An Hour with Jack

An hour with Jack:

1/14/26

Jack is a 16-hand registered Thoroughbred. He retired from being a riding horse to an unmounted therapy horse in 2010. He is approximately 28 years old.

I arrived at the farm and had scheduled time with Jack. I asked beforehand if I was able to work with him outdoors today as last week we were indoors as the weather was unpleasant and I was working on capturing a head turn with an added cue of “look right.” Today my plan was to go one of two ways. (1) To shape a raised foreleg or (2) to introduce targeting. I came loaded with reinforcers of apples and carrots, all cut into bite sized pieces. I was loose with my training plan because, A: I never worked alone with Jack outdoors before, and B: Being only the second time with him, I wasn’t sure what behaviors we were willing to give me. So, I decided for my training plan to start shaping for a raised foreleg. I thought he would have the space and he was free of any tethers. So naturally, he’d be willing to move around, I thought. I entered the outdoor arena and Jack is grazing the land. I go up to him with a warm hello, reintroduce myself, and offer and he gladly accepted some scratches and petting. Once I had his attention I then C/T right away, to let him know that him and I will be working together today and to initiate a training session. I immediately went into observation mode and was watching for the smallest inclination of a raised hoof. I anticipated each movement with accurate and well-timed clicks. Each time I clicked, Jack perked up and I had a reinforcer waiting. He took the reinforcer, but went back right away to eating grass. He wasn’t engaging with me right away. Although he was providing me with a shaping behavior of a raised foot, while he moved around to eat grass, I could tell that he wasn’t getting the message. Or was he? I wasn’t sure. After a few reps my reinforcers lost their value and he was no longer interested.

Hmmmmmmmm – now what? I paused and wondered if this was not the best time for Jack to train? Or the wrong environment? Or me? Was it something I wasn’t doing to grab his attention? Well, one thing was for sure, the grass held more value to him than apples and carrots in that moment.

I took a break and disengaged with him and went over to his friend Lou, who has had clicker training in the past and I was working on some targeting. My target I had was a red 6” Tupperware container lid. I had some fun with Lou, but it was more of a “what can you do” session.

I completely changed my criteria, with Jack, and started a new session. This time working on a target touch with his nose. Certainly, he will be interested in a bright red lid, I thought. Ehhhhhhh, maybe? Not really. I presented the lid and Jack went to sniff it – Click, removed the target, then treat. But the treat again was not reinforcing enough. He went back to eating grass.

I was ready to call it, but then thought, ‘he was very engaged with me inside the barn last week, maybe we change the environment.’ Okay, let’s just give it a try. I asked the stable assistant if we could bring him inside where we worked last week and she got him prepared and moved him into the barn for me. I asked her too if the farm had other treats that I could try with Jack and she offered me a slew of different reinforcers I could use. I decided on a Charlie Bear type treat with a flavor of apple that I was able to break into small pieces. Wonderful.

The criteria for the first session inside was to continue with targeting. Instead of the red lid, I presented my open hand about 1.5” inches away from his nose. He touched my hand and C/T. I did a few more reps with him, but I still felt like he was uninterested, but there was something brewing between us. I wanted to stay patient but explore what we were working up to. So, I took a break and started another session.

I stepped up to Jack, and he immediately touched my closed fist with his nose! C/T. This was my right hand that was gripping my clicker. Oh, I thought. Okay! I presented my fist again. He touched it. C/T. (He loved the reinforcers I currently had). Not to get greedy, I ended the session after 3 reps ad took another break.

As I was starting another session, low and behold I step up to jack, and he raises his foreleg! WOW! C/T! I wanted the click to be louder! I wanted to hug him! A big YES! I changed criteria right away. Let’s see what you can do. I was all in on a hoof raise at this point. I wait. He raises it again and holds it up! C/T. I ask myself, was he offering me this behavior that I was waiting for when we were outside? Was my timing accurate enough when outside to translate 20 some minutes later? Was indeed my apple and carrot reinforcement value too low for this behavior?

Now I felt the excitement and Jack and I were now communicating. My heart was racing. I felt emotionally bonded to him like I’ve known him for many years. I took another break, and returned and added a cue “hoof” as I anticipated his behavior. After a few successful reps with the added cue, I took a break before I had one last 1:00 minute session with him as I recorded video.

In an hour with Jack, I learned so many things. It’s not always just about roles that the trainer and the learner have, but a big reminder it also is a partnered effort. It was essential that I opened my heart and allow to feel the energy of our sessions. We were bonding while we were trying to communicate together. He was trying to reach me at the same time I was reaching him. As I embark on this journey into training, this day taught me that it is up to me to pivot when there is a sign that your plan is not going the way you think it will. Don’t be too pushy, don’t force it, but be creative when things don’t go your way, thinking about your team member and setting them up for the most success.