Charm picks up her cones

To mark the end of our work sessions in the round pen I've been asking Charm to pick up our work toys (cones, whip, and backpack) before going out to graze. This all grew out of clicker training her to do simple retrieves and now has grown into an entire sequence of chained behaviors with her favorite treat marking the very end - getting out of the round pen to graze. This video shows only the first sequence - picking up her cones and giving them to me one by one on her back. Although the video stops before the end, she then goes on to pick up my back pack from the ground, gives it to me, waits for me to pack everything into the sack and put it on, then picks up the training whip and gives that to me too. She then waits for me to open the round pen gate from her back to finally ride out to graze as her final treat! She knows all this means the end of our work session and the start of a good long grazing period.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• clicker
• training
• Haflinger
• horse
• retrieving

[arlcolon]

Thank you for that nice comment! It's all due to using clicker training and following Alexandra Kurland's methods. C/T brings out the "genius" in our horses and make good trainers out of us humans. Using primarily positive reinforcement while training builds the wonderful relationship.

[welcometopemberley]

Super cool, nice work!

[arlcolon]

Thank you! Retrieving was one of the early "just for fun" clicker trained behaviors we played with together. But now Charm uses it on her own sometimes to communicate. When she wants me to hurry and get going she may go off and pick up my backpack and brings it to me, or just carries it over to the gate and looks back at me with it in her mouth. On our trail rides Charm picks up our lost hats or sweaters for us without anyone having to dismount!

[photographers123]

that is amazing! a great bond! how did u do it? how did u teach her?