I started with targeting a small plastic cone and also introduced standing on a mat. Cricket picked up targeting after a few clicks. Almost like, "Hey! I remember this!" The mat took her a moment but it wasn't long before she was doing something with it.
I did four short sessions on Friday and four sessions yesterday. By the time we were done last night, she had just about figured out the idea was to put both feet on the mat. In clicking her for duration, I started to select for a "pretty girl pose" - eyes forward, chin slightly tucked. I can't get her ears forward because she ends up standing sideways to me and one ear is always on me! Eventually we'll get it.
This is the beginning of a major change. I need to process some more before I post.
4 comments:
Too funny! Guinness and I played with the "adults are speaking" task (stop begging and put your nose somewhere else) yesterday evening and it morphed into him offering to park out and start to tuck his nose. Great minds. ;-)
This morning while I was out at the barn, Cricket stood in her stall giving me low nickers. It's been too long since that's happened. I need to find better treats to use - she's okay emotionally but at the rate we're going through cookies, I'll be bankrupt in a week!
Isn't it amazing how much the retain? KP talks about that in her latest book as well - that CT learned skills really stick.
Tina - I am so loving this right now. I can kind of see how I wasn't ready before. But now I am. I loved Karen's book - thank you so much for recommending it. That, coupled with the Mark Rashid book I just finished, has really made me rethink how I've been approaching my horses.
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