Trick ideas (clicker training)

[MagicMelon]

My retired competition horse is bored. He's an extremely intelligent sort and loved clicker training when I taught him some little tricks years ago (some he still does) but I only taught him basic stuff like touching a target with his nose, giving me kisses etc. I thing he could do some really cool stuff if I put the effort in as he thrives on doing things. He is sensitive though so I have to be careful or he over thinks stuff and gets anxious. Any ideas of what things I could teach him? I cant think of much!! He doesn't go anywhere so getting him to load himself etc. really isn't much use. I can ride him in walk (old tendon injury, sound but am careful not to do much with him) so wondered about teaching him to go without tack and just responding to a string round his neck or even just using his mane... but unsure if this is easily teachable via clicker?

 

[cauda equina]

ConnectionTraining.com has online courses for this sort of thing

 

[Leo Walker]

I taught my big lump of a cob a stompy version of a spanish walk which was lots of fun With my current boy I've used to for basic training, feet up, back up, basic lateral work in hand. Theres no reason why you couldnt do it under saddle

 

[canteron]

I taught my retired horse to laugh at bad jokes, which curiously impressed everyone much more than all the rosettes he had won - that came from Hannah, who I think now works at Connection training. http://www.hannahdawsonequine.co.uk/blog/ but if you do a search on you tube there is all sorts of inspirational tricks!

 

[Supertrooper]

Currently teaching mine to retrieve

 

[dollyanna]

Horse agility stuff - weaving, going under things, through channels, stopping and starting on cue, backing up on cue. Aside from that - basketball, retrieve, painting, any kind of dressage stuff inhand or at liberty.

 

[dollyanna]

unsure if this is easily teachable via clicker?

Anything is teachable via a clicker as long as the handler can see how to break it down and teach it ;-)

 

[Amye]

Anything is teachable via a clicker as long as the handler can see how to break it down and teach it ;-)

This ^^^

I think it's the breaking down part that's the most difficult. You can't teach them to do a whole movement in one (unless it's simple) they need to understand the parts then link them together. Connection training is good - me and my boy also have the book by Shawna (part of the connection training group) and are working through that, has some useful hints and tips in it It's called 'You can teach your horse anything' or something like that!!