Target Clicker Training

[Miriam]

Yesterday we started the Target clicker training as she is still doing well with her standing and waiting. It took her five minutes before she realised that she had to touch the target before she got her reward. Then she could not get enough of touching even wanting to touch it before I asked :) At one point on receiving her carrot she some how managed to get my thumb in her mouth and was trying to press down on it (not biting exactly) as if to say 'Mum this carrot is a bit hard to bite'.

The new girl on the yard could not believe that it actually worked :) and had to have a go. Rhi was very good and did it for her :D

Today we tried again this time moving the target around her stable and getting her to leave me and go to it. Poor little girl did not want to leave me and when she did she kept going to the corner or looking at the corner that the target was last in. Then I did it with me standing outside the stable and her inside. Eventually she got the hang of it but it still needs more work before we can move on.

[Miss MoneyPenny]

Brilliant work Miriam, Congratulations to you both.

I would love to get into clicker training as I have started with Penny with a clicker to get her to lift her feet up. I don't know if I am doing it correct;y or not - but also I don't know how to progress with the clicker. Where did you get your knowledge from with clicker training? Can you recommend good books etc?

Well done again!
Helen.

[Miriam]

'You can train your horse to do anything. On target training: Clicker training and beyond' by Shawna and Vinton Karrasch. I bought it from Amazon. It's a great book.

[Miss MoneyPenny]

Thanks Miriam,

I will have a look on Amazon for that book! Here I go.........

[LizS]

Another good book is Clicker Training For Your Horse by Alexandra Kurland. It is easy to follow and you get amazing results and its FUN.

[Bebe]

I've got the book by Shawna and Vinton Karassch and it is really interesting, got me started with clicker training. I've just bought Alexandra Kurlands book too but it hasn't arrived yet.

I haven't done any clicker training for a while so have started again from scratch. It's amazing how quickly they pick things up once they get the idea. I'm using a blue supplement bucket lid as my target and Bebe will touch it and stay there until I click, worked up to about 30 seconds so far. She'll also follow it around the stable and put her hoof on it if I say Touch (I say target to get her to touch with her muzzle).