Clippety Clop Clicker Training

27/10/2023

Raise your hand if you’ve cringed watching someone training forcefully ✋😬😖⁣
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Often missing—or explicitly ignoring—the horse’s plea for safety.⁣
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This is why we spread the word about ethical training practices: they feel safe and engaging for the horse…AND are actually more effective 🧠⁣
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While some just *prefer* to use excessive pressure, force, and coercion (which they will justify in a myriad of ways)…⁣
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Many, many people only operate this way because they have no idea there’s an alternative option 💔⁣
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They’ve either never been exposed to ethical practices, or they’ve heard people bashing it so much they won’t touch it with a ten foot pole.⁣
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But when they see something online, or at an expo/clinic, that gives them permission to really reflect on how they FEEL when they interact with horses in a harsh way… ⁣
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They realize that something is off 🤔⁣
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So, we post here, week after week, opening the conversation to another way.⁣
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We want to see the industry shift into ethical, science-based, connection-centered practices being the norm—rather than a strange, “extreme” outlier.⁣
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… and it’s already happening 👀⁣
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You are an essential part of this movement, too 🩵⁣
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While we cringe and avert our eyes when we have no control over how others treat their horses (to a point, of course we can report legally recognized abuse)…⁣
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We can use that suffering as fuel to the flame of our passion for these pure animal souls 🌬️🔥⁣
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Keep educating yourself on how to be the best owner/handler/trainer you can be.⁣
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Keep having compassion for yourself and others along the journey.⁣
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Keep your consistency and devotion to your training practice.⁣
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You’re changing the horse industry—and the world—from the inside out 🌀⁣
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Thank you for being here.⁣
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Thank you for the work you’re doing 🙏🏼⁣
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We keep going. Together ♥️⁣
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— MM team 💫

27/08/2023

A dislike of water 🐴💦
It would be a shame for Anjo not to enjoy a cool shower 🚿 in this heat and then baste himself after in dirt to naturally protect him from the insects.

Working with counter conditioning and positive reinforcement we have to be inventive and think outside the box! 📦

Anjo really enjoys targeting…a lot of reinforcement history there - sponge 🧽 ✔️
He is used to being covered all over in insect repellent with a sponge 🧽 ✔️
I start at the place I know he minds the least - lower front legs - after he gives a small nod of consent 🐴✔️
Slowly but surely he has a full body sponge bath! 🛁🐴🤩

17/06/2023

If using food rewards and other ethical methods in front of people is embarrassing…⁣
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If people around you are covertly judging you, or outright telling you to your face that what you’re doing is ridiculous… ⁣
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If you don’t feel respected or understood by peers in the equine space… ⁣
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Thank you 🙏🏼⁣
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Thank you for taking the lead in a shift of industry, culture, mindset, and way of life. ⁣
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Thank you for sacrificing your self image (by some people’s standards) to do better by horses.⁣
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And please know, it won’t be like this forever.⁣
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For example, food rewards were once frowned upon in dog training… and look where we are now. ⁣
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And as a gentle reminder:⁣
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You don’t have to be perfect to represent ethical, compassionate, science based training.⁣
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You can be honest and humble, explaining to others, “I am still learning, but this is proven to be effective, and aligns with my values.”⁣
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It’s okay to mess up, even when others are watching. People mess up with harsh methods, too. People often create dangerous behavioral issues with harsh methods.⁣
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You may as well make mistakes while aiming for something that feeds your soul ♥️⁣
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Let the naysayers resist the movement.⁣
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Keep sharing your excitement with the world. You are being the change you want to see.⁣
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We’re going to look back in 10 years and see a completely different horse industry, because of trailblazers like you 🔥⁣
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Thank you 🦋⁣
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— MM team 💫

11/02/2023

By asking "WTF”, What’s The Function?, Dr. Susan Friedman is encouraging us to consider the underlying function or purpose of a particular behavior in order to better understand or work with it.

In behavior analysis, the term "function" refers to the purpose or intended effect of a behavior. In other words, it refers to why a behavior is being performed.

Understanding the function of a behavior is key in training and can be extremely helpful in addressing and resolving behavior issues.

Behavior is a key aspect of all living things on Earth. To change behavior we look at the antecedents (circumstances surrounding the behavior) and consequences (results of the behavior) of the behavior.

When looking at behavior, it's important to ask, "What is the Function?"

The function of a behavior can be determined by examining the consequences of the behavior. Dr. Friedman advocates for using the least intrusive method first when working to change behavior and to first have a look at the environment where the behavior happens.

When it comes to changing behavior, it's important to ask what the we want the animal to DO and instead of focusing on what we DON’T want them to do.

Have a look at her website: behaviorworks.org You’ll find loads of useful information!

Think in both our training and teaching asking this question was one of the more revolutionary things to bring our training forward , but more importantly: to understand our horses better 🙌

Follow for more reward based training:

🧩 for creating a strong reward based foundation.

🎠 for balance in movement and dressage

🐴 for reward based husbandry training and cooperative care.

We have a lot of education coming up this year. Sign up for our mailing-list.

31/12/2022

Equine New Year’s Resolutions! ⭐️🐴⭐️🐴⭐️

25/12/2022

Activity for another rainy day! 🤓
Guaranteed high reinforcement! 😋🐴🌧

12/11/2022

Something different 🤩

🐴☀️🌱 Sometimes an enrichment activity can be so easy!

🐴☀️🌱 Hay pillows are a simple way to promote the horses natural grazing position.

🐴☀️🌱 To keep things safe the pillows are best suited for barefoot and halter-less horses.

04/09/2022

Start / End Session Cue
Positive reinforcement training in my experience has always left the learner wanting more.
I learned early on that it is really important to add a clear “start” and “end” signal to each session as well as taking regular breaks during a session to avoid frustration and confusion.

Sometimes I might also need to pause the session if I need to refill my treat pouch, have a rethink about the current training plan, give my horse a short break or simply just to take a breather myself.

Start…So my general start of the session signal is a target so that can be a hand target or my target stick.

End…My general “go to” end of session signal is say “No more”, gesture (waving) with my hands that they’re empty and simply place some treats - haycobs - (so I’m talking at least 4 or 5 as normally I will only give one treat when I reinforce) on the ground or on a specific surface or in a feed bucket depending on what I have around me and then I walk away.

Now something I’ve noticed is that when I end the session and place the treats in the area of my choice the horses have gotten frustrated because they couldn’t immediately find the treats on the ground right away. So I now snap my fingers and they have made the connection that the treats are where my hand is making the snapping sound 😋

11/05/2022

This may be a bit of a rant but I am so tired of watching people chase their horses around to catch them. Does no one ever stop and think how completely illogical that is?

It’s funny how people will chase their horses all over their property but as soon as the horse breaks loose, suddenly they want to grab a bucket of feed.

Huh, I wonder why. 🙄

Maybe it’s because they know that out in the open they are never going to catch the horse and that the best option is to stop chasing them and offer them something they like.

So why chase them in the first place? Why not make coming to you the absolute best thing in the world for your horse so that every time you need to get them, whether they are on your property or loose, they come right to you immediately?

18/03/2022

🌼 DIY Sensory Enrichment Exercise 🌼
…and great use of the bottom half of a banana box! 🌱🌾
🥕 In the past enrichment exercises with normal cardboard boxes have proven semi-successful with the main focus being the destruction of the box to access the goodies
🥕So making the box more open plan and more interesting also from the outside proved to be more successful 👍

04/03/2022

I so love this. I wish I had had the confidence, strength and knowledge right from the beginning to know that “It’s OK”. 👌🤗

Swimming against the tide is hard work. Day after day, week after week, year after year. Especially when you’re starting out 🏊🏻‍♀️🥵

Knowing how good it feels, seeing that it’s working, learning and trusting the science, and believing and never giving up…it’s all part of the journey! 🐴🤎

🐴It's OK🐴

Lots of us worry that we’re not perfect. We believe that the horse world has certain standards and that if we don’t meet them, we’re failing. There seems to be an agreed standard for lots of things, and if you can’t do that, you are in some way lacking.

It’s not always clear how the standards arose, but it’s often the case that they don’t always take the horse’s nature and experiences into account. Standards are often part of tradition, and we continue to maintain them even when we’re not sure why they are considered so important. In recent years, social media has contributed another kind of pressure. Add to that the way some horse products are packaged and marketed, and owners can sometimes feel there’s only one way to do something and that if they can’t, they’re somehow failing.

Here at Positive Equine Training Scotland, we believe that the real standard is “are you making life as pleasant and easy for yourself and your horse as possible?”

Based on that, here’s a few messages for you from us at Positive Equine Training Scotland.

🏵It’s OK to sponge fly spray on to your horse if they are worried about sprays.

🏵It's OK to help a horse settle for a hoof trim or shoeing by providing a comfortable and pleasant environment including access to forage.

🏵It's OK to comfort and reassure your horse if they are worried or stressed and it’s OK to call a halt to a non emergency procedure that is causing your horse to be fearful.

🏵It's OK to dismount if your horse is finding coping with a worry more difficult because they have a rider.



🏵It's OK to take your horse for a walk in hand instead of riding if either of you is feeling overwhelmed by the idea of riding.



🏵It's OK to introduce scary things to your horse with you on the ground (and using food both to reinforce the behaviour you want and create a positive association). If it’s new and scary, make it easy, don’t battle through difficulties.



🏵It's OK to allow your stiff horse to rest a hind hoof on the toe for hoof cleaning, rather than lift their leg right up.



🏵It's OK to sponge your horse if they are worried about hoses.



🏵It's OK to put a head collar on in a different way to all your friends, because your horse has worries about things touching their ears or hands near their eyes.



🏵It's OK to give wormer in a tasty feed for horses who have had bad experiences having wormer administered orally. 



🏵It's OK to sedate a horse who’s worried to have essential treatment, there’s no need to try to prove you can cope with a stressed horse.

🏵It's OK to train using food, horses eat nearly 18 hours out of 24 so have evolved to learn this way.



🏵It's OK to not use positive reinforcement, and instead find another low stress way to handle a situation, when you haven’t had a chance to prepare.



🏵It's OK to have less than perfectly groomed horses, they actually coat themselves in mud because they enjoy it, so a little mud is not a sign of you failing.



There are things we need to do that are fundamental to the health and wellbeing of our horses, but do they have to be done the same way they’ve always been done?



Let’s start putting our horses’ and our own enjoyment ahead of “the gold standard”. If your horse finds something stressful, you can help change that response through training (and we at PETS would LOVE to help you do that), but in the meantime, if your horse is less stressed, you will enjoy the time you spend with them more.



What things do you do that are OK and you’d like the rest of the world to know?

22/02/2022

Tarp (Training)
Anjo is a fast and confident learner and does not frighten easily. If something does concern him he will assess the situation and then quickly come to realise that it doesn’t pose a threat.
Habituation in this instance had been happening all day. The wind had blown this tarp into the field and the horses had been inspecting it as it moved around. Initially they raised their heads every time it moved. Eventually, over time, their reaction to the stimulus decreased. So much so that when it was time to put the tarp away…well the pictures speak for themselves 🙂 (no reinforcements were given in the making of this impromptu exercise! 😄)

24/01/2022

Quick fixes are often tempting as they usually offer us a “easy win” and instant gratification. But often these quick fixes only tackle symptoms and don’t tend to address the real problem.

Unfortunately the training world (for ALL species) is full of “quick fixes”. Quick fixes usually involve some kind of harsh training tool, punishment or dominance based methods.

Some examples:

“My horse doesn’t stop when asked”

Quick fix: “Add a heavier bit!”

Example of actual training / management:
Taking the time to teach the horse how to stop and reinforce the behaviour.

“My horse is lazy and doesn’t like moving forward”

Quick fix: “Add a whip or spurs!”

Example of actual training / management:
Investigating WHY the horse isn’t willing to move forward. Pain? Discomfort? Conflicting motivations?

“My horses won’t stand still when tied”

Quick fix: “Patience pole!”

Example of actual training / management:
Taking the time to teach a horse to stand, adding duration at a pace the horse is comfortable with.

Problems with quick fixes:

• Quick fixes often create holes within training.

• Quick fixes are often harsh and painful.

• Quick fixes are often unsustainable, “bandaid solutions”, that aren’t effective long term.

• Quick fixes utilizing punishment based methods can result in unplanned fallouts.

Good training often takes time and it is always ongoing.

18/01/2022

Thank you to Dra. Christina Igler - Médica Veterinária for coming today and for the routine dental treatment! It couldn’t have been more perfect! 
Anjo needed a bit more persuasion in accepting the sedation but then performed brilliantly. JJ as always cool as a cucumber 🙂

11/01/2022

This resonates with me. Choosing to train differently to the mainstream means you have to justify yourself regularly.
You really spend a lot of time explaining the methodology and the science behind it and even then it is misunderstood.
For a training method so positive it sure means you need to prepare yourself to enter into lengthy conversations and confrontations about all aspects of training and be prepared to stand your ground! I wish for more understanding and acceptance and to remember that all roads lead to Rome!

I am not a lesser trainer

When I first heard of clicker training and R+ I thought to myself, "that's cute but that is not real horse training"
Boy was I wrong...

Not only are R+ trainers just as valid as any traditional trainer, but I would argue that R+ trainers put alot more effort into their craft. Due to R+ not being the mainstream, R+ focused trainers submerge themselves into books, literature and studies. (As any trainer should). R+ trainers do not only look towards effectiveness, but put the welfare of the horse above achieving a deadline, a ribbon, a movement, etc. By taking into account the physiological and the pshycological element's of the horse. A study conducted in 2019 by Bell et all., actually supports this statememt, the study found that Clicker trainers and R+ have a better understanding of equine affective states then any other equestrian.

R+ training requires a combination of:
• Perfect timing
• Multi-tasking abilities
• Great knowledge of Learning Theory
• A rich understanding of equine behaviour
• Knowledge on equine ethology
• Knowledge on equine nutrition
• A understanding of equine anatomy

R+ trainers can train
• Dressage
• Jumping
• Equitation
• Western riding
• Happy hackers
• Liberty
• Trick training
• The list goes on....
And R+ trainers can do so ethically, effectively, kindly and perfectly.

So No, I am not a circus trainer, I am not an internet trainer, I am not a "karen".

I am a equestrian, I am a knowledgeable horse owner, I am a ethical rider, I AM a trainer.

01/01/2022

Wishing everyone and all the critters a positive, happy and healthy new year!! 🥂☀️🍀

28/12/2021

Once you develop a relationship based on trust, consent, and respect, the open communication between you and your horse will give him the opportunity to willingly learn and understand what you are asking of him.
Which, as a result, gives you the ability to create a positive learning environment, effectively use tools to teach him new things and gently guide him in areas where he needs your support.
Clear and effective communication = Confident and willing learner!!

⭐️ 🐴 ⭐️ 🐴 ⭐️ 🐴 ⭐️ 🐴 ⭐️ 🐴 ⭐️ 🐴 ⭐️

Here's another quote from my free book drawing.

Many people find clicker training after they have already tried other training methods; ones that were supposed to "fix" the horse's problems, but just made it worse. We all have good intentions and want the best for our horses, but it can be very difficult to sort through all the options out there and there's a lot of marketing glitz surrounding some of them.

The good news is that your horse will tell you how he feels about your training methods, if you let him. This person was lucky to find a wonderful trainer and now she has the kind of relationship with her horse that she always wanted.

22/12/2021

🚨 Anjo and medical training! 🩺💊💉
The cooperation signal is that Anjo freely places his head on the towel so that I can inspect, and in future apply necessary treatment to all areas of his head. (In future a towel holding device will be in place to free up both my hands)
🚨 Asking and waiting for his consent has enabled me to touch areas of his face that he previously would not accept.
🚨 Currently we are working on touching his mouth, lips, touching then lifting the top lip, touching then lowering the bottom lip, prising both lips open, touching his teeth and his gums etc. Teeny tiny steps required but the results are almost instantaneous! 👏😁👍

12/12/2021

Positively 💛 trained 💛 horses 💛 achieve 💛 great 💛 things!! 🤩🏆💪⭐️
So proud of taking part and completing the enrichment challenges set by Equine Academy! The diverse activities were motivating and great fun. It’s such a delight to engage with an equine when you both know there is mutual trust, open communication and who genuinely enjoys participating. Well done JJ and well done us 💛

10/11/2021

🐴 The Horse Gym… Two-legged seesaw!

🏋🏻 The motion of the two-legged seesaw enables an effective front leg workout.

🏋🏻 It not only engages the front limbs, shoulders, and neck but also strengthens the deep core muscles.

🏋🏻 Most of all the horse gets fit whilst having fun!!

🥕 Clicker training - always a win win situation! 👍👍

22/09/2021

Love catching first times! 🦄🤩
Anjo is so quick to learn! It’s wonderful training more than one horse and seeing how different they approach new activities and observing and seeing how they develop body awareness.

19/08/2021

🍭 The reasons why I love to train using positive reinforcement; aka R+:

➕ R+ is an ethical and positive approach to horse training ☀️🌈

➕ There are any number of tools available to train with allowing for adaptation and flexibility 🪄🧩

➕ It opens up a clear, effective, and open
communication between human and horse 👩🏼🐴

➕ The horse gives its consent and is given choice 🦋✨

➕ The horse’s motivation, willingness, and confidence is increased ⭐️🙌🏻

➕ The horse and human bond is strengthened creating a stronger more connected relationship 💗🦄

➕ It’s simply a fun, efficient, and enjoyable way to train! 🌼🙂

10/08/2021

🌀 Can horses be trained using positive reinforcement? Do horses enjoy and benefit from positive reinforcement training?

🌀 Yes they can, and sure they do!
While it is still common belief and practice that horses should learn through the removal of something negative, such as pressure, they can, just like all of these amazing animals, learn from adding something positive.
That positive, being something that is reinforcing to them!

🌀 Positive reinforcement...the best quadrant of operant conditioning 👉🏻 R+ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

09/08/2021

07/08/2021

Separation training 💔🐴
✏️Training goal: To remove horse A from paddock and walk him to the training area whilst horse B remains in paddock and stays calm without showing signs of separation anxiety.

👉🏻 After weeks of brainstorming, deciding when the time would be right, planning the micro shaping steps (slicing each step into teeny slices), making sure I don’t lump several steps together even though I was so anxious to start training with the other horse, the day had finally come to train and what happened...
👉🏻 Horse B was not bothered at all 🤩

✏️ It’s lovely when a plan comes together but we actually ended up not training and achieving our training goal all in the very first session! The timing was simply right! 🌼 Just lovely! 🌼
The End. Horse A: JJ, Horse B: Anjo

04/08/2021

You know it’s a fabulous day when your vet calls in sick and sends you a replacement vet who happens to know clicker training.
Yes miracles do happen! ✨💗🌈🦄😄
Although Anjo has not yet had any R+ medical training we have established a good foundation in our positive reinforcement based training and built enough trust that he was able to fully cooperate at liberty. In other words he was a star! ⭐️

01/08/2021

👀🐴 Halter Training
Using Anjo’s natural curiosity to inspect things and having already established a cue to touch objects the next logical step was to positively associate the halter!

Step by step we practiced daily until we had clean loops to enable us to move to the next step...

📝🐴 This was our training plan, I should mention using a large halter helped!

✏️ Touch the halter C&R🌱

✏️ Feed in halter therefore head is low already C&R🌱... this was the trickiest step!
I needed to figure out the best way to hold the halter in one hand, keeping the nose band in a rounded shape and feed with the other in order to have Anjo place his head in the exact position! Many many repetitions were needed so that he could then transition and put his head automatically into the noseband so I could use two hands to hold the halter to then be able to complete the rest of the steps.

✏️ Gradually move the halter up nose keeping head low C&R🌱

✏️ Move head strap up over eyes towards ears keeping head low C&R🌱

✏️ Place head strap over ears keeping head low C&R🌱

✏️ Keep head in forward position and low to close the carabiner C&R🌱

➡️ Final result...
Anjo dives into the halter each time he is presented with it! (Or catches a glimpse of it 😂) 👍⭐️🐴 What more could you ask for 🎉...signal control of course! 😄

12/07/2021

🍴🥕Good manners around food used as reinforcement for training is essential.

🍴🥕Anjo began clicker training 3 weeks ago. Initially he was pushy, fidgety, turning in all directions, trying to get at the treat bag, and my hand in any which way possible... Perfectly normal for 3 year old clicker training newbie! 😄🐴

We started the week before with pairing the clicker. Using a target stick he learned that by simply touching the stick food was served 🦯
By adding a marker - a tongue click - predicted that food was coming! 👅😋

🍴🥕Each criteria took several short sessions and lots of repetition to train...
1st - Stand still
2nd - Head in a forward position
3rd - Take food calmly out of my hand
4th - Relax and be calm
5th - Learn to wait until the food is delivered
and today we began training the 6th criteria: to lower his head! ✔️
..now we have the foundation for all future training! 🤩⭐️💪