Equine Clicker Training
- 1). Halter your horse and attach a lead rope to the halter. Haltering him allows you to control and guide the horse while preventing him from escaping. The halter also keeps the horse close to you and reassures him that you are nearby in the event he becomes frightened.
- 2). Introduce your horse to the sound of the clicker. Stand on the left side of the horse near her shoulder and press the button on the clicker. If the sound scares her, talk to the horse and pet her until she calms down. Repeat this step until the horse stands quietly when the clicker is pushed.
- 3). Hold the colored end of the target stick in front of the horse's nose and give him a command such as "touch," allowing him to sniff the stick. As soon as he touches it with his nose, press the clicker and give the horse a treat. The click followed by the treat teaches the horse to watch for the target stick and to touch it when he hears the command.
- 4). Once the horse is comfortable touching the stick at close range, step away from him, hold the stick at an arm's length and repeat the touch command. Release the lead rope to free the horse's head and walk a few steps away from him, asking him to come forward and touch the stick. Click and reward the horse immediately for a proper response.
- 5). Click and reward the horse every time he responds properly to your commands. If the horse fidgets as you groom him, click and treat him when he stands quietly and he will learn to stand still during grooming. If he paces in the trailer, press the clicker and give him a treat when he stands still to teach him to ride quietly during transport. Horses are extremely intelligent and will quickly learn to obey your commands through the positive reinforcement of clicker training.
