I love being first. And being the first official guest on the Equosity podcast was the highlight of my week! I had so much to say – they had to break the episode up into THREE parts.
Are you an Equosity fan? Their site is about “all things equine with a special emphasis on the horse-human bond”. And, if you’re familiar at all with equine – then you are most definitely familiar with Alexandra Kurland and Dominique Day.
Along with articles and webinars – Equosity has a podcast and I was so honored that they asked me to join them as their first guest!
Listen Here:
Episode #18: A Conversation With Hannah Brannigan: Part 1: Why Does Good Balance Matter?
Episode #19: A Conversation With Hannah Brannigan Part 2: A Great Start
Episode #20: A Conversation With Hannah Brannigan Part 3: Reinforcement Strategies
On Episode #18 (the first of the three-part series) – I talked to Alexandra and Dominique about balance – specifically why good balance matters to both horses and dogs. They describe me as “balance obsessed” which isn’t at all inaccurate.
Throughout the episode, I talk about my training with Rugby (my terrier) and how there has been such dramatic change in his movement over the years. I obsess over my dogs’ smallest movements – so Rugby’s change is all the positive reinforcement I need to continue being obsessive.
In Episode #18, we also explore the definition of task analysis and how to identify opportunities to improve your animal’s balance.
Our conversation was flowing so seamlessly — we kept on talking straight into Episode #19. And this was a lot of fun because I got to talk about my new puppy and the importance of a great start!
I talked about the variety of reinforcement strategies I use when approaching a clean(ish) slate of a new puppy and what it looks like in actual training. My new puppy – like most – is very play motivated. He’s not, however, motivated by food – so, it requires me putting more thought into what type of reinforcer I should offer him.
So how does this apply to horses? Well – with horses it seems we mostly use food treats. But what if they aren’t picking up what you’re laying down? What are some of the ways we can expand our reinforcement variety? Listen to Episode #19 to learn more!
In Episode #20, the discussion continues with a focus on reinforcement variety and how to approach when your training goes off the rails! We also tie everything back to the Part 1 of this 3-part podcast series — which felt great to come full circle.
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