Slight clicker/ground work issue

[cblover]

My youngster and I are enjoying our twice weekly ground work sessions and we're walking over poles and weaving through cones - just generally having some chilled out fun together. I don't do a separate clicker session but I do try to incorporate it into my every day handling of him and its working quite well.

One slight problem....when we are working on leading and stopping, backing and that sort of thing he stops great when I ask but swings his quarters out to a 45 degree angle to my body. I don't click for this but I'm not sure how to correct it. If I do it along a fence it helps him and he does stay straight. I click and treat for this. But of course in an open part of the field he's free to swing round.

I'm total calm with him and make no reference to it, I just ask for walk and off we go again. I think its because he's really excited and knows about the whole 'treat' thing!

It's a minor thing I know, but one I'd like to correct especially when we're in hand showing.

 

[AnnaGHDT]

Is he swinging his body out because he is swinging his head towards you for the treat? If so, then try working on clicker training a 'head away' movement, and click treat for each time he turns his head away from you. That way it will be more difficult for him to swing his hind end out.

Or, you could teach him to target his hind quarters to your hand, so that you can get him to straighten up by targeting back end to your hand?

Make sure that when you are treating him, you are doing it away from you, so that he knows not to come in towards you for the treat, again this should help to keep him a bit straighter. Hope this is helpful?! Good luck and have fun!

 

[Borderreiver]

Teach backing and stopping through parallel poles on the ground. Start wide and gradually make them closer together so that he gets used to stopping straight between them. Do you use a ground mat for standing still? Stopping on a mat is good for standing still and they think forward towards it so less likely to swing round. Will also help him know where his feet are.
Why not catch one of Alex Kurlands clinics next month? I know there are horse places available at the Yorkshire one and its very friendly. Clicker is a great way to train youngsters, have fun.

 

[cblover]

Thanks both, really like those ideas and I'll have a play with him over the weekend.

He's just like a big overgrown dog who gets a bit excited. If you can remember the cartoon 'Clifford The Big Red Dog'.....he's a bit like that! lol