Training for vet work

Today was the day for West Nile Virus vaccinations>  After some reading, I decided to go ahead with the vaccine (many equine owners worry about the pros and cons of giving this) because the virus is in the are and the disease is awful and nearly always fatal.

Of my three donkeys, Dorica is the one who is afraid of needles.  Although she's pretty easy to handle, she'll try to scoot away and tense her neck  so that it's hard to get the needle through the thick layer of muscle.
This means that she will usually have a nasty welt and a hot spot around the injection site.

So about a month ago, I began to work with her to desensitize her for the procedure.  Here's what I did:
Step 1:  begin by tapping the side of her neck, click & treat when she is standing still

Step 2:  squeeze/ pinch her hck lightly, click & treat for stading still

Step 3:  IF and only IF and when she is okay with this, apply more pressure, either by pinching a bit harder or graduate to the point of a ball point pen or blunt nail.  Keep her on a high rate of reinforcement for standing still.

Step 4: I tried using the tip of a bamboo skewer to simulate a needle - never hurt or break the skin though!

Today all that preparation worked and she stood for the shot like the stoic angel that she is! I could have added one more thing though and that would have been to ask the vet to do a few pinches, clicking and treating before she gave the shot.  Sometimes, everything you (the owner) does can fall apart when a new person tries (especially one who smells like a vet!)

I was very pleased it went so well and she has had no reaction, swelling or hot spots this time.  Siog and Deenah had their shots without incident.

Conversations about clicker training

This is a conversation via email that I have been having with a friend about clicker training.  It started when she mentioned that she felt her horse would “turn himself inside out” if hand fed as in clicker training.  This is such a common worry about clicker training .... the concern about hand feeding.

I have shared this concern too but have realized that for most animals, the potential to nip or bite is quickly addressed through teaching good manners first, respect for personal space  and safety.

I responded to my friend’s concerns by sending her Alexandra Kurland’s article from her website (theclickercentre.com) called Mouthy Horses and Hand Feeding.

Here is her reply followed by further correspondence, which is interesting enough to post.

K:   I wonder if clicker is the most "positive" of all training disciplines??

ME:   I really think so. I'm sure not an authority on the subject but I have had a bit of Parelli experience and have heard a lot about what clicker trainers think of it as a method. Basically, in Parelli, there is "always the threat of Phase Four" - i.e. increasing levels of pressure if the horse isn't giving the response you want. So even if you don't have to go there, the horse knows there is a lingering threat. The reward is just the letting go of pressure.

But don't quote me - many people love Parelli or some version of it. Ringo had a complete melt down with it but I know it has been useful for others.

Clicker training does use pressure and release of pressure - legs, reins and lead ropes all come with pressure. But there is an experience called "the poisoned cue" and so many things can become "poisoned" - your hand, the lead, the halter, - almost everything can be used with an underlying, veiled threat attached.

The animals know this and although you can achieve "good" behaviour in an animal who has not been clicker trained, you don't get the same willing partnership, eagerness and downright joy from the animal. They can be obedient but shut down, or obedient but not engaged.

Clicker training is so effective basically because you are always keeping the animal feeling supported - even for trying - even for a muscle shift.

And because the animal doesn't know at first "what" to do and "when" to do it, they become engaged and curious and then "click" they get told YES!! you did it! So because of this, they learn fast - they look forward to learning.

Clicker training is used with many wild animals in captivity, from dolphins to gorillas and also with search and rescue dogs, seeing eye dogs and horses, sniffer dogs and for dressage as well.

But it's not simply to teach behaviours, it's also to teach body awareness (for the animal) and balance ... ultimately for a happy, healthy horse/ donkey and a dynamic partnership!

K:   This is quite interesting for sure.  I often think that a blend of things is what might work and even then it needs to be tailored for our own particular animal and their unique temperament.  Just like parenting... and that we do the best we can at any give moment and only later when we look back do we really see it clearly.  Mind boggling really and I guess we may as well accept that we will for sure make mistakes along the way!   I would like to know more about this.  

I think what may have given us a negative impression is back when we first started trying to educate ourselves on the various methods of horsemanship we watched a Utube video of horses crossing a stream.  Every few seconds the horse would turn it's head and be given a treat on cue to the clicker.  It seemed awkward to us then and maybe we prematurely judged the concept.  I am not sure why we took exception to this really...just a notion that it looked "over done".  But I wholeheartedly admit that we may have judged way to soon.  So I am going to look again with an open mind because I do love the idea of putting relationship first. 

ME:   I've watched a lot of clicker training videos too and, like everything else, there are "good" trainers - and not so good trainers too!

The horse crossing the stream may have been terrified of doing so and needed to be on a high rate of reinforcement - but as the animal learns (and clicker training teaches confidence too) duration is built and the treats can get phased out.   Think of it ... no rider wants to be stopping and treating their horses every couple of minutes!  That would be tedious and counter-productive - but as clicker training is really a method tailored to each animals' "needs," -some animals need to be supported more for learning particular things that they are scared or unsure of.  And what's so neat is that the animal tells us what he/she needs to learn.  

For example, Deenah is so easy going with shots but Dorica is terrified.  I don't need to teach Deenah how to stand still for a blood draw but I need to teach this to Dorica

Clicker trainers break down lessons into really small steps.  It looks easy but actually it requires a lot of thought and planning.  Because you are watching the animal all the time to assess how they are doing, you need to figure out different approaches - this is really fun and stimulating!

Ringo would resist any pressure on his halter.  I could have whacked him until he moved forward, but instead I looked for something that would help him overcome his resistance because I know it was probably in response to previous handling.  His halter could have become "poisoned" for him ... meaning it could bring up memories of punishment or harsh treatment.  I want him to want to walk with me, not to do it out of fear of getting punished.  So I began to ask him to just touch my closed fist on the cheek of his halter - no pressure - click, treat!

Then bit by bit, move my hand to his nose, then forward, then a teeny bit of forward pressure, releasing immediately when he relaxes.

Once he learned this and that stepping out was okay, I didn't have to work on it anymore.  We (animals) remember things that are being encouraged and rewarded.  Punishment may stop behaviour in the moment but it doesn't change behaviour - you never know when it will crop up again, usually through fear and lack of understanding.

Double trouble!

Just came back from a lovely walk with Siog.  She saw her first bonfire today and that had her puzzled.
Also encountered 3 bikes together, then 1 bike - she was very interested but didn't spook.

She is better (but not perfect) about not stalling out and if and when she does, I walk way out in front of her, holding the lead rope but without pressure.  I walk from side to side, changing hands as I walk back and I do NOT look at her.  This seems to encourage her to walk again!  I don't click and treat her right away though as I don't want to inadvertently create a behaviour loop.

On the way back, Siog surprised me by suddenly rolling in the middle of the dirt road.  Poor donkeys are all so itchy but I don't think I should have let her do that!

Back in the barn paddock I decided to work with both Dorica and Deenah at the same time.  So I got out a mat and a curry comb and asked 1 donkey to stand on the mat while I groomed the other one.  This worked great while Dorrie was on the mat as she has become very good at standing.  I kept them on either side of me so I could click and treat both at the same time.

It was a bit tougher with Dee on the mat, although not bad really for the first time at this.  Dorrie can get SO jealous of any other donkey in the proximity though so I put a halter on her as she really is respectful with a halter on.  The lead was attached but not really in play.

I will try to do this every day and eventually add donkey #3!

working away ...

9:30 p.m. - just came in from the barn - a gorgeous clear night, new moon but dark.  It's still cool, Spring is here but a coastal tease ... long and lingering, cool and damp.  I was away all day and missed playing with the donks so tonight we all sent time doing a bit of stall work before I filled their hay bags for the night.

Each donkey is eager to practice her new lessons - Deenah seems to love backing herself into a corner and then displacing her haunches.  Dorica is practicing targeting the hanging jolly ball in her stall and standing still. 

Siog is just eager for attention and treats.  She is getting so much better at standing still while being touched in different places.  But she seems ravenously hungry all the time.  She has been having a struggle with internal parasites and I've dewormed her 3 times now.  Hopefully the next float will show that she is "clean."  Otherwise I'll have to keep treating her as the harm caused by parasites is more harmful than the chemical dewormer.

Everyone is itchy and starting to shed.

Yesterday Forrest was here to spend time and help with chores.  We trotted Dorrie over the cavalletti jump
and Forrest enjoyed it as much as Dorica.  We also took Siog through a short woodland trail that I want to clear.  Had to do some bushwacking.