Has anyone tried clicker-training with their horses? I've just started, although I've been clicker training my dog for a while. I can't believe how well it works. If you aren't familiar with it, you can buy many good books on Amazon, or on Karen Pryors website
www.clickertraining.com (Karen is quite famous for training dogs and horses with this method, she originally trained dolphins using the same technique.
Basically, it's a positive reinforcement method that lets your animal know when they are doing something right, and they receive a reward for it. The click "marks" the event...
for example, I was introducing my young horse to a new blanket. My horse is spooky with new things. So, I first showed it to her. When she looked at it, I clicked, and gave her an immediate treat (tiny bit of carrot)
Did this a few times..the timing is very important. Then she sniffed it, and I clicked, and gave her a treat. She is used to the clicker "marking" when she is doing the right behaviour. She was calm, and she knows that every click is followed by a reward. Then, I put the blanket next to her, clicked, and treated. And so on. I put it on her back, clicked, treated. No problem. She knows the blanket is not scary, but I use this process for everything. I just finished designing a new version of a saddle skirt saddle skirt (this is a weatherproof skirt worn around the waist, that covers your legs and saddle...you can get on and off the horse while wearing it). I own a manufacturing company
www.discoverytrekking.com and do all my own designs for market. Anyway, I will use the same technique to show it to her before I ride with it on...otherwise she may spook.
This is a great way to teach correct leads, and everything else you need to train. They really "get" it. After a while the treats are phased out, and replaced by a cue (word or action command) but for every new thing, out comes the clicker and the treats.
Who else has tried this?