped it and slipped it over his muzzle. I did this several times. He was very calm, and stood with his head still. I was able to move the loop pretty far up his face. The last couple of times I moved it around just a little bit. Then I slipped the loop on his muzzle and took a bit more of the halter and gently laid it against the right side of his face. (I wouldn't have been able to put it on him, as it is really just rope with a loop, but I wanted him to start getting used to feeling the rope come up the right side of his face.) He did fine the first time, as I didn't have it up very far. As I moved it farther up each time, he got a little nervous, and finally moved away from it. So I looped it over his muzzle again, then laid it down.
I then petted and stroked him, without the clicker, and then started clicking again when I moved my hand up to rub and rest on his crest. He is still moving his head away so he can pie eye me, but he is not moving out from under my hand.
Then my husband came out in the yard and asked how Little Man was doing, so I had to show him how Little Man let the rope loop over his muzzle. :-)
Before I left, I decided I would try to pet Little Man with both hands. He has thus far been adamant that he will not be touched with both hands at the same time. So I took the clicker off my wrist, and he heard the jingle of the little clip. I took the time to let him sniff it several times, shaking it first so it would jingle, then clicking after he touched it. The first time he touched it he jerked his head back, but I think he quickly figured out what it was.
I put the clicker in my pocket, then started gently stroking the front of his face. I alternated hands, moving slowly and making sure that both hands didn't touch him at the same time. Then I started overlapping, and then I gently put my hands on both sides of his face and just held them there a few seconds. I moved them before he decided to move, and gave him a large peppermint treat. He knew we were done, and moved off, though he circled around and came back so I could pet him once more.
Sometime between 4:00 and 6:00 I was outside tending the rabbit, and I looked up to see Little Man standing at the gate watching me. I went in the sunroom and grabbed the half full package of peanut butter crackers, then went out and petted him for a couple of minutes. I talked to him and we walked around a bit. I said "giddyup" when I started walking and he followed me, then I said "whoooa" right before I stopped, and he stopped too. He followed me back to the gate, and I gave him a last cracker.
Session #2 - around 7:30 p.m.
Little Man wasn't too far out, so I gathered my things and went out. He just kept grazing, though he looked at me when I called him. I sat on a dirt mound and just enjoyed the breeze, and after a couple of minutes he came up to me. I reached out and stroked him muzzle, then got up.
I had him target the washcloth a couple of times, and I stroked it on his face and neck. Then I got the catch-'em rope and looped it over his muzzle. He was fine with that. Then I put it over his muzzle and moved my hand to stroke the right side of his face, and he pulled his muzzle out. I slipped the loop over his muzzle a few more times, then rubbed the rope gently over the side of his face and his neck.
I then switched to the rope halter and lead, so I could use the soft rope. I stroked it on his face and neck, then laid it over his crest. He pie eyed it whenever it was up by his ears, and a couple of times he moved off. I kept working, slowly, and he settled down. Then I gently attempted to slide it off towards the front, and he pulled his head away and backed off. I decided that I should just start getting him used to having the rope touch his ears, so we started working on that. I looped the rope (the softest one I have) and gently touched it to his cheek and rubbed just a tiny bit. I progressed to moving it up closer to his ears, and finally right at the base of his ears, a bit towards the crest. He really pie eyed it, and kept stretching his neck and pulling the top of his head back and to the side. He didn't break contact, and as soon as he stopped moving away I would click. As we worked he moved away less and less. Of course, he got several cookies while we were working on this, as well as his feed. We ended with my laying a rope loop up behind his ear, and moving it gently up just a tiny bit so it was actually on his ear. I held it there for probably around 3 seconds, then I clicked and he received a large peppermint treat.
I worked on all this in stages, moving gradually from an "easy" spot to a "harder" spot. Tomorrow is his day off, so I think I'll try brushing him, or maybe just going out and petting him and walking with him a bit. He does enjoy attention, even if he is just not ready for a lot of physical attention. But he and I are becoming more confident of one another, and we are learning to read and trust one another.
I am so thankful I discovered clicker training! The book I ordered
(Clicker Training for Your Horse) will hopefully be shipped soon, so I can learn more about it and Little Man and I can have even more fun!
Session #1 - around 10:30 a.m.
Little Man was up by the fence when I went out. I walked into the pen to say hi to the neighbor's goat, and Little Man walked in after me. We worked on targeting a washcloth. It was the one I put marigold spray on the other day, so there was probably some residual scent left on it. He targeted it in front of him, to the side, down low, and eye level and above. Then I gently wiped it on his face, neck and shoulders.
We switched to the lead rope, which I had draped around my neck. I looped it and slid it up over his muzzle, and he was very calm and still. Then I draped it over his crest and neck. He is still wary, and pie eyed it. He did stand for it, but he was very tense. I draped it over him and tried to reach under his neck to grasp the end, but he moved away until the rope came off. I held it in both hands, with about a foot of rope in between my hands, draped it over my head, slid it down over my face, and then moved it slowly towards his face. He would let me touch his muzzle and the front of his face with it, but backed off when I moved up towards his forehead. I went back to looping it around hs muzzle once or twice, then switched back to the rag.
I had him target the rag a couple of times, then I stepped back a couple of feet and asked him to touch it. He stepped up and touched it. Then I turned and walked off about 10 feet, turned back and asked him to touch it. He looked at me for a moment, then slowly walked all the way over and touched the rag. I gave him a peppermint treat, then petted him for a minute or two. I gave him another peppermint treat to finish, patted his neck, and left. He went over to get a drink.
Mid day around 5:00 p.m.
Little Man was close to the fence, so I grabbed the peanut butter crackers and the soft brush and went out to say hi. He came right up to me, but he didn't want to be brushed. He kept moving away, so I put the brush away and just petted him. I asked him to walk with me, and he did. We walked around a minute or two, with him right behind me. When I wanted to stop I said "whooooa". I figure it can't hurt to get him to associate that with stopping.
Something interesting happened while I was petting him. I was standing right in front of him, with my back to the yard. Suddenly he spooked, but in place. His whole body jumped, but his feet stayed put.
I jumped in place too, as his jumping startled me. I saw him looking intently past me, and turned around to see a truck coming down the street. What had spooked him was a neighbor's dog dashing across the front yard. The dog had come out of nowhere.
I petted him a little more, then came on in. During the course of petting him, I gave him some peanut butter cracker bites. Before I left I gave him a couple of whole crackers. I was careless and my fingers went in his mouth, but he was careful not to bite me. He is so gentle.
Session #2 - a little before 8:00 p.m.
Little Man was fairly close to the fence, so I went out and sat on a dirt mound. He came up towards me and I got up before he reached me. I tend to lurch when I try to get up and didn't want to startle him. Tonight I had the catch'em halter, the rope halter and lead, and the washcloth (which I had spritzed with a tiny bit of marigold spray).
We started by targeting the washcloth a few times, and then I stroked it on his face and neck. Then I took the catch-'em halter and slipped a loop over his muzzle. I did this several times, and he was very calm; he didn't even pull away. I dropped the catch-'em halter and went to the rope halter. He let me slip the nosepiece up over his muzzle and hold it there for a couple of seconds. We did this several times, and again he was very calm. He did back up off and on, but he never pulled his muzzle out of the loop.
Then I decided to see what he would do if stood on his left side, held the halter with my left hand, and gently laid the halter against the right side of his face. He moved his head just a little, but did not break contact. I did it again, and reached over his crest with my right hand. No, he didn't like that and he backed right out from under my hand. He walked off, and I figured that meant he had had enough of that. So I dropped the halter, and pulled out the washcloth. I moved towards him and he met me partway. We targeted the washcloth a couple of times, then I rubbed his forehead with it and gave him a cookie.
I petted him for a minute, then finished by sliding my hand up his forehead and rubbing between his ears, then sliding my hand around the base of his left ear and rubbing his crest. He pie eyed me a little, but let me rub. I gave him a large peppermint treat and told him what a smart, good boy he is!
Session #1 - around 4:00 p.m.
Little Man was way out in the back of the pasture; I couldn't see him, so I don't know exactly where he was. But I called him and he came up, coming right into the pen with me. Today I decided we were going to take it easy. I took out the soft brush, and had him target it a couple of times. Then I brushed both sides of his neck, his shoulders, his withers and a few inches down his back, and his sides just a bit past his shoulders. He moved around some, so I didn't push it. I stroked the brush on his cheeks, down his face, and up his forehead. He didn't like it on his forehead, so I clicked for his letting me just rest the brush on his forehead.
Then I went back to targeting. I stepped away and had him walk up to touch the brush. I held it high, to the side, and low. I experimented with putting it on the ground and asking him to touch it, but he kept trying to touch my hand. I did click for movement towards the brush on the ground.
In between I rubbed his forehead, and petted and stroked him. When we were done, I petted him for a minute, then gave him a peppermint treat.
Session #2 - around 6:30 p.m.
Little Man wasn't too far out, and I walked out and sat on a dirt mound. He walked up to me, and stretched out his muzzle, but didn't get right up to me. He wasn't sure why I was sitting down, I guess.
I had him target the lead rope, and I worked with draping it over his neck and crest, even his withers once. Each time he pie eyed it, and appeared relieved to hear the click when it came. He moved away several times, and he stood several others. I also worked with looping the rope over his muzzle. He did much better with that, and was pretty calm.
In between I petted and stroked him, and patted his shoulder. When we were done I dropped the lead rope and just talked to him and petted him a bit. I rubbed behind his ear, and he angled his head so I could get just the right spot! I gave him a couple of peppermint treats before I left.
Session #1 - a little after 1:00 p.m.
Little Man came up as soon as I went out and called his name. He targeted the lead rope a few times. Then I rubbed his cheek and neck with it, and worked on laying it over his crest and over his face. I even laid it over his withers a couple of times. I tried leaving the rope over his crest once while I treated, but as soon as he took his treat he started slowly moving to the right until it pulled off. I pulled gently to help it come off better. He wasn't panicky, just determined that he was going to keep moving until it was off. Then he turned and moved back to me so we could "play" some more. I looped the rope over his muzzle, and laid it over his crest again.
I stepped back and held out the rope, and asked him to "touch it". He stepped up to it and targeted it. I did this several times, once from about six feet away, and he stepped up to it every time.
We finished with a couple of cookie bites and a peppermint treat. In between I stroked his face, neck, shoulders, and withers. And I rubbed his ears, around the base. I even rubbed for a couple of seconds on the outside of his ear. He's not exactly comfortable with it yet, but he tolerated it and seemed to almost enjoy it.
Session #2 -
Little Man came up when I called him, but he stopped before he got to me. I waited a few seconds, then went on out to him. I brushed him for a minute, without clicking, but he kept moving away, so I stopped. I had him target the lead rope a few times, then worked with laying it over his crest and neck. He would move, then freeze when I clicked. He knows that when I click, whatever we are doing is done, and I will release the pressure (in this case, the rope over his neck). I would gently slide the rope off then treat him. I worked with this a bit, then stepped away and asked him to target the rope. He stepped up to it and touched it. Then I asked him to touch it and moved away a step or two as he started walking towards it. He walked with me and touched the rope, and got a cookie bite.
I brushed him again, without clicking, but again, he moved away. So I stopped and petted him, stroking his face, neck, and shoulders, and patting his neck and shoulders. I left, and stopped a little ways from him. He walked up to me, and I petted him a little more and gave him a peppermint treat. Then he walked off.
I think what we have been doing is actually pretty intense for him, and I may back off a bit tomorrow. I may either go out and brush him, using the clicker, or we may just play with targeting the rope or something else. I think that backing off is an important part of any training, as it allows time for lessons to settle and be internalized.
Session #1 - a little before 4:00 p.m.
I looked out the window and saw Little Man trot up into the pen. He bucked and kicked a little, and pawed the ground then rolled around a bit. It has rained a little bit, and there is a breeze, so he must be feeling frisky.
I took my things out, and he walked out of the pen and stood beside it. I went in the pen for a second to check his water, and he started to follow me in. But I went out past him because the pen was muddy. He turned around and followed me. We worked right outside the pen, and he was eager to touch the halter. He was moving his muzzle towards it before I was even ready to start. I held it in various places, and he touched it. He lipped it a couple of times; I think he wanted to play.
I looped the rope around his muzzle, and he did fine. Then I started working on touching the rope to his neck. He was a bit shy of that, but I just kept the rope in position and waited, and he eventually moved his head back every time. I eventually laid the rope across his crest from his left side, with the end hanging down about 6 - 8 inches on the right side of his neck!
Then we worked on slipping the nosepiece of the halter over his muzzle. He wasn't as willing to do that, but we did get it part way up. I worked just a couple more times with laying the rope up over his crest. He was a little shy this time, but it may have been because my husband walked up to the fence about that time. When Little Man moved away, I just held the rope and waited, and he came back. I laid it over his crest, and treated him with a peppermint treat.
In between times I petted him, but I was very careful. He has dried mud all over him, and I was careful to not run my hand over it, as he tends to shy away if he feels the least little prick or pull. His face was clean, though, so I rubbed his forehead and stroked the front of his face a lot. We ended with my running my hand up from his forehead, and rubbing between his ears. He did raise his head and pie eye me a little bit, but he stayed put. So he got a peppermint treat for a job well done.
Session #2 - around 6:00 p.m.
Little Man was up in the pen again, so I went out. I waited by the gate, and he came out of the pen and walked to me. Tonight I had the catch-'em rope and a regular, 7-foot lead rope. We worked with the catch-'em rope first. I had him target it, the I worked on laying it across his crest and letting it hang on the other side of his neck. I left the rope on his neck while I treated him, just to see what he would do. After he took his treat, he started moving sideways. I gently pulled the rope and it slid off his neck. I decided not to leave it on again, but really I think he did fine. I laid it over his crest again a few times, then when I slowly pulled the rope off his neck the ring caught his mane a bit. So I ditched the catch-'em rope and went to the lead rope, using the soft rope end, not the end with the metal clip.
He targeted it, then I rubbed it on his cheek and neck. I then laid it over his crest. I worked on having a longer and longer tail, until I could reach under his neck and grasp the end. I did, and held the end along with the rope on the near side. He was "caught"! I immediately clicked and let go, then slid the rope off. I did this several times. He began to move away, though he wasn't panicky. I gave him a cookie after the last time. He walked off, and I talked to him. He came back, I petted him and gave him a peppermint treat. He turned and walked off, because school was over!
I am very pleased with how well he is doing. I figure that he may not be ready for a halter, but if I can get a rope around his neck, that is a huge step in the right direction. Sometime soon, I will work on holding out my hand and letting him walk with me. We used to do that, and we haven't in a while. Then eventually I hope to be able to put the two together - the rope around his neck and having him walk with me.
Session #1 - around 1:00 p.m.
Things are brief today, as we are busily preparing for an imminent tropical storm/possible hurricane. But I saw Little Man up getting a drink, so I grabbed my things (which I prepare the night before, with wormer, feed, and treats) and went out. I walked in the pen with him, moving around the fenceline so he could get out if he wanted. He did. I went over and petted the goats for a minute, but he didn't come back in. So I went out to meet him. I had him target the halter, to the side, low, high. He shied away a little when it was high, but he did touch it.
Then we played "peek-a-boo". I draped the halter over my head, so it hung down in front of my face, then I moved it so he could see me. He was very interested in what I was doing, and kept pushing his muzzle out as though he wanted to touch the halter while it was on my head. Then I laid it up in front of his face. The first time he snorted and shied away. Then he slowly turned and came back to play some more. I managed to lay it on his muzzle, and clicked. Then I worked my way up, laying it gently against his muzzle and sliding it up, a bit more each time. Before each try I put it on my own face several times, then moved it so I could "peek-a-boo".
Then I worked on touching the nose piece of the halter to his muzzle. Then I switched to the soft lead rope, and just looped it. I did manage to get the loop most of the way around his muzzle. The last time he pulled away with the loop still on him, but he stopped. I clicked and slipped the loop off, and gave him a cookie bite. He moved away, and I stood and talked to him. He walked back and I petted him a minute, then gave him a peppermint treat.
In between times, I stroked his face, neck, and shoulder, and patted his neck.
He seemed to enjoy "peek-a-boo", at least when I was the one "peeking". When I had the halter over my face, his ears were pricked forward. Usually when we are working, his ears are back - not flattened, just back some. I'm not sure why I thought to do that. I just thought that he might feel better about it if he saw the halter draped over my face first.
Session #2 - 7:15 p.m.
I went out to tie the water buckets to the fence, and bring the feed bucket and hanging strap in. Little Man came up, and he seemed to want to interact. He followed me over to the gate, and stood there waiting for me to come back out. I just took the brush. I brushed both sides of his neck, his shoulders, and his back from his withers about halfway down his back. I ran the brush up from between his eyes towards his forelock, but he didn't like that much. I clicked as soon as I started moving the brush. He just moved his head, he didn't break contact, and he was rewarded with a cookie bite.
I finished up by running my hand from his neck to his crest, then rubbing his crest a couple of times. He got cookie bites for that. The last time I ran my hand from his forehead up to between his ears, and rubbed his crest. Then he got a peppermint treat.
Tomorrow we probably will not work at all. If the storm is not too bad, I will try to get out and at least give him his wormer. But if it is bad, it shouldn't hurt him to miss one day.
Today was Little Man's day off, so we just took it easy.
This morning, before church, I called to him out the window. He looked up, and walked to the fence, where he stood looking towards the house. So I grabbed a cookie and went out. I petted him over the fence, and gave him cookie bites. Then I patted his neck and went in.
This afternoon, around 2:00 or so, I went out with his wormer. I called him, and he walked up to meet me. He followed me in the pen, and I petted him for a little bit. Then I put the wormer in the bucket and went in, because the mosquitoes were biting me.
This evening, around 7:00 or so, I went out with a big shredded wheat biscuit and the soft brush. He was way out in the back, but he came up when I called him. I petted and stroked him, and brushed him. He let me brush his neck and shoulders, and even from his withers about six inches or so down his back, as well as down his side. He did back up and move around a little, and about halfway through he decided he didn't want me to brush his right side right then, but he didn't run off or show signs of kicking. He did move away once, a couple of yards, but I just stood and talked to him until he came back up to me. I stopped brushing every once in a while to give him a bite of shredded wheat. I rubbed his face and rubbed his ears. I tore open the paper wrapper so he could get all the wheat leavings. Then I petted him a little more.
My husband came out, and when I went in the gate Little Man followed me. He sniffed my husband's hand, and tossed his head a bit. Then he let my husband reach out and rub his forehead several times! When my husband left I petted Little Man a bit more, then told him good night. He dropped his head and grazed by the fence for a while.
I am so thankful that we are friends again!
