Clicker Trainig with Spencer

Today I worked with Claire and Spencer.

Here is what I did on Claire:

1. I put Claire in the round pen and put the sidepulls on and worked the sidepulls up to notch 9. Yesterday she was at notch 4. So she really had to give today and by the time she was finished she was traveling around mostly without fighting the bit. She is still not flexed to the perpendicular yet, but almost there. I walked, trotted and cantered her and I was so pleased to see that she took the right lead most of the time! Yeah! She did very well, and didn't offer me any resistance- and was listening to me the entire time. She is such a dream to work with and I just scratched and petted her today alot to let her know how much I appreciate her. She didn't receive any treats or clicker training in the round pen. I wanted her to learn to work into pressure and give to the bit without having the clicker. I figured the sidepulls and pressure was enough of an incentive. I did try to ground tie her -- in other words getting her to stand with the lead rope down at her feet. I used the clicker on that, but it wasn't really working because unfortunately we have let her get away with walking around in the barn too much. I am not sure if I will continue to try to train her to ground tie-- I don't want the clicker to lose it's value as a teaching tool. Tomorrow I will spend one more day in the round pen and take the side pulls up two more notches.

On Thursday or Friday-- I will post a video to show the results of 30 days of riding on Claire. It was funny when I went to the back pasture with all my gear, Claire came up to the gate and was waiting for me when I got there.


Clicker Training on Spencer!!

Well, I wanted to try out the clicker today on an already trained horse and see if it would really make a difference-- and it did! I have been reading alot out of Doug Carpenter's book on training the Western Pleasure horse and I really like his ideas.

I especially liked his lope transition cues and what to do if a horse falls in. Spencer does this alot because he does not like to take his right lead (he has arthritis) and tries to avoid having to take it. So I used very quiet hands and held my outside rein to my thigh and lifted his nose as I asked for the canter departure. I usually do this, but I also kept my inside leg on him when he wanted to fall in and I kept lifting his shoulder when he wanted to fall in.

Here is what I clicked for today:

1. Trotting really slow and collected. I 'clicked' when he kept framed up and kept a consistent trot. At first I stopped him immediately after I 'clicked.' He loved this of course. After I felt like he was trying to repeat what the behavior that earned the click, I clicked and then kept him going after the click, until I stopped him. He was highly motivated to work using the clicker and so I think it helped. He is already so trained and I did a good job using my seat and legs to keep him framed, I think the clicker was an added bonus.

2. I felt like the biggest difference I made with the clicker was on the right lead. He was very excited to pick up the right lead, once he saw that I only clicked when he picked up the correct lead. By the time I finished, he was cantering slow and collected, taking both leads and learning to work past the 'click' before I stopped and rewarded.

I have to say that the clicker training makes a big difference to the seasoned horse. I feel it gives them a reward and wakes them up in their training. I am sure it is the first time Spencer has ever received a treat under saddle.

I was using an O ring snaffle and so I am anxious to see if riding one handed in a shank bit, using the clicker will make a difference in his gaits and willingness to pick up his right lead. Very fun ride today!! Spencer is a great horse!