Perception Modification

The equines really seem to like targetting the flagging. We took the mules for a trail ride on Sunday and I tried Cracker Joe out on targetting oil-field flagging from the saddle. He had no problem. Then we targetted some other odd items, some pipeline location signs and a noisy part of a gas well. Actually, the noisy part of the EVIL GAS WELL. It's the ticking and hissing sound that a certain injection apparatus makes that gives it an "evilness" apparent to all mules and mares. (My geldings don't seem to mind.) But targetting the thing seemed to make it more acceptable. That's what Kayce Cover calls "perception modification" ... changing something suspect into something interesting to the animal mind.

I used the bit of flagging to ask Sparky to jump in the horse trailer. He hopped right in like an old broke saddle horse. I was impressed. This was the first time he had been in the trailer since he was delivered and he was totally wild at that point. It's all about trust, isn't it?

I worry about Sparky and Lightening Bug. Some day when the grass turns green, the owners will want to put them back on pasture. I hope the owners realize that they can ruin all my training by trying to bully the animals with pure coercion. That would be changing something interesting to something suspect. Not what you want to do with equines.