RC: Re: Trot, Trot, Trot!

[Magnumsmom@aol.com]

I added a little positive reinforcement to teaching the
trot out.  I added the incentive of the daily bucket of
goodies.  Tie the horse so he can see and hear you 
putting all the goodies into it.  The bucket goes in another
area... a pen, a feeding area, the trailer, or on another
tie post.  My horses learned it was there and so had that
positive reinforcement as we are going towards the bucket.

Next I have worked both my horses in the round pen
starting with Monty Robert's (or any other good) technique
of teaching the horse to listen to you and your body
language so that your horse is watching where you are
and what you are doing anyways.

I then lead the horse (Blue in this case) towards his bucket
(which he was really really interested in), jog-hopped up and
down beside his head while leading him on a loose lead, and
said in my best doggy-voice "trot-trot!".  It didn't take long
for him to pick up that we got to "TROT!" to his bucket!

Cantering was a big no-no and we'd have to turn around and
start all over.

Of course you must be careful that this never gets out of
hand.  ;-) And we had to stop and behave... stand to be tied,
or have our halter removed to be released BEFORE he got
to actually get to his bucket.  To add the turn around and
back, trot past the buckey a ways, turn around, and head
back to it.  This then becomes part of the routine.

Next we started trotting everywhere... from here to there,
Looky-at-your-friends, let's go back out to the pasture.
Add a bit of excitement at being at an endurance ride to
your nicely conditioned body language and voice command
trot and you'll have a happy trot out and back.

Kinda like clicker training only with a bucket.

:)  :)  :)  - Kathy Myers
Santa Fe, NM