Can I just ask which trainers you like in the clicker world? I thought in my innocence clicker was clicker and all things equal, but the more I read, the more I realise there as many "camps" and disapproving frowns at certain trainers than anywhere else in the horse world!
I think the 'camps' are more a reflexion of human nature rather than diverse differences in the clicker world. Although I think disapproving frowns are appropriate in some cases, hopefully they are aimed at behaviours or methods and not the person themselves.
I actually like all the clicker trainers I know of although I wouldn't put myself in any one camp. There are certain behaviours they teach and certain ways of doing things that I don't do but as an overall belief system and approach to horses in general, the one's I'm familiar with I think are super.
Alex Kurland is really the driving force that got it all started so we owe her a huge debt of gratitude! However I don't much like the stuff she's doing now and I especially dislike the way she runs her clinics. (Others love them so that's just me!) I'm sure though that if I could have her as a private teacher, she would be an enormous help to me. Sharon Foley was a student of Alex's and she took her natural horsemanship training to marry it up with the clicker for her book. She has wonderful all around experience and her science is also very good. Shawna Karresh is not a horsewoman but came from the marine world and married a horseman so got into training horses. She had a very good science education but I find her work not very in depth. Great for beginners though!
Ben Hart seems like a super nice guy although I've not met him. I just like the sounds of his philosophy and approach to horses. I don't work the way he does though...I use the clicker as an end or terminal bridge (always give a treat when I click) whereas he uses it as a keep going signal. But nothing wrong with that if you are consistant I suppose. I worry that the click would then lose it's power but I've not experimented with it that way so I can't say for sure. Also maybe it's a good thing that the click loses some of it's power!!...maybe then my horses wouldn't turn somersaults when they hear it!
I'd love to go to a Ben Hart clinic though! I'd also love to hear from others who use the clicker his way..??? I thought it might be fun to get a new horse and use Ben's method for comparison....trouble is...if I get a new horse my husband will leave me!!!
One thing I would say from my experience is that we can't really judge folks style from their books! I know Alex and Sharon personally and I don't think from reading their books you can get a feel from how they are as teachers. I assume the same for Ben Hart. I really didn't like most of Ben's book. I found it contradictory and vague but I don't want to judge him by it because I assume he's a horse person first and a writer second...?? I'm just sooo glad these folks who have more experience than us actually take the time to write! I always think of our teachers as just people who are on the road ahead of us and the more they share their experience the better. As long as we use common sense and don't take their words as gospel!!!
There is a woman in Australia who wrote a book but it was $70 so I didn't want to spring for it!! She is a dressage rider and says she uses clicker for everything. Can't remember her name...?? Anyone know of her?? I think she rides in the paraolympics.
I've never heard of Emma Lethbridge so I'm going to go look her up!! Thanks for the tip Lee!
I'm not at all sure that pure +reinforcement is for me, but I do like the ethos behind it and the weighing the scales towards as much +r as possible with light -r
I certainly am not near my goal of that yet, but am I think working my way along the path with Minnie, with a few backward steps along the way. I think my biggest problem is that I'm not scientifically inclined, so find all the science stuff a bit ........boring
Keep in mind that there is no such thing as pure +R...or pure anything for that matter. But I agree with you that it's nice to try and see how +R we can be and still keep things practical. The -R being light for me is key to staying ethical. Also for me it's key to just keeping my interactions with my horses fun and pleasant.
If you learn the science incrementally, it's really pretty easy. Just don't bite off more than you can chew. If you get the absolute basic understanding of what the four quadrants are, (+R, -R, -P, +P) you are off to a pretty good start. Then if you understand the basic mechanics (timing of the click and don't pre-load your treats etc), you can have a LOT of fun!
I think this board has a list of the terminology right...??
I'd be interested to hear from others if there are other authors or teaches around and hear about their particular approaches. I'm still waiting for the government funding to set up a research center that studies the different approaches!!
