We’ve had some really lovely spring weather recently, and I am getting to spend quite a bit of time at the barn. But, I can’t spend ALL my time at the barn. Eventually, I do have to leave.
I’ve been thinking a lot recently about how training sessions end.
That is, what do I do and what do I want Chewie to be doing as the training session wraps up and I leave?
Because I train with clicker training and positive reinforcement, the horses I work with really enjoy training sessions. They usually want the session to keep going!
However, if the end of a training session feels abrupt or unexpected, a horse may feel frustrated, confused, or unhappy. The horse may follow the trainer or stand at the fence calling for the trainer to come back.
I’ve also met horses who engaged in dangerous behaviors because they didn’t want their trainer to leave, such as nipping or striking out, or even walking in front of the trainer repeatedly, so that the trainer was unable to leave the pasture.
With Chewie, I’ve been building a deliberate ending routine that involves a final handful of treats in a certain place in the pasture.
My goal is for her to understand when I’m leaving and for the end of our session to be a cue for her to transition back to her regular horse-y activities, such as grazing and hanging out with her buddies.
We are currently experimenting with different variations to create an ending routine that works well for both of us. I’ll report back later as our ending routine evolves.
No comments yet.