Clicker Training
My skepticism waned, but I still had my reservations about using it on my own horse, Greta. Clickers are against the rules in competition. You can not even use them in the practice areas at dressage shows. So I worry about being dependent on a tool that I can't use when I need it the most. I also wonder how in the world I could coordinate the clicker and the treat pouch with a longe line, longe whip, or two driving reins (Greta is only two years old and not being ridden yet).
I gained more respect for clicker training when I found the folks on the KBR (Kicking Back Ranch) web ring and what they had to say about it in the training section of their site. These folks work with relocating and training wild mustangs. They deal with the raw, flight or fight instincts of the horse. We should all remember and respect the fact that these instincts are a part of even our docile horses, and handle them accordingly. The folks at KBR have a philosophy much like mine when it comes to different training methods. You take the best of many techniques and use them according to the horse and situation you are working with. They have had a lot of success using clickers and consider it to be a worthwhile tool.
Clicker training is like mental exercise for your horse. While the method can be used to teach many different commands and behaviors, what I find most useful about it is the ability to keep the horse's attention on the handler's commands. The theory is that if you can focus your horse's attention where you direct it the horse is less likely to spook and panic. Horses are most dangerous when they are in a panicked flight mode. They can hurt themselves and their handlers. Horses that work with clickers are said to be more inquisitive about new objects and surroundings rather than being scared by them. It is a resistance free training method that uses positive reinforcement. If you are working with a horse that is very nervous or easily distracted, or you are working with a young horse (like Greta), I think clicker training can be a very useful tool.
Greta and I will be attending a clinic later on this month that will include some clicker training. I would like to use this method with her,
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