Emergency positive reinforcement

I'm very soft regarding my own horses, the slightest hint of ailment or injury and I'm worried!
This morning was no exception when I arrived in Penny and Khatani's cattle court to pick out feet, feed, turnout and muck out.

Got to Khatani's left hind and it was swollen and sore with what looked like a gash down the front of his hock! My partner mentioned something about him lifting that leg higher than normal when he did his weekly antibac hoof soak last night. Rang the vet and while I was waiting for them to call back with a visit time, I set about working with Khatani to keep still enough for me, and potentially the vet, to examine it without risk of any human injury (Khatani becomes very emotional if he thinks something will hurt!). At this point I should probably make a note to self that it's good to clean up the horrific looking would before calling the vet - it clearly wasn't fresh as all blood was dry...

So how to keep an emotional TB still while I examine and clean a wound? Positive reinforcement for the 'incompatible with kicking human behaviour aka keeping still'. Positive reinforcement for this job was to be horse and pony cubes, nice enough to keep still for, not as thrilling as carrots which can create self control problems in Khatani when he's very upset. Decided to mark positive reinforcement with a clicker as it, unlike my voice, can't convey my own emotion (arrgh my poor horse is hurt bad!!!!).

Clicked and treated K for keeping still while I first stroked his left rump, secondly ran my hand down his thigh, thirdly ran gamgee down his thigh, fourthly ran saline dripping gamgee down thigh, fifthly ran saline dripping gamgee over what actually happened to be a graze!. Sixthly, while I palpated the hock and surrounding limb to find softer and less painful swelling than I'd thought!

Not bad for an impromptu training session and hopefully a positive first aid experience for the emotional TB. Now just to keep an eye on that leg!