Chat
04-05-2018, 05:31 PM
If you can take him away from home until he's really solid on your commands he might behave better. Distraction by buddies is one of the biggest hurdles to overcome and even seasoned goats can forget their manners when they see friends "over there". It's not especially fair to throw it at a goat just learning, but of course you have to work with the situation available to you.
I like the saying, "Make the right thing easy (or rewarding) and the wrong thing difficult." Remember to use your voice often to praise him when he is obedient, then stop and give a treat so he knows he made the right choice. Use a stern voice "Huh-uh Koby!" when he tries to go his own way or roots at the reins. For rooting the reins I use a "half-halt" motion. This is a quick check-and-release action with just one rein. If you use both at the same time he will out-pull you and can ignore the aid. The check and release motion keeps him from being able to lean on that rein. At the same time, use your whip to tap him on the opposite side from the rein you're pulling. The whip cues him to move forward so he doesn't get "stuck", and using it on the one side also encourages him to move away from it and toward the direction your rein is signaling. It also helps keep him from just turning his head and continuing on in the direction he wants to go. So at one time you are using voice, rein, and whip cues to tell him to continue forward in the direction you want. As soon as he straightens his neck and body and heads in the direction you asked, immediately ease up pressure and praise him. Stop and reward.
Much of the effectiveness of these aids comes in the timing. I always say to riding students and to Phil, "It's easier to prevent a problem than to correct it after it happened." Look for very subtle body cues from Koby that he's thinking about turning in a direction you didn't ask for. A slight tilt to the head, a tensing in one shoulder, or a flick of the ear might be your first sign, and even though he hasn't *yet* done anything naughty, now is the time to correct him firmly enough that he changes his mind. As soon as he does, praise. Always make sure you release pressure and praise as soon as he obeys, but be ready to apply the aids again immediately if he goes back to his own thing. Consistency is key. If you are consistent in your aids and timing, Koby will soon learn to trust you and your aids. He'll know you mean what you say, and that he will be rewarded for a job well done. When he is doing very well in a particular lesson, end it shorter than usual. It's tempting to do the opposite and make a good lesson longer.
Always end the lesson at a place away from the one he naturally wants to stop. When we drive the goats we like to get out of the cart somewhere away from the truck and lead them back. Occasionally when they've tried to race to the truck, I've let them do it and then made them leave again, or else drive circles around it at a trot before going somewhere else to end the lesson. This helps them realize that racing to the truck does not equal rest and rewards.
I like the saying, "Make the right thing easy (or rewarding) and the wrong thing difficult." Remember to use your voice often to praise him when he is obedient, then stop and give a treat so he knows he made the right choice. Use a stern voice "Huh-uh Koby!" when he tries to go his own way or roots at the reins. For rooting the reins I use a "half-halt" motion. This is a quick check-and-release action with just one rein. If you use both at the same time he will out-pull you and can ignore the aid. The check and release motion keeps him from being able to lean on that rein. At the same time, use your whip to tap him on the opposite side from the rein you're pulling. The whip cues him to move forward so he doesn't get "stuck", and using it on the one side also encourages him to move away from it and toward the direction your rein is signaling. It also helps keep him from just turning his head and continuing on in the direction he wants to go. So at one time you are using voice, rein, and whip cues to tell him to continue forward in the direction you want. As soon as he straightens his neck and body and heads in the direction you asked, immediately ease up pressure and praise him. Stop and reward.
Much of the effectiveness of these aids comes in the timing. I always say to riding students and to Phil, "It's easier to prevent a problem than to correct it after it happened." Look for very subtle body cues from Koby that he's thinking about turning in a direction you didn't ask for. A slight tilt to the head, a tensing in one shoulder, or a flick of the ear might be your first sign, and even though he hasn't *yet* done anything naughty, now is the time to correct him firmly enough that he changes his mind. As soon as he does, praise. Always make sure you release pressure and praise as soon as he obeys, but be ready to apply the aids again immediately if he goes back to his own thing. Consistency is key. If you are consistent in your aids and timing, Koby will soon learn to trust you and your aids. He'll know you mean what you say, and that he will be rewarded for a job well done. When he is doing very well in a particular lesson, end it shorter than usual. It's tempting to do the opposite and make a good lesson longer.
Always end the lesson at a place away from the one he naturally wants to stop. When we drive the goats we like to get out of the cart somewhere away from the truck and lead them back. Occasionally when they've tried to race to the truck, I've let them do it and then made them leave again, or else drive circles around it at a trot before going somewhere else to end the lesson. This helps them realize that racing to the truck does not equal rest and rewards.