KBR Horse Net
Training Case Study:

"Pancho"
Part Three

Day 1, Finale

By now we were on our third brief session. We had determined that Pancho relaxed when being led so that would be our "stress outlet" activity that we could go back to any time the going got rough.

I expanded the contact from rubs to brushing with a long handled brush. Pancho flinched at first but in a short time he seemed comfortable with the brush. Since this was his first day, we stuck to generally safe areas around his shoulder, withers and back.

I also went back to straight hands-on contact, looking for those itchy spots in order to generate a grooming response. A couple of times he started to move his lips in response to finding a good spot, but then thought the better of it. The real jackpot was reaching through his mane and scratching his crest. This spot can make some horses nervous but Pancho seemed to like it.

Getting the "brush-off"

Striking the Mother Lode

Making contact with Pancho's face was another issue altogether. My first approach was pretty mild, however he backed up until he pulled the line taught, then started to charge me. I waved him off, grabbed the flag and sent him for a couple of laps around the pen. He was more than ready to come back in for another try so I let him return and he again was quiet.

Pancho was pretty high headed during these first contacts, so I kept them brief. He seemed to have a spot he liked having touched on the side of his muzzle between his lips and nostril. I made contact all over his face but kept going back to that good spot before he got anxious. Pretty soon I could rub him up to his ears.

As is often the case, a formerly "forbidden" area became a reassurance zone. When Pancho was unsure of something he would bring his nose in close and I would stroke down his nose from his halter noseband to the tip of his nose for reassurance.

We worked again afterwards for another 15 minutes to reinforce the day's work. Then Pancho was left to relax and visit with the "grazers" who stopped by the round pen to see the new equine addition.

First contact - head up

Relaxed and getting a nose rub

A nice forehead rub

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