On positive reinforcement and clicker training

[glenatron]

One of the most endless and repetative discussions that turns up from time to time among Natural Horsemanship types is the conversation about Positive Reinforcement, which is an entirely reward-based way of training animals used very effectively by a lot of animal trainers. I think it's a great way of training animals in general, but not a

Comments

[joycemocha]

I don't use clickers at all. However, I use food treats on the ground, as well as verbal praise and scratches. The cluck tends to be my standard vocal cue.

If you ever read Mugwump Chronicles, she has some interesting commentary on the whole clicker thing. She's not a NH person (neither am I). However, I do focus on consistency, making the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard, and I think of what I learned in a clinic with Jean-Claude Racinet--he was working on a higher-level movement (tempi changes? something like that) and he would say "He does not understand" when he'd cue and the horse didn't do what he wanted. Then he'd patiently retry it.

I'm working on countercanter with Mocha right now (in Western tack, she gets pretty jazzed up and it's easier to sit), and we're having to overcome a lot of previous conditioning about taking the inside lead. Now I'm really emphasizing "listen to my seat, listen to my leg" (well, mostly leg at this point) and sometimes she finds it hard. But she visibly relaxes when I tell her "good girl!" and drop the rein on her neck.

[glenatron]

Mugwump is as NH as I am by this point- she learned with Ray Hunt and a few of the other people who influence the people I learn with - I like a lot of what she has to say. I'd do some things differently to her recommendation but her general approach is very sound indeed. I haven't seen those posts, but I'll look them out.

The timing and release things, those are a part of riding already and it seems more logical to me to build up around those rather than putting something in you'll need to take out later.