Putting The Steps into Actions

You’re ready for your first clicker training session with your horse. You know what you want to teach, and you’ve got yourself organized. That’s important. You don’t want to offer your horse a target to touch, and suddenly realize that you’ve left your clicker in the house, or your treats are still in the tack room. That’s a sure way to frustrate an eager student. So the first steps before you begin any training session are to collect your thoughts, your clicker, and your treats. Now you’re ready for some fun!

Here’s an easy step-by-step checklist to follow to help you with your first clicker training lesson:

  • For safety put your horse in a stall with a stall guard across the door. If a stall isn’t available, use a small paddock. (1.)
  • Hold a cone or some other small object up in front of your horse. Horses tend to be curious about such things. Your horse will probably sniff the cone. (2.)
  • The instant he touches it, click, and give him a treat. Take the target down out of sight. Reach into your pocket and hand your horse his treat. (3.)
  • As soon as he’s taken the food from you, hold the target back up for him to touch. Make sure it is within easy reach so he can be successful. (4.)
  • If he tries to mug your pockets, step back out of range, but continue to hold the target out where he’s likely to touch it. (5.)
  • When he does, click and reinforce him. (6a and b.)

Remember the order in which events occur. The click is the bridge between the behavior you like and the reward. Be certain to click BEFORE you reach into your pocket for the treat. Reaching for the treat too soon dilutes the power of the clicker. If you are in too much of a hurry to get to the treat, the “click” becomes the premature movement of your hand, not the sound of the clicker.



Part One: Getting Started with the Clicker
A Step-By-Step Guide

close window