Improving attention span?!

[Illusion100]

Hello all, looking for some tips!

My youngster has barely been touched since Dec. Daily check over but no other handling and is very content living out full time. I only have him trimmed when he needs it and today the farrier came out.

After initially being a little suspicious of the farrier, horse decided he was probably going to survive whatever was coming his way and was extremely good to trim but he is hard work to keep entertained!

1st foot (RF)- Horse looking very chilled, even looked like he was nodding off a bit and loving head rubs. Had to keep an eye on him so he didn't nip farrier when he was rounding the foot off, he didn't try to today but he nipped once on a previous occasion so I'm very vigilant as not fair on farrier.

2nd foot (RH)- Spotted a fascinating something somewhere to stare at but still very chilled and no messing about.

3rd foot (LH)- Started to get bored, now I have to start keeping his attention. Bearing in mind the farrier is underneath him I'm quite limited as to telling him off. Nibbling at my sleeves, tried to nibble my glove, wanting to move his head around, nibbling on chain. All I can really do is a firm 'NO' for nibbling me, hold onto headcollar to keep head still (he doesn't argue about it though) and removing chain from mouth. If I let him really look around, he can get quite unbalanced on 3 legs.

4th foot (LF)- BORED! He becomes a pain in my backside! Now he ups his game, now I have to constantly wrestle chain/lead rope/end of schooling whip out of his mouth and keep him really busy when farrier rounding foot off. He wasn't upset or anxious, just bored and looking for ways to entertain himself.

I have done some clicker training with him. When he's just standing there really quietly and calmly, he gets a click and treat. If he's being silly and then stops I don't click and treat straightaway as he's not stupid and will then repeat the silly behaviour and stop again just to get more carrot (too smart for his own good) so I can't use the clicker training for the duration of the trimming.

He's been like this from a weanling (short attention span when trimmed) but before if he got bored and was told no or restrained he would just panic and rear, so although there has been a vast improvement, it drives me nuts and I'm stuck for ideas to keep him entertained. I did try having someone else hold him previously this year to see if it was just me he pratted about with but he is very quick to suss things out and push his luck and ended up rearing until I took over and gave him a ticking off.

So any ideas about increasing attention span or distracting him would be much appreciated! I'm also very conscious about ensuring being trimmed/touched by farrier is a positive experience!

ETS: He has great feet and really doesn't need trimming that often! When I asked farrier today when he thinks horse would require another trim he said probably May/June. He has no foot problems or conditions!

 

[Gloi]

Have you tried tying a sensible horse he knows up next to him and giving them a haynet each to give him company and keep him occupied.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Have you tried tying a sensible horse he knows up next to him and giving them a haynet each to give him company and keep him occupied.

My farrier doesn't like horses to be given haynets while he is working on their feet as they jerk their heads pulling hay out of the net, so becoming unbalanced.

I think I would ask the farrier to spend some time on his feet if he comes to the yard prior to your next expected appointment. I imagine that your horse doesn't see such infrequent visits as routine. I used to have a youngster who liked to mouth the lead-rope while having her feet done. It helped her to stand still.

 

[ponies4ever]

Could always have a salt lick of lik it attached to fence to keep him busy? Shouldn't jerk his head around then

 

[Goldenstar]

I just give them haylage if they have the attention spam of a fruit fly , that's what my farrier likes .

 

[nikkitodhunter]

I'm not very familiar with clicker training, but the use of treats combined with how much he's nibbling you sounds like an issue to me? It's the sort of behaviour you see from a horse that knows you have treats and wants some. Maybe the training isn't consistent enough or he doesn't quite understand what behaviour is being rewarded? Like I say though, I'm no expert!

 

[Illusion100]

Hi all, thanks for responses.

As a weanling he was trimmed next to my calm old eventer but he was still easily bored. He gets ad lib hay (large bale in a ringfeeder) so a haynet offers little distraction.

nikkitodhunter, I fully agree with your concern re: treats and clicker training but I have been very careful. During any clicker training session he has never tried to nibble me for treats, worst he's done is lower his head towards my pocket and he's learnt no treat comes unless he then turns his head away. For most of his life he has been trimmed without clicker training but still would get easily bored.

He really doesn't nibble in a cheeky or forceful way, it's more distracted or playful. He does like to play with his chain and lick my palm but he will not touch a salt lick. He's quite incorrigible at times but always in a well meant manner.

In reality, he fidgets in a very nice way but it gets more and more intensive. It also seems that the more distraction/attention I give him when he gets bored, the worse he gets, again nothing nasty/cheeky. If he's ignored he then starts to fret.

Farrier and I arrived at pretty much same time and he gets trimmed by his field (the yard can really stress horse out so I want him relaxed with farrier as again not fair on farrier or horse). While I was organising headcollar/chain at field, farrier walked to pet horse over fence, horse said 'hell no' and really backed off. So I caught horse and brought him into 'trimming area'. Horse wasn't sure initially but was very trusting and let farrier start without any fuss. Then it was like horse went 'PHEW! That's all that's going on!'. Then horse gets bored.....

I'm just not sure if he will eventually grow out of this or whether it's just a quirk?

Please keep suggestions rolling in.

 

[dollyanna]

He sounds very like my boy - he is clicker trained but he can't concentrate for the length of time needed to do 4 feet so I tried to find other options. One is that he is allowed a brief break when needed - and at least between doing fronts and backs. He just has a little walk round the yard, just a minute or so, but gives him chance to shake off any tension from trying to balance and get rid of a few ants from his pants :-D

Our recent breakthrough though was using a forage block. I hold it and keep it still so no tugging like you get with a haynet, easily lasts long enough for 4 feet (I hold off as long as I can so he practises standing still for a bit first, but when it all starts to get too fidgety then I bring it out) and helps him relax because he has something to chew so remarkably helps with his balance and therefore better standing on 3 legs.

I end up covered in chaff but it is worth it!!

 

[Illusion100]

He sounds very like my boy - he is clicker trained but he can't concentrate for the length of time needed to do 4 feet so I tried to find other options. One is that he is allowed a brief break when needed - and at least between doing fronts and backs. He just has a little walk round the yard, just a minute or so, but gives him chance to shake off any tension from trying to balance and get rid of a few ants from his pants :-D

Our recent breakthrough though was using a forage block. I hold it and keep it still so no tugging like you get with a haynet, easily lasts long enough for 4 feet (I hold off as long as I can so he practises standing still for a bit first, but when it all starts to get too fidgety then I bring it out) and helps him relax because he has something to chew so remarkably helps with his balance and therefore better standing on 3 legs.

I end up covered in chaff but it is worth it!!

Haha, who doesn't love being covered in chaff! Is your boy shod? I'm dreading trying to keep mines attention for shoeing, a trim is emotional enough!

My horse, although 5 this summer, still has such a baby head a lot of the time. He's dead cute, unless he's having a renowned eppie. It's hard at times to balance correcting unwanted behaviour without putting other people (such as farrier) at risk.

I think I will follow the giving him a break advice you have given next time and see how it goes. I might try the forage block but he has a real tendency to play with his food. Plus if he gets anxious, he looses any interest in eating. Sometimes I think fate brought this horse and I together just to test my last nerve!

 

[dollyanna]

Mine is rising 4, not shod and no intention to, but he does have difficulty concentrating and balancing at the same time, although it is improving :-D He is still very immature in so many ways.

I have to confess I am not a fan of eating while trimming, it was a last resort but worked so much better than I expected. The joy of it is that it is more something to play with than to eat, he just needs to use his mouth when he is concentrating and this gives him that chance.