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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Gaited Horse Training Discussions > Clicker Training by 4-Square > Chance's Edited Training Journal |
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Gaits of Gold Gaited Horse Community Messageboard > Gaited Horse Training Discussions > Clicker Training by 4-Square > Chance's Edited Training Journal |
| Moderated by: 4Square | Page:   1 2 3 |
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| Chance's Edited Training Journal | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16th, 2007 05:49 am |
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41st Post |
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4Square G.O.G Community Member 
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I cluck and reinforce. We repeat this a couple more times. I then pull a fast one on him and put the cone on the ground near the gate, point at the cone and tell him to "go touch it". This photo shows Chance making an incorrect assumption about what it is I am asking him to do. He is remembering the last physical action that got him a reinforcer. He has not clearly connected that it is the act of touching the cone that earns the paycheck. Attachment: Chance guessing wrong 1 15 07.JPG (Downloaded 79 times) Last edited on Tue Jan 16th, 2007 05:50 am by 4Square ____________________ GOG Certified Trainer http://www.foursquarehorse.com Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Co 13: 6 -7 |
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16th, 2007 05:53 am |
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42nd Post |
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4Square G.O.G Community Member
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Chance turns his neck to look at me quizzically. My camera is not quick enough to capture this moment, but as the camera is computing the last image, I continue to point at the cone on the ground and repeat "go touch it". Chance is puzzled, but then he suddenly spots the cone on the ground and immediately nuzzles it. Cluck and reward! Attachment: Chance nuzzling cone 1 15 07.JPG (Downloaded 78 times)
____________________ GOG Certified Trainer http://www.foursquarehorse.com Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Co 13: 6 -7 |
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16th, 2007 06:01 am |
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43rd Post |
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4Square G.O.G Community Member
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I attempt a few more directives of touching the cone on the ground. Chance ultimately decides that he can reinforce himself with the green grass quicker than I can give him grain. I end the session early. My pupil has lost his "cookie drive". Why work for a cookie when you're standing in ice cream? Attachment: Chance deliberating 1 15 07.JPG (Downloaded 75 times)
____________________ GOG Certified Trainer http://www.foursquarehorse.com Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Co 13: 6 -7 |
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| Posted: Tue Jan 16th, 2007 06:17 am |
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44th Post |
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4Square G.O.G Community Member
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Okay, main things that came up in today's lesson: 1. As suspected earlier, early targeting lessons combined with photographic duties don't mesh well. I had the target in my left hand and the camera in the right and the grain in my right pocket. You can imagine the time delay of me transferring the camera to the hand that held the target as I would reach for the grain! 2. Always have a better reinforcer at hand than one that can be found for "free" in the surrounding environment. Mental note to [4] - turn a horse loose in the round pen to graze it back down to dirt! 3. If you are going to post photos for God and all the universe to potentially see on the internet, for heaven's sake, please clean up after the last windstorm so folks don't think you live on a partially reclaimed dumpsite!  [4]
____________________ GOG Certified Trainer http://www.foursquarehorse.com Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Co 13: 6 -7 |
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| Posted: Sun Jul 1st, 2007 07:11 am |
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45th Post |
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4Square G.O.G Community Member
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A few weeks ago I was "volunteered" to teach a target/clicker clinic for our E.A.R.S. Club [Equus Assinus Recreation Society]. At the time I didn't mind. However, around 10 days ago I caught a very bad bug that proved resistant to the first round of antibiotics. Last weekend was our BLM Volunteers hub's satellite adoption and I survived on sheer willpower and Sudafed. This weekend was to be the clinic. I had two days at work following the BLM event where I could not be "sick". Somehow I survived the week, but I had no time to prepare for the clinic. So, had to wing it. Melody, my fully trained target mare, did a wonderful job. She's such a ham, she worked the crowd pretty good. However, it is very hard to demonstrate entry level shaping techniques with a horse that already has advanced beyond them. Sooo, I decided I would pull Chance out. Chance had not been worked on targeting in so long, I could not really remember! Nice thing about this journal is I now know 5 1/2 months had elapsed! Anyway, I prefaced his demonstration by saying that I really did not know how well he'd perform, but that at one point he had "touch it" down very well. I also added that the other big difference is that Chance realizes that he is all BOY! It was going to be a real litmus test to see how he would do with teenage hormones ravaging his body and not having been seriously handled in a half a year! Chance came into the round pen pretty much as one would expect a young easily distracted stallion. He immediately starting scenting out where Melody had been, doing classic flehman behavior. I had explained to the audience earlier that the biggest perk of target training is that it teaches horses to focus. They got to see that a bit with Melody. I let Chance goof off for a few moments and then also explained that I would likely have to "put him to work" if I could not get his attention, which is basically driving him around the round pen until he gives me the signal he is ready to listen. Well, to make a long story short. As soon as I asked Chance to target the soccer cone, his entire demeanor changed and he became instantly focused. The audience saw the immediate change. He targeted it successfully everywhere I put it, including on the top rail of the round pen! Chance had also shown that he very much could be persnickety and snotty when asked to work when his concentration derailed. He angrily lashed out with his hind legs numerous times the first time I had to regain his attention. Once I had him respectful again, only took a few moments and changes of direction in the round pen, he was back to targeting and concentrating. His performance illustrated beautifully the power that positive reinforcement [targeting] had over negative reinforcement [driving him off when he wanted to follow his own ideas]. Chance quickly chose that he'd much rather give me desirable behavior and be rewarded than have to face the negative increased workload for following his own whims. He went from disrespectful teenage stallion to pleasant cooperative boy in just a matter of moments. I was able to demo the beginning of shaping the retrieve. It also goes to say, that if the foundation is put down correctly, the horses really do remember and are motivated by the target game. After I concluded the demo and talked to the audience, Chance stayed stuck to me like glue, gently asking to "play" some more by touching the back of my shirt with a soft "please" expression. His total attention and cooperation were on me. Boy oh boy was I sure glad I taught that hormonal boy how to target as a colt! Last edited on Sun Jul 1st, 2007 07:22 am by 4Square ____________________ GOG Certified Trainer http://www.foursquarehorse.com Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Co 13: 6 -7 |
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| Posted: Tue Jul 3rd, 2007 12:46 am |
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46th Post |
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Mistiblue G.O.G Community Member 
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4Square, I just love this journal and am always anxious to read your progress along this path. I learn soooo much. 
____________________ "The Greatness of a Nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way that its' animals are treated " - Gandhi |
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