This video is from a couple years ago when Sparkles first came here showing the difference before and after a little bit of training to take oral meds.
I was planning to document a bit of Miss Kelly's training sessions on here, but my phone and computer are currently not talking to each other very well.
The last week we have been getting started with some basics like settling in, target training and self haltering as well as a little exploring around the property.
Today we tried a bit of shaping on to a raised station. What a clever pony!
Getting enough exercise for the little ponies can be tricky, but I think we might have a solution here :D
I had a pretty fun training challenge yesterday, loading an untrained donkey onto a horse float for his new owners to take home.
It reminded me how much my horse training priorities have changed over years. In my twenties being able to catch a horse and put a halter on it was really important, it was the key to unlocking all the other behaviours I needed, like standing for the vet or trimmer, even to be saddled or bridled with some horses.
Since I switched to using positive reinforcement, the halter is not part of the key to getting behaviours, instead I am looking for the animal to be feeling comfortable, safe and interested in trying what I ask. This approach is complemented by arranging the environment to keep things safe and help guide the behaviour (like the plastic chairs lining the edge of the ramp).
Luckily, Waffles the donkey is very friendly, interested in both food and people. He was soon walking on, standing calmly inside and backing carefully off at our request like he'd been doing it all his life! He was an absolute trooper during the drive eating his hay, then backed off the float calmly at his new home. As he wasn't halter trained, and had had a previous bad experience with a rope around his neck, we opted to do all loading and unloading at liberty.
Our dear Banty passed away overnight. We are unsure as to how old she was as we bought her as a mature hen about 5 years ago. She was a stellar chicken and soon settled in to pet life, becoming very friendly and great at tricks.
Rest In Peace, Banty.
According to my son's Chloe-pony "Ulcershield" medication is very unpalatable, despite it's lovely aniseed smell. Chloe recently had peritonitis and spent a week at the vets, with a lot of invasive testing and aversive medications, all while being separated from her herd and people which stresses her out a lot. After coming home she has been on a couple courses of meds, the ulcershield has been over a month. It is important to me that she doesn't find the process of her daily meds really unpleasant, for her sake and so she doesn't associate us, her humans, as the horrible people who force her to eat this stuff. Although it appears to taste a lot worse than it smells, it is possible, with a few 5 minute sessions of training to convince her it is actually more a fun challenge to swallow the gross stuff and get to the treats than an horrible experience she needs to be restrained for. My 6year old can even give her the daily dose unrestrained.
R+ for the win!
I will be in Maryborough next weekend at the Everything Equine Event & Market - Wide Bay - Burnett & Surrounding Areas with Sparkles and Chloe. We will be running a mini clinic and demonstrating some tricks (both useful and play). There are still a few spots available for the mini clinic - if you are unable to bring your own horse I have a couple participant spots open to work with my ponies :)
To book your spot go to https://www.eeem.com.au/service-page/trick-training-participant-2?referral=service_list_widget
Playing around with some fancy foot work on a dry, dry day.
How does your dog respond when you call? Come on down and learn how to make recalls the most fun ever at our new group classes starting tonight in Kenilworth!
I tried to make a perfectly serious video about a serious topic today. It didn't quite work.... but I tried.
Tick season is well and truly happening here on the east coast of Australia and it is important to be able to check your pets thoroughly, on top of your usual tick prevention program. If your animal is unsure about being checked over, simply pairing the handling with treats can change their opinion. As you can see here Wilbaa not only tolerates my checking his face and ears (the most common place on sheep) but also allows Sparkles to assist. :D
Can you catch your pet? Do they come when called? It is really important to have a good recall in case of emergencies like your pet getting out of your property, or at least be able to approach and catch them. I live by a high speed main road and have intervened in couple situations recently which could have had horrible consequences.
It can be hard to compete with the excitement of the environment outside your gate but here are a few of my top do's and don'ts:
Don't: Yell angrily or try to intimidate your pet! Who really wants to go hang out with the angry yelling person at a party? I don't and your pet feels the same way!
If you watch carefully you will notice that your pet only responds to angry yelling within a certain distance from you. This is due to the pet feeling like escape is not an option within a certain proximity, nothing to do with dominance or pack leadership.
Do: Use a cheerful and encouraging tone, be the fun people at the party! I want to be around the happy people who are having fun, don't you? Your pet wants to feel like they are being welcomed into the fun group.
Don't: Punish your pet on returning to you, no matter how long it takes. The definition of punishment is that it reduces the targeted behaviour, if it follows returning to you than it is targeting the behaviour of returning to you - not the time spent elsewhere.
Do: Make it cool to return to you! Give them some great treats, pats and/or play time with you the moment they return to you. Reinforcement increases the occurrence of the immediate behaviour.
Don't: Chase or run after your pet. Often running or moving the other way can be effective if they are paying even a small amount of attention to you.
Do: With some pets for example: dogs, sheep, parrots and ponies can find their human moving away a trigger to follow, especially when they run away at speed. If someone in the herd thinks it is a good idea to go in a certain direction, especially in a novel situation there is a pretty hi
What's your favourite way to spend quality time with your pony?
We went to an Agricultural Show today. Chloe and Zachary entered one class and did a fantastic job! Lovely loose lead rein, both paying attention to each other and pretty much in harmony. The judges didn't seem phased by the occasional treat stops :D
A little snap of this superstar team I was lucky enough to coach via zoom last week, a very experienced trick team and it was fantastic how quickly Beanie picked up the new skills . I wish they lived closer because I really want to snuggle this sheep!
Teach a bird to forage well and it will never be bored again.
"Teach your parrot to forage." they told me "It will stimulate them and prevent behaviour issues."
What they didn't tell me is that it also shapes them to become genius problem solvers who can use their little brains, beaks and throw their whole 130g of weight behind this to achieve great things, like levering open the walk in pantry!
Want to find out more about how to bring out the best in your pet? There is still have one space left in this Saturday's Positive Reinforcement Workshop out at the Wunderbaa farm in Kandanga.
