lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Hi, was just wondering if anyone else on here clicker trains their horses. Would be nice to meet a few more clicker trainers!
Amy
xx
Amy
xx
Anyone clicker train?
- Thread starter lassiesuca
- Start date
Ali2
Well-Known Member
I do. Fantastic tool 
ISHmad
Well-Known Member
And me.
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Cool! Nice to meet some more clicker trainers.
I started clicker training back in June, with my 4 year old, and we've had great fun doing it!
I started clicker training back in June, with my 4 year old, and we've had great fun doing it!
Booboos
Well-Known Member
I clicker train the dogs and use it for the horses only when I have a specific problem mainly because I am lazy!
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
lol! I was the same, I wanted to clicker train a few behaviours, but then I ended up getting hooked!
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
bump
Lotty
Well-Known Member
I did last year
I also did it this year whilst my mare was on box rest only I used my tongue to click. If I point to a certain leg my mare will lift it and wave it, if I say to her "say no" she will shake her head no and if I cuddle her neck and say "cuddle" she will bring her head round and cuddle me. I started to throw a dish cloth at her and say "catch" and she's starting to catch it in her mouth. I know, I'm mad
I also did it this year whilst my mare was on box rest only I used my tongue to click. If I point to a certain leg my mare will lift it and wave it, if I say to her "say no" she will shake her head no and if I cuddle her neck and say "cuddle" she will bring her head round and cuddle me. I started to throw a dish cloth at her and say "catch" and she's starting to catch it in her mouth. I know, I'm mad
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Not mad at all!!!
I've been teaching Shadow to pick up rings and put them on cones- I love those kinda things!
Amy x
I've been teaching Shadow to pick up rings and put them on cones- I love those kinda things!
Amy x
Serenity087
Well-Known Member
I do.
She spent three years living feral and four years with people who didn't know about her training.
5 years after a 15 minute sesh with a clicker and she remembers it all.
Nuff said.
She spent three years living feral and four years with people who didn't know about her training.
5 years after a 15 minute sesh with a clicker and she remembers it all.
Nuff said.
Archie07
Well-Known Member
Just out of interest do you all use food as the reward/ to praise the desired behaviour? As I'd like to do it with my pony but I'm reluctant to use food.
Sugarplum Furry
Well-Known Member
Can anyone recommend a good horse clicker training book please? My filly is fab in all respects but we do have issues picking her feet up, she strikes out with her fronts and cow kicks with her hinds...lovely!....
Serenity087
Well-Known Member
I started with food and then weaned her onto the itchy spot. Fair enough, food is slightly better, but thats not the point, the CLICK is the reward!!
But you should also not do much more than 10 minutes a day, so a handful of nuts will do and not give too many sweets.
Horses aren't stupid, they'd rather get a CLICK to get the food than to get nippy for treats!
But you should also not do much more than 10 minutes a day, so a handful of nuts will do and not give too many sweets.
Horses aren't stupid, they'd rather get a CLICK to get the food than to get nippy for treats!
tonkers77
Member
Im looking at starting next year - does any one have any pointers that really worked or things that def do not work?
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
I used food rewards to stop my horse from being mouthy!
If I entered the field with treats or anything like that- he'd knock me over ( literally), push and shove his way and bite me to the high heavens...
Now I can walk in the field and have a bum bag full, and he will wait and respond politely!
http://stalecheerios.com/blog/horse-training/horse-treats-biting/
http://equinelearning.weebly.com/clicker-training.html
http://theclickercenter.com
www.theequineindependent.com
However- if you still don't want to use treats, then f your horse finds scratches on the shoulder/wither reinforcing, that can work ( depends on how reinforcing he finds it though)
Gala- I fully recommend Alexandra Kurlands 'Clicker Training for your horse'
Emma Lethbridge ''Knowing your Horse''
Ben Hart- Art and Science of Clicker Training
Amy xx
LittleTina
Active Member
Whats clicker training?? xx
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Hi Valentina-
if you follow those links I posted above, it can give you an insight into it
Amy
x
if you follow those links I posted above, it can give you an insight into it
Amy
x
Archie07
Well-Known Member
Ah that's interesting. My pony sounds similar and is mouthy and can be nippy/ bargy some times (albeit he is young) and it's interesting you've totally changed your horses behaviour. I don't think he'd find a scratch much of a reward however being a pony, food he certainly would. He was hand fed treats (I was at the time unaware and asked people not to) when he was young so he feels it is acceptable to barge up to people, in the stable, field etc and nip or head barge and being very bold without a head collar on it's quite hard to correct him, but you've just given me a bit of hope there. I've never hand fed him and I worried clicker training with food would make him worse with his nipping etc?
Serenity087
Well-Known Member
The first thing I trained Dorey was how to ask for food properly.
She asks for everything now, hay, feed, water, going in the field, cuddles.... everything
She asks for everything now, hay, feed, water, going in the field, cuddles.... everything
Booboos
Well-Known Member
Ditto the above. First exercise in almost all cases is a 'leave it' exercise for food. I've always used food with no problems. My HW cob was very food obsessed when he arrived (quite a scary sight seeing him come at you for the bucket!) but learnt to walk back away from any food within two sessions. The main point is that you are not randomnly feeding, rather the animal displays the behaviour, the behaviour is identified with the click and the food follows. Praise, a pat, freedom, etc. can all be good rewards as well but food tends to be the fastest for most animals. A couple of years down the line many animals will work just for the click and the fun of it and won't need the food. My dogs could certainly go through an obedience test with no food.
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Hiya;
Well- this was my main concern when I began clicker training Shadow;
Prior to clicker- we experienced a lot of issues ( mainly me not understanding him and him not understanding what I was asking). When we led to and from the field- I expected him to know how to lead, but he didn't- he had just turned four. He began biting me and getting quite aggressive when he was in- I never used to give him treats- believing it would be bad for him.
Then I began reading a little more into clicker- and I thought why not? I'd tried pretty much everything else and I'm SO glad I went down the clicker route. It's become fun, enjoyable and we're closer than ever.
A lot of people believe that a clicker trained horse is a bribed horse- but he works and then gets the treat- he isn't lured into anything, isn't forced into anything and he gets rewarded, for it. I used clicker training to teach him to stop mugging me for treats!
I began off by clicking and treating when he stood next to me, with his head away from me ( I didn't ask- I clicked the moment he moved his head), the click meant I could pin point exactly where and when he got it right, so he repeated it again, and again until he got the point- I began to really praise him for this. Another way, is giving them the treat away from your body- by asking them to take a step back... watch this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqFith-Zdpk
This encourages them to not snatch out of your hand- it can take a little bit of time sometimes, but if you really encourage them to be polite- they soon get the idea of it
. Once we'd done some 'Don't Mug me' training, we could begin to work on some of our more important goals.
His biggest issue, was if I entered the field with even a treat- he'd bombard me... this is us now ( with a bumbag full of treats!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaATwuhaG0k
The clip after him cantering, is some of the things we've taught- backing up to my hand and body language, coming forward when I ask, then standing politely! Before hand- it was another story!
The best thing about clicker, for me, especially- is that if you DO make a mistake, it is easy to correct it- just don't reinforce that behaviour again!
Check out the links, as they give a much more concise explanation and introduction to it than I.
Thanks for reading;
Amy xx
Lotty
Well-Known Member
My mare is quite bargy when food is about but she is fine with the clicker as she knows she only gets a treat after the click - the click means treat.
I have a bag of Spillers High Fibre nuts and I put a small cup in my bum bag. I only give her 3 or 4 at a time, she will do anything for them
I have a bag of Spillers High Fibre nuts and I put a small cup in my bum bag. I only give her 3 or 4 at a time, she will do anything for them
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Also meant to add!
When you introduce behaviours- so for example, Shadow's groundtying exercises;
We started off on a 'fixed' reward schedule- this meant that he was rewarded at every x amount of seconds/ or steps I took back. So to begin with, it was every three seconds- then I increased it to every 5 and he got clicked after 5 seconds.
When they get the hang of it, and totally understand what you are asking ( so for example- I've added in the 'Stand still' cue and he knows what it means), I can switch over to a variable reinforcement schedule.
A variable reinforcement schedule is basically randomly rewarding- you don't leave too big of a space between each reward ( otherwise the behaviour can become extinct) and you have to be certain they understand before you progress. So, I may ask him to stand for three seconds and reward him- but the next time, I may ask him to do it for 5, then back to two seconds or then go up to ten- this creates a variation and stops anticipation- so he doesn't stop after three- despite I wanted him to stand for a little longer- it means that he knows he will have to wait for that click, it prevents him from thinking ''Ah we've hit three seconds now, time for my reward!''.
It means you're not feeding quite so many treats, and they can go longer stints, so you're eventually not rewarding at every moment
When you introduce behaviours- so for example, Shadow's groundtying exercises;
We started off on a 'fixed' reward schedule- this meant that he was rewarded at every x amount of seconds/ or steps I took back. So to begin with, it was every three seconds- then I increased it to every 5 and he got clicked after 5 seconds.
When they get the hang of it, and totally understand what you are asking ( so for example- I've added in the 'Stand still' cue and he knows what it means), I can switch over to a variable reinforcement schedule.
A variable reinforcement schedule is basically randomly rewarding- you don't leave too big of a space between each reward ( otherwise the behaviour can become extinct) and you have to be certain they understand before you progress. So, I may ask him to stand for three seconds and reward him- but the next time, I may ask him to do it for 5, then back to two seconds or then go up to ten- this creates a variation and stops anticipation- so he doesn't stop after three- despite I wanted him to stand for a little longer- it means that he knows he will have to wait for that click, it prevents him from thinking ''Ah we've hit three seconds now, time for my reward!''.
It means you're not feeding quite so many treats, and they can go longer stints, so you're eventually not rewarding at every moment
Archie07
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply Amy.
Do you always carry treats with you though? Does he ever get frustrated if he's behaving as desired but doesn't get a treat if you know what I mean? Say you taught him to stand with his head away from you he'll only do it for such a time and then get frustrated and expect a treat despite the situation?
ETA think you've just answered my question.
Do you always carry treats with you though? Does he ever get frustrated if he's behaving as desired but doesn't get a treat if you know what I mean? Say you taught him to stand with his head away from you he'll only do it for such a time and then get frustrated and expect a treat despite the situation?
ETA think you've just answered my question.
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
Good question!
It depends- some clicker trainers choose to carry their treats with them the whole time- I chose not to.
The reason being, is that I like to separate some of my training sessions with 'relaxing' times- I agree that every moment spent with our horses is a training session in it's own right- but I like to unwind and sit with him in the field- let him relax from working. Although, saying that, I do tend to keep my clicker in my pocket and a couple of treats handy if I do see a behaviour worth reinforcing!
I like being able to spend time with him without the clicker- as I know when he wants to be with me. There are days when he doesn't want to know me- but that's fine- it's like we all have our days when we want to be left alone; albeit with him being young and quite an inquisitive mind, he does like to say hello and have a cuddle!
Amy x
It depends- some clicker trainers choose to carry their treats with them the whole time- I chose not to.
The reason being, is that I like to separate some of my training sessions with 'relaxing' times- I agree that every moment spent with our horses is a training session in it's own right- but I like to unwind and sit with him in the field- let him relax from working. Although, saying that, I do tend to keep my clicker in my pocket and a couple of treats handy if I do see a behaviour worth reinforcing!
I like being able to spend time with him without the clicker- as I know when he wants to be with me. There are days when he doesn't want to know me- but that's fine- it's like we all have our days when we want to be left alone; albeit with him being young and quite an inquisitive mind, he does like to say hello and have a cuddle!
Amy x
lassiesuca
Well-Known Member
MTA; anymore questions- let me know
amy x
amy x