Leading a yearling, pressure and release

[daisydoo]

Just looking for tips please. Im currently handling my yearling every day, picking feet up, grooming and leading round paddock, backing up but I want to progress to leading and typing up in the yard where there's lots of spooky things around/noisy dogs near by and eventually down the road. I've heard about pressure and release training, I obviously already do this to an extent but was just wondering if there is a technique as such. Daisy can be strong so I dont want to get to the point where Im fighting her?

 

[Ladydragon]

Not sure if it's 'pressure, release' in the correct form for the term - but I use the lead rope for tension/no tension as a form of negative reinforcement...

ie, when leading, if they stop, the lead rope is made taut - just taut, not yanking or pulling with me stood still... The instant they lean or step forward, the rope is relaxed so they're not exposed to a consistently tight line when moving and it's accompanied with a 'good boy' or whatever you use... It's reinforcement as it establishes (hopefully) an increase in the correct behaviour of leading and negative in that the pressure of the line is released or removed when they are doing the right thing... When the foalie arrived and didn't have a clue what to do after being attached to a lead rope - it did make for some prolonged periods of time just standing in a leading position and going no where until he started to register that moving forward = the rope dropping and building up from a lean to a shuffle to a proper step to following... All very calm, relaxed and calm with brain muttering "when is this overgrown hairy goat going to flaming well step forward"

Much can based around negative reinforcement... A well behaved horse who'll move his hindquarters away with a light touch or voice command might have learned that initially through a harder pressure that is instantly removed when he performs the correct behaviour and moves back end away...

PS...tying up I made more of a positive reinforcement by having a lump of hay around or a lick and just the rope through the ring but not tied... Just incase there's an unexpected spook and panic at being tied up... Initially still holding, then a few steps away, adding in grooming and further steps away and with no hay and a few steps away and so on... Just changing things up in very tiny baby steps...

Hope that makes sense anyway and might be of some help...

 

[LaurenBay]

Your on the right track teach the Horse when leading first as the Horse will then learn, not pulling means no pressure and visa versa. When your Horse pulls on you or stops, don't yank the rope, just hold it so it is a constand pressure, when your Horse move forwards or stops pulling, relax the rope and praise.

When tying up, stay with your Horse so you can re assure him. If he likes a groom I would give him a brush and a fuss so he sees it as a good thing. Again get ready to praise when he doesn't pull.

 

[AengusOg]

When teaching a horse to tie up, it is wise to run a long rope through two rings a metre or so apart. That way you can keep hold of the end of the rope and, if the horse tries to pull back or panics, you can 'play' it on the rope, settling it without anything getting broken (or hurt) and then ask him to step forward again. Once the horse is trustworthy and is responding to the light restraint by standing quietly, you can then tie the rope off to the second ring and leave the end trailing away to where it can be easily and quickly reached if the urgent need arises. With this method you can always get hold of the rope and release the horse in an emergency, without having to be too close and risk injury to yourself.

I've been ripped to bits by 'know-it alls' on another forum for my views on pressure and release training, despite the fact that I use the technique nearly every day to train horses, so I'll refrain from making them public here, but if you need any further advice I'd be glad to reply to a PM.

 

[JFTDWS]

I've been ripped to bits by 'know-it alls' on another forum for my views on pressure and release training, despite the fact that I use the technique nearly every day to train horses, so I'll refrain from making them public here, but if you need any further advice I'd be glad to reply to a PM.

Charming...

eta - what LaurenBay said, OP

 

[AdorableAlice]

I will risk the critics too.

I have a yearling, big strong ISH filly, started her training in normal wide soft leather headcollar which she promptly sat back on, refusing to move and relishing the comfort of something to lean on.

I put her in a Richard Maxwell, other makes are available !!! rope halter and 2 sessions of 5 minutes of backing, turning and yielding she was totally changed.

She is totally polite and a joy to handle, stays out of my space at all times, is a dab hand in gateways and stable doors.

Obviously you cannot tie up in a rope halter, but because the horse has learnt not to fight the halter and to release at the merest hint of pressure it is easy to teach them to tie.

If you do go down this route make sure you fully understand the pressure and release system first.

 

[Ladydragon]

I've been ripped to bits by 'know-it alls' on another forum for my views on pressure and release training, despite the fact that I use the technique nearly every day to train horses, so I'll refrain from making them public here, but if you need any further advice I'd be glad to reply to a PM.

So...the obvious comment being... "But that was elsewhere"...

I don't care if someone likes or dislikes my method... Works for me and the OP can cherry pick through responses to find what helps her... And ditto anyone else who might be reading and in a similar position... Which is kinda the point of a forum I thought...

 

[Dry Rot]

I've been ripped to bits by 'know-it alls' on another forum for my views on pressure and release training, despite the fact that I use the technique nearly every day to train horses, so I'll refrain from making them public here, but if you need any further advice I'd be glad to reply to a PM.

I am so sorry to read that. I've just had a quick look through your previous posts and you have so much knowledge, and advise everyone so freely, I can't understand why anyone would have a go at you.