Puberty for my young colt Dustin approached quickly – time to practise those cooperative care procedures, hoping my plan for what I would need was good!

Wearing of a headcollar was in place, but no cues for leading or turning had been introduced or transferred to the headcollar, so we were left with target leading to get from A to B. At the time this omission seemed to not matter, but it did cause a minor problem due to the effects of sedative.

My main focus to prepare had been training for the intravenous (IV) injection, and in my youngsters case, training to allow a non-me (and male!) human to approach and perform the IV routine.

The other behaviour I envisaged needing (and had started training) was ‘stationary head’ training, to incorporate head still while the catheter was placed and the two injections were administered –

I started off with my modified chin rest, really a jaw rest, my cupped left hand positioned under his jaw where a cavesson noseband would go, with no weight in my hand. Once this behaviour was progressing, I then added my other hand to the front of his face (or where a blaze would run) after my under jaw hand was in place. Pause, click, treat.

My main focus with this boy had been ‘polite treat taking’, as adolescent males can sometimes be mouthy, plus teaching an equine how to behave calmly around food is really a much needed foundation behaviour.

Dustin was also a big boy, and a little gumby as he was growing, so a lot of my training had been with him in “Protected Contact” but basically with him behind a barrier. This kept us both safe, me from the accidental head swing or foot tread contact, him from my bad timing!

During training there was hay and grass available, and I was using pellets that were part of his diet as his reinforcement. Criteria for reinforcement was head in straight forward, or neutral position. Regardless of where I was. Face forward, neutral, working toward waiting calmly.

Well it turns out I had done so much of this, that while the Vet was preparing his gear, he noticed how still Dustin was with his head over the gate, and said "he is so still we could almost inject him there” so we did! His ‘stationary head’ was so good he didn’t even notice the needle!

Here was our only problem, once sedated our target leading failed to be effective enough for quick positioning – we needed to turn him to stand in the shade of the tree for the General Anaesthetic. Half way had to be good enough!

Apart from my turning over-sight, the whole procedure was calm and stress free (for equine and Vet, if not for the owner worrying if her training had been sufficient!)

Dustin stood quietly for his injections, sat on his brisket once awake for his recovery (his friends were quietly eating hay in the next yard in sight), and got up quietly an hour later.

A good outcome; and a good introduction to positive reinforcement co-operative care for our local veterinarian.

Written By Vicki Conroy & the PPGA Equine Sub-Committee