clicker training

[keely2682]

i have had good luck with clicker training on horses

does anyone else use this?

 

[Thunder]

Hi there,

Clickmini uses clicker training and has a lot of experience with it. Her place is called Finch Meadows.

-Va Lynda Ann

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Clickmini's encouragement got me using it a little, and Kody's response to it got me using it...a lot!

He LOOOOVES his clicker work.

Leia

 

[Alex]

I clicker trained my gelding. Its just AMAZING!

 

[ClickMini]

Hi Keely! Yes, I do use clicker training for EVERYTHING. I have been involved with this method since 2001. I started with my big horses and interestingly enough, I discovered miniature horses as a result of clicker training! I went to a 10 day conference in New York with equine clicker trainers from around the world. One of the attendees was Ann Edie, who owns the guide horse Panda. By the end of that conference, I knew I needed a little pal to help me demonstrate clicker training. I found my little Alladdin shortly thereafter. For the first couple of years I had him he went with me in my mini van, we gave some demos to big horse people and mini people alike, and I took him to some mini shows. Alladdin learned some tricks via the clicker work, and he is like a magnet...every where we go, people want to see him!

I think it is a fascinating pursuit to think about what behavior I want to build and think about all of the pieces that make up the behavior. I then work on a training plan to teach each little piece and build a finished behavior. Running against a problem just means I've probably left out some steps.

It is such a humane and forgiving training method. I'm glad to see more and more people experimenting with it.

I will help anyone who is trying it that runs into a problem...no charge. Just PM or email me, and I will help you get through it.

Glad to hear you are having fun with it, Keely! I bet your horses would say they are having fun with it too.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I've finally gotten serious with it just since Kody's surgery in October and not only have his leading manners and attitude taken a quantum leap but we've begun learning tricks. The vet told me to teach him to rear to strengthen his hindquarters, so I broke it down into all the little steps I figured I needed to create that behavior without fear or anger. But by the time I got him stepping up on a step stool I'd forgotten to click him for anything else and he became glued to that step stool. Wouldn't leave it for anything...even rearing when I tried to make him. Click! *LOL* I saved myself a lot of work purely by accident. (And it reminded me to teach him that he gets clicked for moving away from the step stool as well.

I'm still learning this clicker stuff too!)

In the month since then he has learned to step either forefoot up onto any object on command, to rear, to shake hands, to bow, to do all his stretches calmly, to lead serpentines at a walk and trot calmly, to pivot fore and hind, to sidepass without getting cranky, to canter cavaletti without jumping, to lead without a halter, to do a perfect Whoa-Stand while I walk 360 degrees around him with or without a halter, and so much more! Some of it is because he was finally ready to learn that stuff, but the sheer rapidity of his learning and the joy with which he's sucking it all in comes from the clicker training. He's an active participant in this game and he loves it. I'm still shaping quite a few of those behaviors but they are on-cue and recognizable and as I get better at using the clicker correctly of course it gets easier. I have plans for so much more but I need more space and equipment for him to play with! *LOL* Can't teach him to step up on a pedestal without a pedestal....

By the way Amy, the bow was sort of anti-climatic. My problem had been teaching him to pick up the foot without me having to touch it. Well, all that stepping up on the step stool had taught him that and I hadn't even realized it! I just asked him for it one day and he did it, and the rest was simply shaping and targetting.

We really need to work on the "The Grownups Are Talking" exercise though. Obviously.

Leia

Edited for late-night typos

 

[zoey829]

I would love to read books on clicker training. I have not done it before but what would be a good starting point. You know for beginers.

 

[Mini Mouse]

I am so glad this topic was brought up. I have been thinking a lot about trying the clicker training. For those that do this .. how did you get started. I was thinking of buy the book "Clicker Training for your Horse" by Alexandra Kurland. Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to start or best books to get?

 

[Alex]

That book would be great! I have a powerpoint that someone presented to our mini club. She may have some books. - www.zenhorsemanship.com

 

[Fancy]

I was just wondering... how does it work exactly? It really interests me, but it seems difficult.

Makayla

 

[Mini Mouse]

That book would be great! I have a powerpoint that someone presented to our mini club. She may have some books. - www.zenhorsemanship.com

Thank you Pinto28, that was an informative site. And yes she does have some books.

 

[ClickMini]

If you are interested in some educational materials to get started, I recommend the book, "The Click That Teaches: A Step-by-Step Guide in Pictures," by Alexandra Kurland. I also recommend that you get her introductory video so that you get a visual for it. You don't need a mechanical clicker, I never, ever use one. I just learned how to make a loud pop noise with my mouth. And once your horse knows that noise you can make it be pretty darn quiet and they will hear it. Leia thought I was treating and not clicking my horses a couple of weeks ago, but I was doing it and she just didn't hear it. My horse did though.

The lesson that Leia is talking about, "The Grownups are Talking," is a manners lesson. It keeps your horse from mugging you for food. I walk around with my pockets full of treats all of the time, and I rarely have a horse try to get into them. I think there are several reasons for this. I work really hard on this manners lesson, and I also never treat without a click. I treat the horse in the position I want them to be in, never close in to my body. I fully extend my arm away from my body. I also never go into my treat pocket before I've clicked. If you find yourself reaching for the treat before the behavior is achieved, your horse will be paying more attention to that naughty little hand of yours than to finishing his behavior.

To teach TGAT, stand next to your horse with a loose lead. I like to hold my hands tucked in to my stomach. I stand relaxed and not really watching my horse. I might be talking to a friend or just looking around. My horse may start nosing around on me and trying to pivot around to get me to look at him. I just calmly reposition him and wait. As soon as the horse relaxes and has his head either straight ahead or turned away from me, I click and treat. You will probably experience a reoccurrence of "excited horse" in that moment. That is fine, just repeat what you did before. Pretty soon you will find your horse very actively standing in place. This is quite different than a horse that is "doing nothing." It is a horse that is actively paying attention and waiting to be rewarded for his excellent behavior. You will then start working on duration. A good reference for extending duration of any behavior is known as the "300 peck pigeon," and an article about it can be found here: http://iceryder.net/300peck.html

There is just a ton of great information about clicker training horses out on the web. Some places to start are:

http://www.theclickercenter.com

http://www.clickryder.com

http://www.equineclickertraining.com

Jan Norman has produced a really fabulous set of videos about clicker training foals, but I can assure you that the knowledge in them crosses all ages of equines. These videos are VERY INEXPENSIVE considering the information found in them! http://tojustn.tripod.com/index.html

Another person who has produced some great trick training and bombproofing videos is Karen Parker. http://user.cavenet.com/parkerk/default.htm

Dolores Arste, who operates the Zen Horsemanship site is a fantastic clicker trainer. This is the second time I have heard that she is now presenting to miniature horse groups. I have known Dolores since 2003, she is a very intelligent trainer and I highly recommend anything she has to offer.

An excellent resource for clicker training of all species is found here: http://www.clickertraining.com

Clicker training for people!!! Check out the videos and articles on this site: http://www.tagteach.com/ Keely, I think you would be very interested in this site, since I believe you are a teacher.

Hope this helps a few people, feel free to contact me with questions or post them here and I will try to answer them for you.

 

[joylee123]

I've finally gotten serious with it just since Kody's surgery in October and not only have his leading manners and attitude taken a quantum leap but we've begun learning tricks. The vet told me to teach him to rear to strengthen his hindquarters, so I broke it down into all the little steps I figured I needed to create that behavior without fear or anger. But by the time I got him stepping up on a step stool I'd forgotten to click him for anything else and he became glued to that step stool. Wouldn't leave it for anything...even rearing when I tried to make him. Click! *LOL* I saved myself a lot of work purely by accident. (And it reminded me to teach him that he gets clicked for moving away from the step stool as well.

I'm still learning this clicker stuff too!)

In the month since then he has learned to step either forefoot up onto any object on command, to rear, to shake hands, to bow, to do all his stretches calmly, to lead serpentines at a walk and trot calmly, to pivot fore and hind, to sidepass without getting cranky, to canter cavaletti without jumping, to lead without a halter, to do a perfect Whoa-Stand while I walk 360 degrees around him with or without a halter, and so much more! Some of it is because he was finally ready to learn that stuff, but the sheer rapidity of his learning and the joy with which he's sucking it all in comes from the clicker training. He's an active participant in this game and he loves it. I'm still shaping quite a few of those behaviors but they are on-cue and recognizable and as I get better at using the clicker correctly of course it gets easier. I have plans for so much more but I need more space and equipment for him to play with! *LOL* Can't teach him to step up on a pedestal without a pedestal....

By the way Amy, the bow was sort of anti-climatic. My problem had been teaching him to pick up the foot without me having to touch it. Well, all that stepping up on the step stool had taught him that and I hadn't even realized it! I just asked him for it one day and he did it, and the rest was simply shaping and targetting.

We really need to work on the "The Grownups Are Talking" exercise though. Obviously.

Leia

Edited for late-night typos

[SIZE=12pt]Dang girl

Can I borrow you

[/SIZE]

Joy

 

[hobbyhorse23]

[SIZE=12pt]Dang girl

Can I borrow you

[/SIZE]Joy

*snicker* You know me, I get on a roll with something and off I go....

Tonight we started "Kneel," which I can see will lead quickly to "Lay Down" and "Lay Down" to "Sit Up." It would take about twenty minutes to teach him to steal a hanky from my pocket, Smile, and Count, but I refuse to give him the idea those are good things! LOL. He'd never stop offering them. Well, okay, I know how to make him stop offering them. But still.

We also did our first "Grownups are Talking" lesson tonight and he picked up the basic idea quickly. He's still mugging, but it got shorter and shorter each time. We'll work on it!

Leia

 

[zoey829]

I think I am going to start off with the foal DVD's the one to four months of age, with Jan Norman. How long are the lessons? Does she actually give you instruction or is it a DVD with her just teaching her foal?

I am brand new with this and I would feel more comfortable with the foals at first.

 

[Mini Mouse]

I just ordered the book "The Click that Teaches". I've been thinking about this for a long time and am really excited about it. Can hardly wait for the book. Thanks ClickMini!!

 

[AppyLover2]

Everytime this subject comes up I'm tempted to try it. But my dad always said you have to be smarter than the animal to teach it anything....and I'm not sure I am.

I already know that crowding me for treats will be an issue as they can get quite pushy when there are treats around.

Exactly what materials (books, video's, etc) should a beginner get??? This thread has me fired up to try it again.

 

[Mini Mouse]

Try this site. It's where I bought my book. They also have the videos. And I'm sure you are smart enough to teach your horses .. lol.

http://www.theclickercenter.com/2004/index.php

 

[zoey829]

So many choices!!! I am going to try the foal training. The only thing is I hope it is instructional.

 

[AppyLover2]

And I'm sure you are smart enough to teach your horses .. lol.

LOL I'm not so sure. The little devils seem to outsmart me waaay too often.

So many choices!!!

I agree Zoey. I get on there and just can't decide which ones I need to start with.