Training of Bandvettir - 11 year old Icelandic Stallion
Bandvettir, is an 11 year old Icelandic stallion and should be in his prime. He is however causing problems for the team from Stall Frostur.
He seems to be obedient for the most part; working with him on the ground goes without difficulty and even saddling him does not cause distress. It gets complicated when trying to get on him. According to his owner, Eva Evans he panics, going into a fight or flight state of mind. He does however settle right down once the rider stops trying to mount him.
The cause of this erratic behavior is uncertain, there is even video footage of him being ridden by the previous owner, proving that he is accustomed to a rider on his back. Their vet also ruled out pain related issues. All that can be done is help the little stallion over come his anxiety of the mounting rider.
In a new environment chances of the horse behaving differently are high. The animal needs time to process the impressions, people and horses. Vettir did not seem insecure and was curious about these changes. Clay used this opportunity to test his behavior out.
As he would with any horse, Clay lead him out and tied him up. He brushed him thoroughly and paid close attention to his back, rubbing the brush over the area and applying pressure. Vettir did not twitch. Placing the saddle on him went without excitement as well, it was a rather dull affair in Vettir's opinion, as the stallion tilted his hip and rested on his inner leg almost falling asleep. This was a good sign since it meant the stallion was not anticipating anything and had not connected tacking up with being ridden. It could also be that the team from Stall Frostur practiced this extensively and he was used to it.
Clay led the stallion to the arena. Markús assisted him and held the reigns while Clay worked his way up the saddle, tightening the girth, messing with stirrups, Vettir seemed alert, but stood still. In a smooth movement, from messing with the saddle to grabbing the stirrup firmly to place his foot in, the stallion reacted. His back raised, ears pinned back the horse started fidgeting, but Markús was doing his job keeping the stallion under control. Clay had intended to swing himself on his back just to test Vettir's reaction but he forgot his helm and if he left now and came back again, the stallion would have been smart enough to know his intentions. The element of surprise was gone.
Clay upset with his thoughtlessness dropped the session for the day. To not let it go to waste entirely he did some In-hand work with him, the stallion seemed responsive to pressure and light on the reins. 'What a good riding horse he will make,' Clay thought. But his issue was clear, it was strictly the mounting process, like Eva had said. Even though he reacted with fearful, psychologically this reaction did not coincide with the rest of his behavior. Clay believed it might have originated in fear, but it has been so often with success that it formed into a strategy of his. It was not a fear induced behavior but a learned behavior acted out with 'fear-symptoms'. Which was good in a way because actual fear is a tricky thing to get rid of, since it runs deep and the entire demeanor of a horse has to be changed from the ground up, but this stallion was too confident for it. This training would be repetition, lots and lots of repetition.
As he would with any horse, Clay lead him out and tied him up. He brushed him thoroughly and paid close attention to his back, rubbing the brush over the area and applying pressure. Vettir did not twitch. Placing the saddle on him went without excitement as well, it was a rather dull affair in Vettir's opinion, as the stallion tilted his hip and rested on his inner leg almost falling asleep. This was a good sign since it meant the stallion was not anticipating anything and had not connected tacking up with being ridden. It could also be that the team from Stall Frostur practiced this extensively and he was used to it.
Clay led the stallion to the arena. Markús assisted him and held the reigns while Clay worked his way up the saddle, tightening the girth, messing with stirrups, Vettir seemed alert, but stood still. In a smooth movement, from messing with the saddle to grabbing the stirrup firmly to place his foot in, the stallion reacted. His back raised, ears pinned back the horse started fidgeting, but Markús was doing his job keeping the stallion under control. Clay had intended to swing himself on his back just to test Vettir's reaction but he forgot his helm and if he left now and came back again, the stallion would have been smart enough to know his intentions. The element of surprise was gone.
Clay upset with his thoughtlessness dropped the session for the day. To not let it go to waste entirely he did some In-hand work with him, the stallion seemed responsive to pressure and light on the reins. 'What a good riding horse he will make,' Clay thought. But his issue was clear, it was strictly the mounting process, like Eva had said. Even though he reacted with fearful, psychologically this reaction did not coincide with the rest of his behavior. Clay believed it might have originated in fear, but it has been so often with success that it formed into a strategy of his. It was not a fear induced behavior but a learned behavior acted out with 'fear-symptoms'. Which was good in a way because actual fear is a tricky thing to get rid of, since it runs deep and the entire demeanor of a horse has to be changed from the ground up, but this stallion was too confident for it. This training would be repetition, lots and lots of repetition.
Clay was not as successful as he hoped. He would do a series of in-hand work and try to transition to fumbling with the saddle. However the moment Clay even thought about mounting, the stallion would react. Clay was worried that instead of desensitizing him he was just teaching Bandvettir to read minds better.
He asked Neal for advice, who used to rehabilitate problem horses, and Neal suggested Clicker Training, which was Anna's expertise.
So Anna checked the horse out and thought it might be worth a try. But before they could move forward they would have to take a detour.
The first lesson was simply conditioning the stallion to the clicking sound. Anna knows the value of social learning and suggested they use the gelding Torradan as a model for the stallion to watch and learn from. They put both horses in a stall and Anna would start by clicking and feeding treats to Torradan. Then she started on the stallion, randomly clicking, immediately followed by treats. She made sure he did not get too pushy and would only click and reward when he was calm. She would switch through both horses a few times and then the session was ended.
He asked Neal for advice, who used to rehabilitate problem horses, and Neal suggested Clicker Training, which was Anna's expertise.
So Anna checked the horse out and thought it might be worth a try. But before they could move forward they would have to take a detour.
The first lesson was simply conditioning the stallion to the clicking sound. Anna knows the value of social learning and suggested they use the gelding Torradan as a model for the stallion to watch and learn from. They put both horses in a stall and Anna would start by clicking and feeding treats to Torradan. Then she started on the stallion, randomly clicking, immediately followed by treats. She made sure he did not get too pushy and would only click and reward when he was calm. She would switch through both horses a few times and then the session was ended.
Once Vettir got the hang of it - even going as far as actively looking away from the treat - the training was moved outside. It was easy to motivate this stallion and he always looked forward to his sessions. He started following Clay from paddock to arena without a lead rope, all the while being polite and not invading his trainers space, which was one of the first lessons Anna taught in Clicker Training.
They took their time but after a few weeks of conditioning the stallion was encouraged to search for behaviors earning him the rewarding clicking sound.
Normally Anna would not encourage this freely exploitative behavior and preferred to guide her horses in the desired behavior. The reasoning was because, in worst case, it could lead to an obsession, a sort of over-motivation where the animals constantly runs down his entire repertoire and getting anxious, searches for a reward, but in this case it was necessary because his mind would have to search for the possibility of being mounted in hopes of getting a "click".
Clay would click and encourage behaviors that would later lead to someone mounting him. After a day he could put his foot in the stirrup, after a second day he could load a sack of carrots onto his back. The third day was spent ponying the stallion while leaning over him and stroking his back. This routine was repeated a few times. Any negative experience was trying to be avoided.
Another week past and Clay could put his foot in the stirrup, jump off and land again, earning Vettir another treat. Eventually Clay's leg swung over the stallion's back, click, treat. The stallion stood still. And again, foot in stirrup, swing into saddle, click, treat.
Another week past and Clay could put his foot in the stirrup, jump off and land again, earning Vettir another treat. Eventually Clay's leg swung over the stallion's back, click, treat. The stallion stood still. And again, foot in stirrup, swing into saddle, click, treat.
The training did not end there. After another few days of repetition he wasn't rewarded for every mount, sometimes he would stand for a few minutes and get his reward, sometimes he would have to walk a few steps and then get rewarded. Fairly quickly Clay had him down to no treats after mounting.
Although timid at first, riding him didn't seemed to be an issue, as Clay suspected he was a pretty spectacular riding horse. It was obvious that Vettir had not been ridden in a while, but any mistakes or fidgeting were ignored as long as the stallion moved forward. Once in motion he tölted confidently.
Clay suspected that all problems being ridden originated in his problem of being mounted, which set him in a sour mood and translated into his riding. But now that he had a positive demeanor, he was easier to ride. His training under saddle he would, however, leave in the capable hands of the Frostur team.
To generalize his good behavior, Bandvettir was tested in different scenarios, being mounted in new locations, hacking out and by different riders. It all went without difficulties. In Clay's opinion Bandvettir was ready to return home.
Although timid at first, riding him didn't seemed to be an issue, as Clay suspected he was a pretty spectacular riding horse. It was obvious that Vettir had not been ridden in a while, but any mistakes or fidgeting were ignored as long as the stallion moved forward. Once in motion he tölted confidently.
Clay suspected that all problems being ridden originated in his problem of being mounted, which set him in a sour mood and translated into his riding. But now that he had a positive demeanor, he was easier to ride. His training under saddle he would, however, leave in the capable hands of the Frostur team.
To generalize his good behavior, Bandvettir was tested in different scenarios, being mounted in new locations, hacking out and by different riders. It all went without difficulties. In Clay's opinion Bandvettir was ready to return home.