Robin and I still have our persistent problem of her biting me, or threatening to. I can't decide if it's compulsive--oral Morgan who must be always doing something with her mouth--or if it's something I'm actually training her to do due to my response (but I feel like I have to respond to protect myself) or if the girl is just messin' with my head. She will look me square in the eye, put her teeth on my palm, and very slowly slide them together, so defiant, so much like a little kid testing the limits. I have never had a more challenging--or put another way, engaging--horse.
One thing that may be helping, or maybe not, is that I've taught her to lick instead. It happened almost by accident; she did it once, I "captured" it by clicking, treating and taking credit, and she picked it up very quickly. Now I can convert a nip to a lick by saying the word, most of the time, but I feel like she's still toying with me, using this to push my buttons, get me to do what she wants.
On the other hand, I'm "riding" now, five minutes at a time circulating around a hay-pile. More on that next time.
One thing that may be helping, or maybe not, is that I've taught her to lick instead. It happened almost by accident; she did it once, I "captured" it by clicking, treating and taking credit, and she picked it up very quickly. Now I can convert a nip to a lick by saying the word, most of the time, but I feel like she's still toying with me, using this to push my buttons, get me to do what she wants.
On the other hand, I'm "riding" now, five minutes at a time circulating around a hay-pile. More on that next time.