Dusty isn't the worst loader in the world, but we have religiously had to load her with a lunge line and tiny bit of pressure on her hind quarters. She always goes straight on with this but it was clearly begrudgingly (otherwise she'd just go on without it) and it's not something you can easily do if you're on your own.
Seeing as I'm hoping to take her out a bit more on my own when the weather eventually changes, I figured I had better start getting her to load without the use of extra lines and with no pressure.
I video'd our first "usual" attempts to show that she's unwilling, I obviously didn't battle with her as I didn't want to wind her up and upset her before switching to positive reinforcement. She's doesn't rear or pull back and run off, she just simply says no and no amount of dragging her around will change her mind (nor should it).
**I started with the camera inside as it was raining! Then moved it outside, for it to rain again and the wind pick up...**
Moving Forward Using Positive Reinforcement - Target Training
I have done bits and pieces of clicker training with Dusty for the past few years. She really enjoys target training and although it's not perfect, she understands the principle behind following it. I thought this would be a good place to start with her with it as it gives her a clear indication of where I want her to go and what I want her to do, as well as making it a fun (and tasty!) experience for her. This first time you can see I click (I used a simple tongue click as I anticipated to have my hands too full for my normal clicker) and reward in small intervals. So I only move the target small amounts in the first instance and don't expect too much at once. She was actually really keen so I could ask for a little bit more than I maybe could with a different horse. Had she been more reluctant I would have moved in even smaller increments again, even if it was just one step at a time towards the lorry and not even on the ramp, just always setting them up for success and keeping them happy and calm. I make sure to ask her to target once in the lorry and not rush straight back off. As you can see it's all open so had she been upset or panicked she could have "escaped" rather easily!
On the next time round, you can see she actually races me in! She's picked up the game now and she's happy to play! The rope is loose and she wants to load, so already an improvement! Obviously I don't want her to run in or out but walk on and off calmly so on the next few goes I make sure to break it up a little bit again, and get her to stop on the ramp so she doesn't rush out.
I felt it would be good to really test her (well me really), so on the next go I unclipped the rope. Moment of truth, in a ten acre field with her friends in! You can see her work out she's no longer attached and she thinks about having a wander off down the side of the lorry, but with a simple call back and a bit of a wiggle with the target to remind her what we're doing she's back on, and off we go again. She happily loads the rest of the way without me "leading" her and even waits for me to get round the front and give her a reward. Again the breast bar is open so nothing stopping her continuing straight out the lorry! Then when we're ready off she comes quietly and calmly, following her favourite target. Success!
We did this a couple more times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Which it wasn't! Dusty followed her little target all the way round up and down with no ropes attached and no pressure.
Our last go, I wanted to put the breast bar across like we were going out for real. She's facing the complete wrong way at the start of this video, but again a simple call and she's back round to her favourite target! I thought I would try and send her up on her own without following the target and meet her at the top, and she was happy to oblige!
We accomplished much more than I anticipated on day one, but that doesn't mean I am going to expect her to load flawlessly every time now and without the target, but I will continue to use the target until I feel she is confident enough for me to wean it out completely. These things are a continuous work in progress!
This was a mere ten minute session, that is all you need. Don't over do it, take any little bit of progress and always set them up for success. If we had only managed to get her to stand on the ramp today I would have been just as happy with that, and could have worked on it further next time!
If you would like to know how to target train your horse (for a multitude of applications not just loading!) then comment below and we'll make sure to cover it soon!
Let us know if you liked the use of the videos to show our progress!
As a bonus, my favourite video clip from our session. We had finished and I was closing up the lorry. Dusty had decided it was time for her to disappear and find her friends and the hay. I thought I may have lost her attention by then and I'd have to retrieve her from down the field, but I called her and she toddled on back and to the target! A separate success!
Hope you enjoyed and have picked up something to try with your own horses!
I will be doing the same with some of our other tricky loaders to cover all bases so make sure you get notified when they go up by Subscribing to our blog!
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