Positive Reinforcement Training- Horse Gentle Piaffe

[doubleclick4048]

I really like this, she shaping is really working well for you!

I also love "nice conversations with your horse"!! so true!

[abirdslife]

@doubleclick4048 thankyou! I love talking 'with' my horses. Many people are also yet to learn to 'listen' to their horses and learn from them xx

[abirdslife]

@zubbycat thankyou !! Candy is such a joy to interact with :o)

Most of the Piaffe I have seen in competition, is usually taught with force ie- whips, bridles, barriers etc.

I do not like negative trainings, I think it is cruel to the horses.

[horseideology]

What a great video! I love how Candy is mimicking your movements and gets really into it at the end. Great idea on how to teach this without all the tools and gadgets!

[abirdslife]

@horseideology Thankyou, I am so happy to show people that force and lots of tools and gadgets are seriously not needed...

I know you train horses too and a comment from you is really encouraging, thankyou !!

Cheryl :o)

[horseideology]

@abirdslife training is really entering a whole new era. It's fantastic to see others achieving great stuff too especially like the slower and simpler way you approach things. Always providing me food for thought :)

[abirdslife]

@horseideology I agree, it really is such a thrill to be a part of truly gentle horse training :o)

[Marenlene]

great vid! nice training, looks gentle and natural

[abirdslife]

@Marenlene Thankyou! yes it is very gentle and my mare is so independant. She loves to 'figure' it out for herself :o)

[Ksturg8929]

EXCELLENT, Cheryl. Thank you for posting this video!! Please continue to post additional installments as you and Candy progress with this. I want to learn from you to eventually teach this to Tempo!

[abirdslife]

@Ksturg8929 Thankyou Kim ! Candy is teaching me this behaviour as we go. She is fantastic and like me, gets excited in our 'light bulb' moments !

I love the way she reacts when she has worked it out... in the video you will see me try to give her a gentle touch on her neck, I always do this during training, however, because she was on a roll at that moment and had it figured, she pulls away and like a small child tells me "don't Mum, I can do it by myself" lol... I just love Candy !!

[Ksturg8929]

EXCELLENT, Cheryl. Thank you for posting this video!! Please continue to post additional installments as you and Candy progress with this. I want to learn from you to eventually teach this to Tempo!

[abirdslife]

@Ksturg8929 Thankyou !

[BojanglesNL]

Great video!

Nice to see your way of teaching the piaffe at liberty.

My youngest mare Bo is also learning the piaffe at liberty, also the first time for me teaching this exercise. I only use a different way, I teach her to lift 2 legs at one time diagonally! And then the other diagonal and so on! :)

[abirdslife]

@BojanglesNL thankyou for your kind words :o)

you have also given me more ideas to work with, 2 diagonal legs lifting.

I think Candy has almost got the idea now that I would like 4 legs moving. Just heading towards "on the spot' :o)

[abirdslife]

@BojanglesNL Joyce, do you have a video of Bo learning Piaffe? would love to watch it for more training at Liberty inspiration :o)

[myprophet1]

Fantastic, I luv the little steps. Am trying to get across the idea of "mimic me". I see it as a pretty important tool, guess your vid just proved that,lol! thanx for posting, they are all a great help to a lot of folks out here:)

[abirdslife]

@myprophet1 Thankyou !

Yes Mimic works really well. I helped my mare to watch for this by getting her to 'focus' on 'my' body language.

I am repedative with my body while training a behaviour, and my horse starts to constantly watch me for signs of what I might do next.

Eventually she is wanting to join in with what I am doing, resulting in her Mimicing me or another way to see this is, she could be choosing to see what I am doing as a 'cue' for her to do it also :o)

[MultiAnimalcrackers]

Candy is doing so well Cheryl...was this her first lesson? she so enjoys working...I love it when animals are trained free (at liberty) then you know for certain they have chosen to stay with you and work...love to see how it progresses

[abirdslife]

@MultiAnimalcrackers Thankyou Kath :o)

This is Candy's second lesson. My first time training Piaffe.

I wanted to try training this using Positive Reinforcement because -

1/ Candy has shown me she can do this behaviour in the past while she was under saddle

2/ she is very clicker wise and I think Candy and me can talk it through using 'clicks and treats' to get the Piaffe in hand.

I figure why use force when you can simply 'ask' your horse to do it :o)