Re: kicking and pulling back tied LONG

[CMKSAGEHIL <CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com>]

Excellent letter, Melanie.  My only comment is that I do think that horses
learn from "don't cues" but that most people don't know how to administer
them.  You are absolutely right that one should be cuing the horse to do other
things to prevent the kicking or other objectionable behavior, but if the
behavior DOES occur, a "don't cue" must be immediate, hard, and then get off
of the subject.  If you miss the immediate response, you have accomplished
nothing because the horse doesn't know what the "don't" was in response to.
Also, if you continue punishment, the horse ceases to relate it to the
wrongdoing and merely thinks he is being abused.

Heidi