Charging up the Clicker
Charging Up the Clicker
Introduction to Beginning clicking with your horse
by Georgia Bruce
Congratulations! You are reading an article about clicker training and probability has it that you are about to begin clicker training with your horse. Why I say congratulations is because you are going to glad you have become part of the all species animal training phenomenon that is taking the the world by storm. Animal trainers around the world are realising that Clicker Training is the way of future in interspecies communication because of it's simplicity and the astounding results people are achieving wth their animal friends. Before you make any judgements all I can say is TRY IT!!! and you will rapidly be getting the results you have been working for so long and hard with traditional systems to achieve.
The brilliance of it is that it fits in PERFECTLY with traditional training systems as well, so you can continue with your training in the same way except that now your horse will learn at an extremely accelerated rate! Clicker Training redifines lightness and responsiveness to the point where your idea becomes the horses idea and the horse is a willing and eager participant in the training sessions. Get ready because your horse is going to be looking forwards to training sessions so much that you will be able to hold your bridle out and have your horse to you open their mouth and lower their head. So again I say congratulations! and get ready to have some fun....
What do I need?...
A clicker
A bag to hold treats (a bum bag is good because you don't have to hold it)
treats (grain, small peices of carrots, apples, pop corn, cereal etc...get creative)
A horse (or any animal!)
A halter and lead (preferably made of rope)
Where can I do it?...
Have your horse standing on the other side of a gate, stable door or fence (not electric!) or or barrier of some kind to begin with.
How do I start?...
Wearing your bag full of treats and with your clicker in one hand and the horse standing behind a barrier about his chest height. Click your clicker and then hand him a small amount of food. Repeat this until your horse hears the click and then looks for the food.
You may only need to do this 3-4 times! but do more anyway.
What does this acheive?...
It teaches the horse that the clicker means "FOOD IS COMING".
When the horse is expecting a treat when he hears the click we can go on to the next step...looking away.
Scientifically, the clicker is a conditioned reinforcer or a "bridging signal" because the horse is conditioned or programmed that the click means a food reward (reinforcement) is coming.
