Sound Desensitization

Cisco tends to be overly reactive to sounds. I think that sounds have been one of the reasons for our problems at the scary end of the arena. There are pigeons flapping and cooing, and pigeon toenails on metal, and flapping inside an open HVAC vent. Those are everyday sounds (not lately since the owl took care of the pigeons). Then there are windy days when the Coverall arena cover moves around,  or when horses that are turned out next to the arena but can't be seen from the inside start playing up. Noisy trucks outside, rattly trailers to walk past, bangs that sound like gunshots...... and on and on.

It's not that he reacts like the sound is going to murder him (most of the time). It's more of a stop, stare intensely at the location of the sound, not really want to go near that location, and remain worried for the next while. With more schooling I'm fairly confident that it's something I can work with and have him keep his focus where I want it. But we are a long way from that happening.

One day last week I decided to start on some desensitizing. I picked up a couple of noise makers from the party store - a clacker thing, and a cow bell.

The plan is to teach him to go towards the sound. I think that's my best goal.

Armed with my treat container and clicker, we went over to the arena. I started with the green clacker and Cisco on a lead. If he stood still while I waved and clacked all around him, he got a treat. 

Not surprisingly, he was very good about this. His head was up at the start, but he did very little movement. I was pretty sure this part wouldn't be the problem, since I was close enough to him to protect him from whatever menace the noise presented.

The intense stare at some unknown noise.

Next step was to have him walk towards me when I clacked. I kept him on the lead at the beginning. Standing at the end of his lead, I clacked, and when he took a step towards me he got the treat. Within a few minutes he had this figured out. When I took the lead off and was able to be a few more steps away from him his response was even more definite. He happily followed the noise down into the scary end. 

I'm a bit worried I'm going to create a Pavlov's dog situation. We won't be using the bell and clacker for long!

Sounds from behind result in a scoot.

The dollar store had a little kids drum set for $4. I think I might pick that up next. I will also have to borrow Pony Grandma to have her stand outside the riding area in the arena to make some noise and have Cisco go over to her for a treat. I have also downloaded an app that makes explosion sounds. My phone isn't loud enough by itself to make the sound scary enough, so I'll see if I can add a Bluetooth speaker that I can park somewhere in the arena to make a booming sound. 

Hopefully this will work. And hopefully I don't create a horse who runs towards danger!