Ears... does your horse love having theirs touched, handled, and inspected?

cues ears games health Dec 17, 2024
 

Ear handling isn't just about health; it's about building trust, confidence and choice through +R horse training (positive reinforcement).

Watch this quick game of "Here's my Ear" to see how you can make ear handling a joyful experience for your horse in any situation:

Tips for mastering ear handling with your horse: You may want to...

  • Start with your horse at liberty in protected contact, but on a lead where they can clearly step away will work if you don't have the option to do liberty/protected contact in a stall or paddock, etc.
  • Begin by presenting your hand at a comfortable distance from the horse's ear. Bridge/click and feed whenever the horse allows you to get closer, regardless of the distance.
  • Gradually reduce the distance between your hand and the ear, continuing to reinforce the horse for calm acceptance. Slow down and increase the distance if the horse is showing concern.
  • Slowly introduce gentle touch and handling, always bridging and feeding for positive responses.
  • Once the horse is comfortable, start removing protected contact and vary contexts (e.g., location, adding a halter) duration, and introduce an intermittent reinforcement schedule. 
  • Eventually, fade out food rewards as the behavior becomes reliable, and explore shaping new, enjoyable behaviors together!

Let's make ear handling a stress-free and enjoyable part of caring for our horses!

If you're interested in learning more techniques or need guidance, feel free to reach out to Melissa Spell Deal for advice. 

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