Clicker training?

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Stroppy Mare

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Many have possibly seen my post previously about a bargy horse. Having just found my old clicker (from previous attempts at clicker training my mare) i wonder if it might help the bargy horse?

He isnt overly bright, but is quite food orientated (where Gem wasnt) and i wonder whether he may just pick it up? Would it benefit us or is it worth scrapping the idea?

Would work quite well timewise for me - i could bring Gem in and school/hack her, then get him in and do some work with him in the yard/school and it wouldnt involve too much running around on either of our parts and potentially could be quite mentally stimulating?
 
:) Give it a go, you won't know until you try it.

I don't think a horse has to be top of the pile for brains for clicker training if food is their personal god. Some of the most clicker responsive horses I have had have been greedy sods (most of them bargy too, wonder if it goes hand in hand?) whereas the bright ones look at me and seem to say either "Why?" or, after 3 repeats, are muttering "Yeah, yeah, yeah, got that, now what? Show me more!"

'Back', 'Over', 'Whoa/stand' are easily done as you know and if he gets the hang of it you should be well on the way.
 
I've used it successfully with a horse that got a bit bargy and forward going when coming in last. Assuming the horse knows a 'leave it' command (which is what I always start off with), start off in an enclosed area, if he really, really balls you over pop him in the stable and stay outside and work on 'back' first of all. You can also teach 'slow' for walking next to you, or you can teach a targeting command where he has to keep his muzzle on your hand while he walks next to you.
 
Well we started earlier on today with a clicker, pocket full of carrots (chopped up!) and an old cd case.

Took him all of about 2 mins to figure out going to touch my pocket wasnt getting him munchies, but touching the CD case was. I moved it around - to the floor, high up, left, right, right out in front of him.

Started introducing a prompt 'touch' aswell towards the end once i knew he was definately aiming to touch the case.

Then, was leading him thru the yard and he saw the CD case at the other end on the pegs and wanted to take me over to it to touch it! lol! Hes certainly got that part, am going to aim to get him to go back on command, 'adults are talking' trick and picking up and holding feet up also next (one by one!) :D
 
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