Forgot How Much I Love The Clicker!

[Appy2quarter]

Hi everyone

I had such a great experience with the clicker (well, my tongue making a click really) tonight.

My mare has transformed recently with a change in saddle from Ansur to Fhoenix suberpanel and a move from the bit to a bosal.  She's been really starting to work through her back which is a big deal for a horse who always used to go very hollow and strung out.

Anyway, I was schooling her tonight and decided to click when she really lifted.  Her response was immediate - the next time I set off in trot, it was light and lifted straight away with her head low.  She didn't even raise her head in the transition.

So, 4 clicks later she was setting off from her hind end and stopping with her hind end -  no head raising which is simply AMAZING from her.  She has been through an awful time over the past few years so I have to admit I was close to tears.

Mind you, bless her - once she gets the idea you have to be careful she doesn't go overboard with it.  I had to make sure she didn't think it was head down only I was rewarding or I'd have ended up with her head between her legs     Really teaches you to be aware what you are teaching and rewarding.

Charlotte

[horsefreak]

Sounds fab   Piccies?

[Appy2quarter]

ah, now you're asking - haven't a) got myself registered on photobucket as I can't seem to save my piccies small enough to post them here or B) taken any!!!  

I'll try and remember the camera and ask my friend to take some piccies.  I want to have some of them both in the Fhoenix anyway.

Appy

[Becky holden]

Mind you, bless her - once she gets the idea you have to be careful she doesn't go overboard with it. I had to make sure she didn't think it was head down only I was rewarding or I'd have ended up with her head between her legs  Really teaches you to be aware what you are teaching and rewarding

It sure does!! When i first started clicker training i was teaching a horse to piaffe in long reins i must of clicked the same diagnol lift a few times in the end he stood there with one hind leg and one front leg off the floor!!  :lol:   :lol:
As soon as i began to ask for more strides and began to click transitions out i soon corrected it but you surely do live and learn!!  

Becky    

[Appy2quarter]

LOL Becky, thats too funny!!!  

I had another fantastic day today with my girl - I took her round the farm where I keep her and usually if I ask for trot its head up, back down and off she zooms.

Instead, it was like she kept remembering 'oh, no, I put my head down and use my hind end' and of course she got her click and treat!  I even got trot rising like this which has hitherto been a no-no - usually as soon as I go rising, I lose her back.

I have made the mistake of accidentally teaching something, too - both mine learned to do a turn away from me at liberty, sort of pivot, only I taught it accidentally with the same cue as to yield the hindquarters and bend.  Oops, had to sort that out as any time I asked for a circle at liberty and wanted to increase the flexion, I got a pivot!!

 

[Becky holden]

This is why i love this way of teaching so much. When we do make mistakes, which is inevitable when learning it is easily corrected, without knocking the confidence of the horse. The owner of the stud where i worked from the age of eleven always use to say to me "Becky, mistakes aren't that bad as long as we learn from them" which is so true with clicker training. If we hit a problem don't look for blame just stay positive and find a solution. I dont see "problems"  anymore, i look at it as a learning curve. CT has made me a better person as well as an understandable teacher!!!    

Becky