We're having fun with a clicker!!!!

Monty

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Nov 16, 2001
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Wehey!
I've just been dumped on from a great height in many respects these last couple of weeks, so I decided it was time for a change of direction. I ordered the clicker training book, and got myself a clicker. I've been reading the book very carefully for a week or so now, and getting myself clued up.Then I decided on my goals and prioritised them. You have to do it in tiny steps, and start with the ground work.....i.e getting the horse to catch on that certain activity plus click sound equals reward.
It took about three sessions to convince me that Rebel really had caught on.to this concept. This morning, I went to turn him out.
He usually jerks down hard on the halter when I reach the green area just before the gate. This time I pre-empted it.The minute he put his head up, I clicked and gace him a nut.We walked on. Ditto. This time,when he picked his head up, I hesitated before clicking.He stood patiently.I clicked......and bingo.He looked at me expectantly, but without mugging me."OK then.....where's my reward???"
He stood and let me take his halter off,without galloping off half way through, so I clicked and rewarded him, and he just sauntered off. How knows???? I may be onto something here???
 
Monty,

I have ordered a clicker book and am waiting patiently for it. Your thread made me even more excited about getting the book home.

My horse is very difficult to control from the ground, and recently he has become a little dangerous............I have lots of help, but who knows what a clicker might achieve.

Here's hoping!!
 
Great news! It must be very satisfying to see the success, he certainly sounds like he wants to please. From the sound of it, he'll be standing quietly for mounting in no time.
 
hwo mcuh does the book for horses cost? i have a clicker book for dogs and doesnt help much with my horse so i have to improvise.

i tried it once but didnt feel it was very successful as i went through alot of horses treats :D

but then i didnt have enough time to repeat it ...will try in winter when i have more time.
 
Monty, how did you get your horse to accept the noise of the clicker? When I tried it my horse shot to the back of her stable and wasn't having any of it, and she's one of the greediest horses out, she would not come for her treat.Should I have tried it out in the open do you think, or should I try a different noise.Would be grateful for any ideas. L
 
the clicker is quite loud.

When i first tried it i did it from outside my horses stable and she didnt care. If you put your hand in yoru pocket and click from there it isnt so loud.

I tried it first with my dogs. All of them accepted it except one and he ran under my bed and wouldnt talk to me for the rest of the day.
 
theresamac

Hi, I share a common problem with my horse. Clicker training has already been suggested in another forum as a way to break his boredom and to make him more cooperative. I'll be very interested to know your results. Could you provide me with the name of the book? Where can we buy a clicker from?
 
You're right the clicker does make quite a loud noise.When you start, either,as Floppy says, click it from your pocket, or enclose it in your fist as much as you can, this muffles the sound out a bit.Floppy,I didn't think to use treats.I actually fill my pockets with foal nuts, which are tiny (or lamb pellets are the same, if you live on a farm and don't have a foal!!), then when the desired effect is reached I click and then give him literally a pinch of them, about half a dozen on my palm. I'm still learning, so you can't take the way I do it, nor Rebel's response as being 'normal' or correct.Your horse may respond totally differently, yet you may feel it works.You know your horse, and what you want him to do. I'm still learning. I think you need to be sure as you can that your horse has understood the significance of the click, before you actually make USE of the clicker training, and when you do, make sure you only apply it to a couple of issues at a time.Don't do what I NEARLY did, which was to apply it to good behaviour, which has ALWAYS been good. By that I mean.....'If it ain't broke....don't fix it!!' I nearly CAUSED an issue out of something that was never a problem, if that makes any sense.
We are currently concentrating on his letting me put on and remove a headcollar, without him jerking his head away taking my arm/fingers with it!! That seems to be causing an unintentional but welcome improvement in his leading out to the field routine, when he usually rams his head down to graze, taking my arm with it. I tried that as an experiment the other day, and when I saw the possibilities, decided to put it aside for now, and go back a step, to where I put his head collar on. I'm finding that it's best not to go too far ahead, try to start at the beginning, if you see what I mean.
Meanwhile, I've been trying to train our 3 month old sheepdog pup, to keep away from Rebel's feet, more conventionally by shouting at her when she gets too close...especially if I can't see where she is exactly but know she's too close. I now have a pup who plonks herself down on her bottom, wherever she happens to be standing everytime the clicker is sounded, even though it's Rebel I'm training!!! She sits expectantly and happily chews a pony nut as a reward for sitting !! So something has got home to her!!! Suits me!!
 
Thanks, I'll have another go, but I think I binned the clicker ! I did start it off outside the stable quite a long way away.Mind you she's a pretty suspicious character anyway, so probably thought Iwas up to no good. I'll get another clicker. L
 
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