Donnie Darco
Well-Known Member
Clicker!!
we are going to try and have a go at clicker training!!!
Wish us luck!!!
we are going to try and have a go at clicker training!!!
Wish us luck!!!
I've just brought Lyla a ....
- Thread starter Donnie Darco
- Start date
Cobiau Cymreig Wyllt
Well-Known Member
Good luck!
Tell me something...I did some clicker training years ago with my dog...am aware that people also use it successfully with horses but have no experience of that...when I was taught to do it with my dog I was told to also use treats, ie 'click' then immediately 'treat'
Do people use it in this way with horses?
Just curious as it was v successful with my previously stubborn dog and am considering using it for my rather mulish youngster horse...but he is a bit overly mouthy about food and I tend not to use treats around him as it brings out his dark side...so would prefer to use just the clicker if still effective....??
Tell me something...I did some clicker training years ago with my dog...am aware that people also use it successfully with horses but have no experience of that...when I was taught to do it with my dog I was told to also use treats, ie 'click' then immediately 'treat'
Do people use it in this way with horses?
Just curious as it was v successful with my previously stubborn dog and am considering using it for my rather mulish youngster horse...but he is a bit overly mouthy about food and I tend not to use treats around him as it brings out his dark side...so would prefer to use just the clicker if still effective....??
Ladydragon
Well-Known Member
You'd need to get a 'good' association first with the clicker sound... Normally using a continuous schedule of reinforcement so the clicker/treat become linked with the behaviour to establish it...
Then move to an intermittent schedule of clicker/treat so there's no treat with each click but a treat will appear at random intervals of clicks... Ideally you need to drop the treat as quickly as possible but without running the risk of a 'ratio strain' where the animal loses the association as they know there's no reward likely to come along...
Gradually drop down to the clicker only and extinguish the schedule of treat reiforcement... The key is timing and although I've started using it with our horses I think there's an argument (for at least some situations) in needing a second person...
For example - I've been using it on a two year old who hadn't had much done with his feet... You can't physically lift the back foot for the prescribed period of time, click on achieving it and still maintain the intermittent treat schedule... Ideally, someone else needs to be at the head to operate the clicker and keep the schedule ticking over... It's just the difference in size and practicality in some situations...
Always start off small... ie, a paper one of my lecturers was involved in for one of his MSc students used nose touching a target as the foundation for dealing with loading issues... Established the treat/clicker link with that well before moving the target towards the trailer to get on with the actual 'real' training...
I hope this is some help and I've not made a mess of trying to explain it...
PS - the treat in question doesn't always need to be food - but the fact animals are motivated somewhat easily by food (and some humans - think of a kiddie with smarties for example) does mean it's often one of the easiest 'treats' to use when setting up the initial association - which then moves being primarily based around the clicker noise...
Then move to an intermittent schedule of clicker/treat so there's no treat with each click but a treat will appear at random intervals of clicks... Ideally you need to drop the treat as quickly as possible but without running the risk of a 'ratio strain' where the animal loses the association as they know there's no reward likely to come along...
Gradually drop down to the clicker only and extinguish the schedule of treat reiforcement... The key is timing and although I've started using it with our horses I think there's an argument (for at least some situations) in needing a second person...
For example - I've been using it on a two year old who hadn't had much done with his feet... You can't physically lift the back foot for the prescribed period of time, click on achieving it and still maintain the intermittent treat schedule... Ideally, someone else needs to be at the head to operate the clicker and keep the schedule ticking over... It's just the difference in size and practicality in some situations...
Always start off small... ie, a paper one of my lecturers was involved in for one of his MSc students used nose touching a target as the foundation for dealing with loading issues... Established the treat/clicker link with that well before moving the target towards the trailer to get on with the actual 'real' training...
I hope this is some help and I've not made a mess of trying to explain it...
PS - the treat in question doesn't always need to be food - but the fact animals are motivated somewhat easily by food (and some humans - think of a kiddie with smarties for example
) does mean it's often one of the easiest 'treats' to use when setting up the initial association - which then moves being primarily based around the clicker noise...
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Donnie Darco
Well-Known Member
Good luck!
Tell me something...I did some clicker training years ago with my dog...am aware that people also use it successfully with horses but have no experience of that...when I was taught to do it with my dog I was told to also use treats, ie 'click' then immediately 'treat'
Do people use it in this way with horses?
Just curious as it was v successful with my previously stubborn dog and am considering using it for my rather mulish youngster horse...but he is a bit overly mouthy about food and I tend not to use treats around him as it brings out his dark side...so would prefer to use just the clicker if still effective....??
Well I did worry about the "Dark Side" too as La is totally led by her stomache!!! But from ready previous posts where people have used the clicker, it is possible to train your horse not to mug you!!!
ie, I think you click when they are stood nicely and don't click (ignore) if they start snuffling - so they should get the idea - stand nicely = reward!There are some good books written about clicker training horses, but sorry I can't remember who it was!!! Someone else may know ??
Will let you know how we get on later (if I still have a hand and its not been munched by Lyla the trougher ...
)