Cappy's Log: The Question of Residual Stress Under Halter

Last November I decided to stop traditional Pressure/Release training (R-) and move to full Positive Reinforcement (R+) with Cappy. This set Cappy's progress back a few weeks as I gave him the choice to say No, and he took his time making sure I meant it. Since then, I've done most of his work at Liberty: sans halter, no lead rope, just us on this new journey of learning and becoming a true team. 

Despite how far Cappy has come, one thing I have noticed is that even though he now chooses the halter, when I work him with it on, whether a lead rope is on or off, Cappy's anxiety initially rises. Why does this happen? Though I can't know for sure (Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful if he could whisper his secrets into my ear!), I believe it comes from his past experiences. 

He lived wild until he was around ten years old. BLM aged him at 7 when rounded, but I believe he is a bit older. Within a month he was branded, gelded, and soon after sold with Cinder and a few other wild Mustangs and hauled across the country to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There he spent 3 years in a panel pen until a good samaritan called for help. After that, he spent a few weeks with a trainer before being returned to the rescue where he had minimal contact with people and other horses until I dedicated myself to him in the summer of 2022. 

When I met him there, he had a rope halter on full time. It was green, muddy, and couldn't be taken hold of by anyone. Cappy is smart and he'd figured out pretty quickly that if he kept out of reach, people left him alone. The halter was associated with being tranq'd, painful bloody trims by vets, and other traumatic human interactions. 

I hated that green halter. I promised him I'd have it off soon, but a couple weeks later I found it inside his pen, ground into the mud. First problem solved. 

Fast forward to today.

Cappy's tail is a mess. It's been a mess since I met him over a year ago. Imagine a Mustang dreadlock, a matted mess running the full length of his tail with some loose locks hanging around for camouflage. I've wanted to get my hands on it, glob detangler and conditioner in it, and brush it until it is as smooth and shiny as it has ever been in his life; but until today I wasn't sure this dream could ever be a possibility.

Never underestimate the power of positive reinforcement (R+), patience, and a pony with a heart of gold. 

Today, I decided to head into Cappy's session with our usual R+ equipment of target and treat bag, and also a halter, lead rope, fly spray, detangler spray, and a hair brush. Since I switched to R+ last November, I haven't done much in the way of grooming Cappy aside from body work. He's come a long way from being untouchable, but his mane and tail have been no fly zones. He just doesn't like it. 

One of the interesting things I've learned since delving into R+ stated if you want to know if your horse truly enjoys being groomed, try it at liberty. No halter. Not connected by a lead rope. Free. I do most of our work at liberty for this very reason. However, there is also another reason I often work halter free. Cappy has anxiety surrounding the halter. Moving to R+ has helped, but I notice he tenses more when he's haltered. Because I'm progressing his training to include activities that need others (farrier, vet), Cappy will need to be comfortable with things when haltered. 

Which brings us to my decision today to head into the paddock with his favorite blue halter and lead. I started with asking him to halter. A year ago, nobody could get close enough to Cappy to grab hold of the green rope halter he'd been wearing for months. Now, he drops his head into the offered halter and waits while I tie and add the lead. (He does NOT like the lead connected before, and I think it's because of the added weight/pressure.)

Once Cappy was haltered, we did some simple target work to build his confidence, getting reinforced for things he knows he can do well. Then I reintroduced the fly spray, and within a couple minutes he was good with me spraying his neck and chest, his sides, and even across his back and hind quarters. I give him a break if I notice him tensing, sometimes simply by leaning away and sometimes we take a little walk around the paddock to loosen him back up.

Since he was still comfortable, I figured I'd give brushing his mane a try. First, I sprayed the detangler on his mane. Cappy's head went up and his neck tightened, so I asked him for his calm default position (I cross my hand over my wrist as a cue for him to relax and drop his head down.) and sprayed the brush with it instead. Better. Before long, Cappy stood nice and calm as I brushed his coppery mane, even good with spraying directly on him. 

And even though I kept the lead line loose and easy, it was still there. It was still connecting us. He knew it, and I knew it. So next step? I took off the halter and lead, and we went for a little walk around the paddock together, just to release any tension. 

And we started over again. At Liberty. Nothing connecting us except Cappy's desire to be with me. And I sprayed him with fly spray. And I brushed his mane, even up by his poll (around his ears) where he didn't allow on lead. 

That happy surge of energy you felt in the air earlier today? The was probably me grinning when the next things happened!

Working down his body, I rubbed Cappy from neck to rump, down and around his hindquarter, his hip, and down his leg, first with my palm and then repeating the path with the hairbrush. 

At Liberty. 

No tensing. 

No raised head. 

No big eyes or tight lip. 

No bracing. 

In fact, (here comes that surge) as I ran the brush over his hindquarter, Cappy bent his neck around, looked at me, and let out a breath, a big, deep, "I've never been so darn relaxed" breath. 

At Liberty, Cappy is in total control. The choice to participate is all his, with the option to say No and move off if he feels the need. 

Cappy may move away at times, but he always comes right back. He chooses to come back. To me.

We'll continue working with his halter related anxiety, building trust and possibly one day erase the memories and fear he associates with the equipment. Until then, we stay the course, one small increment at a time, as he shows me what he needs. 

R+ for the win.