Training Success

Please go to http://ponyaccess.com/ , my new website covering the saddlechariot/iBex and it's uses. This is where you will also find links to all my articles on training, safety, vehicle design and even the weird stuff on cooking and politics.

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Yesterday I took Obama to Seal Hayne for their open day where he behaved badly for me and introduced four more people to driving the iBex and behaved perfectly for them.

But he has been to Seal Hayne before, the sunlight wasn't blazing off the sea, music wasn't blaring out of the speakers and he wasn't expected to meet everyone in the middle of a wheelchair badminton match. At Plymouth Hoe that was what I chucked him into.

Then again it might have been the big wheel that was freaking him out. Under the circumstances he was stunning, but I really believed I was going to need the iBex instant release. I didn't but it was close.After taking a very nice lady round the Hoe, I decided to be sensible and let Obama get the feel of the place without the vehicle. I have never known him to be so freaked out in a wide open space. Obama gets paranoid when the walls get close, surrounded by tower blocks or office developments next to Paddington station, but on the whole he's cool in wide open spaces, and the Plymouth Hoe couldn't be much wider or more open.

Sun off the sea, loud music, bouncy castle or big wheel, something was keeping Obama seriously scared and it showed me a really interesting training effect. 
Too close to the music and Obama was impossible. Fifty yards away and Sarah Piercey was driving him fine, in between, I could get Obama to dance with me, mirroring my every motion, responding instantly to cues. Whatever I did, he followed, instantly. Totally stunning and I doubt I will ever do it again.
Because it was based on fear. 

Obama trusts me. He trusts me mostly not to hit him, and to be between him and danger, but that is enough to get this mindblowing connection if he is scared of his environment. But I don't want him scared of his environment, I want him relaxed, chilled, enjoying himself, doing his own thing.
I would rather have Obama in his usual bloody minded, stuff you, mode, than a scared, uber obedient Obama. But then I am weird. I like him taking Sarah Piercey round the Hoe and everyone feeling relaxed, than have a stunning demonstration of control, knowing that fear was a major motivator.