I like this picture as a result of it illustrates a fantastic arrange for protecting contact. Theo might simply stroll away from the gate, however he’s selecting to remain. He’s not crowding into the gate, reaching by the bars or stretching excessive rail. As an alternative he’s standing politely in his personal house presenting what Taylor is in search of – an ears ahead, relaxed “completely satisfied face”.
When folks introduce their horses to clicker coaching, I all the time suggest that they start with protecting contact. Protecting contact means clicker coaching begins by inserting security first. If a horse turns into pushy as a result of you’ve got treats in your pockets, you possibly can simply step again out of the way in which. You don’t need to appropriate the undesirable habits. You’ll be able to keep centered on what you need your horse TO DO.
I like to recommend starting with protecting contact even when you already know your horse effectively and you don’t have any any security considerations.
“No” is simply info. It isn’t a insurrection or an indication of failure. It’s simply info. When your horse says “no” to one thing you’ve got requested him to do, it means the lesson has change into too onerous or too complicated. He doesn’t perceive what you need him to do. Attending to a “sure” reply means you could make some changes. That will imply going again just a few steps in your coaching to ask for a less complicated step, or instructing a lacking element ability, or altering the atmosphere so it’s much less distracting. These adjustments will get you to a “sure, I perceive that, I can do this” reply.
Horses which have been skilled with instructions have realized that they’ve few decisions. “Nicely behaved” has come to imply they do what they’re advised. Protected, dependable horses are very a lot the purpose of Fashionable Horse Coaching, however we wish greater than this. We wish horses who take part as a result of they need to, not as a result of they need to.
Once you start with protecting contact, you’re saying to your horse: “This coaching is totally different. You may have alternative. I’ll hearken to you, and I’ll modify the coaching to satisfy your studying wants.”
In case your horse walks away, the barrier means you possibly can’t power him again into the sport. He actually does have the selection simply to stroll away.
It’s our job to make the teachings clear sufficient, attention-grabbing sufficient, reinforcing sufficient that our horses need to keep. Fashionable Horse Coaching means our horses actually do have a voice that’s listened to.
Discover me on Instagram at @alexandra.kurland.5
You should purchase the brand new ebook, “Fashionable Horse Coaching”, by my website: theclickercenter.com and from Amazon and different booksellers.
