Karen Thomas wrote: > I'm going to take an unpopular stand, at least on this list. I simply don't > care for the clicker as a primary training method. I've used a clicker in a > few situations for a few horses, with ok results. I may use it again > sometimes - sparingly. I'm sure that some people can do it better than I > can. But, I have not seen a horse yet who's been extensively clicker trained > who's not overly treat-oriented - many even rude. I almost think the clicker is more for me than for my horse. I'm not very good at reading the subtle nuances of his body language or releasing pressure at the right moment so it's an easy way for him to understand me. I feel so clumsy trying to figure out the various steps and not sure what I'm doing half the time that I can't expect him to understand what I'm asking if I'm not sure what I'm asking!
I do see that potential for rudeness with Starri so use the clicker very sparingly with Kopar...to clip, to treat wounds, etc. Also, what happens when I run out of treats on the trail?! I liked the training philosophy on this website..http://www.johnsaintryan.com/training.htm "True horse sense involves much more than working on the surface Movement away from pressure by the use of a variety of aids is our basic means of communication. We can also achieve some degree of control over a horse by rattling food in a bucket causing him to come whenever they hear this sound. This is similar to asking the horse to respond to clicking sounds if accompanied by a tangible reward in the form of food. But do you really want to carry sticks, ropes, buckets, treats and clickers when you ride? The object is to jettison all training aids as soon as real communication is established. You no longer need flash cards to add and subtract or recognize letters, and at some point neither will your horse." <True%20horse%20sense%20involves%20much%20more%20than%20working%20on%20the%20surface%20%20%20%20Movement%20away%20from%20pressure%20by%20the%20use%20of%20a%20variety%20of%20aids%20is%20our%20basic%20means%20of%20communication.%20%20We%20can%20also%20achieve%20some%20degree%20of%20control%20over%20a%20horse%20by%20rattling%20food%20in%20a%20bucket%20causing%20him%20to%20come%20whenever%20they%20hear%20this%20sound.%20%20This%20is%20similar%20to%20asking%20the%20horse%20to%20respond%20to%20clicking%20sounds%20if%20accompanied%20by%20a%20tangible%20reward%20in%20the%20form%20of%20food.%20But%20do%20you%20really%20want%20to%20carry%20sticks,%20ropes,%20buckets,%20treats%20and%20clickers%20when%20you%20ride?%20%20The%20object%20is%20to%20jettison%20all%20training%20aids%20as%20soon%20as%20real%20communication%20is%20established.%20%20You%20no%20longer%20need%20flash%20cards%20to%20add%20and%20subtract%20or%20recognize%20letters,%20and%20at%20some%20point%20neither%20will%20your%20horse.> Trish
