KBR Horse Net
Training Case Study:

"River"
Part Two

First time in the arena-
Life is better when you can be caught
Day 2

Sharon worked with River on the second day. He hadn't been handled by her before so he avoided her when she went to halter him. She tossed a rope over his neck to reduce his movement and quietly got the halter on.

To be safe and unafraid a horse has to accept all sorts of things touching him all over his body. Since River had a phobia about brushes, Sharon's objective for the day was to desensitize him and groom him.

We new from the previous day that he would target the brush and somewhat tolerate brush contact on a limited basis. Sharon's tactic was to try to open him up to more unlimited contact without scaring him to death.

She decided to use a wand on River. For those not familiar with the term, a wand is a white crop used to make gentle contact with horses. Its color is designed so the horse can easily see it and the name, "wand," reminds the handler that it is a tool for gentle contact and stimulation, not for driving a horse forward.

Sharon started with the front legs and got River used to the feel of the wand in places where he could also see it. Then she quietly moved the wand all over River's body. Sharon also worked over the grass so that if need be, River could graze as a stress release. (Since the desired behavior is relaxation and standing quietly, the grazing distraction is a positive reinforcer. If the horse isn't standing with his head relaxed, he can't graze.)

Next Sharon had River target the brush and "overlayed" the wand with the brush. She would make stroking contact with the wand and gradually increase the pressure of the brush and decrease contact with the wand until the wand was held straight up, not contacting the horse.

For anyone who has doubts about the value of stroking a horse with a crop or "wand," here was River's response. He had a panic fear of the brush but the wand had registered as a good thing. So long as the wand was present for reassurance, Sharon could brush him almost anywhere she chose. However, if Sharon took the wand away, River would immediately start to get worked up over the brush.

The solution here will be to continue brushing overlaying the wand while gradually increasing the intervals when River is brushed with the wand out of sight until he generates enough self confidence to tolerate the brush on his own. Sharon's challenge will be to accurately read River so that she can get him to deal with the brush, but be able to return the wand as a "safe zone" before he reaches his stress limit. In this case the wand acts the same as "click assurance" when using C/T, and in this particular instance the wand is the easier approach to use.

Starting with the "wand"
on River's legs
Moving the wand down his back
Targeting the brush
Working the brush down his back
Getting the other side as well

Continue to Part Three

Return to Part One


Press "Back" to return to the page that brought you here

Return to Case Study Section

Return to Training Section

Return to Wild Horse Mentors

Return to KBR World of Wild Horses and Burros

Go To KBR Horse Net


KBR Horse Training Information, © 1997 Lamm's Kickin' Back Ranch and Willis & Sharon Lamm. All rights reserved. Duplication of any of this material for commercial use is prohibited without express written permission. This prohibition is not intended to extend to personal non-commercial use, including sharing with others for safety and learning purposes, provided this copyright notice is attached.
Email us to submit comments or request reproduction permission.