Firstly, I want to thank all who shared in my Shawna Karrasch ConnectionTraining.com Clinic. It was special to have three local neighbors joining as as well as other positive reinforcement aficionados. I would love to do this again or offer EquestrianTraining.com as a venue to anyone who would like to share hosting and doesn’t have a place. Another option is having Shawna come and plan a day or two of private lessons at your or your horse’s home. I feel like I could enjoy a month of good practice. Neubee loves it, so.. Neubee loves me!! How fun is that. I always learn so much about my training skills in a clinic. When I am clear about what I want from him, and I reward him for the steps leading to that behavior, I get results and quickly. Much horse training focuses on one single horse skill at a time. Over the years, when people would bring me their horse, there were often missing links in the training chain. I have been willing to jump in the middle, making safety, courage, curiosity, try and willingness the priority. I could have a plan, but what ever happened in the day made some other thing more important at the moment. So, I am in the habit of working several things at a time. If you have nothing but time, as I do with my own horses, the refinement and consistency come together in time. I am amazed when behaviors, like lead changes, just appear. Positive reinforcement works either way, one skill at a time or several mixed goals at a time. I can be patient, I will have, forward, straightness, attention and adjustability. I have faith in the positive reinforcement process and I know learning takes time. I’m having fun and so is Neubee. Can there be too much time having fun????
We all shared sadness when Shawna learned her horse, Bugsy, died in the night Saturday. She shared with us her loss and grief. She modeled for us that in our pain, we can go forward. We all worked together and focused on the present day. Cody, Freddie, Neubee and Flirt all made improvements. Cody became more trusting and less fearful, Freddie became more attentive, Neubee learned free jump being sent between two people (point A to B), and little Flirt jumped into the middle of a passenger van with 2nd seat removed. We all began to see the building blocks when reinforced netted the desired goal. Horses wanted the positive reward — they wanted to earn the reward, looking to their handler for the YES, That’s IT. no halters no lead ropes, no leading, no pulling, no rope throwing, no chasing, no spurring, no crops, no whips, , ALL ground work at liberty. All the learning AT LIBERTY, no NEGATIVE PRESSURE only POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.
For me, and others too, it is a new way of thinking and problem solving. You don’t have to know why a horse is showing negative emotion, you just begin and teach with only positive emotion and the negative melts away. I invite you to come, learn, practice and work our horses together at EquestrianTraining.com with POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT. I had another amazing training day today as I enjoy my progress, I am interested in yours!! Thanks so much Shawna Karrasch
