Clicker training is a very powerful tool that can be used to teach a horse anything. I’ve seen horses get frustrated with clicker training too but I’ve also seen them get frustrated with other training methods. Some of the things that cause frustration are:
- the horse does not know what the owner wants
- the owner is moving to fast with the lesson
- the owner has bad timing
- the owner is not consistent
When this happens some owners want to give up and say clicker training doesn’t work. Most of the time when this happens it is because people try clicker training on their own instead of getting help from a professional. Even I with over 35 years of experience with horses took classes from a professional to learn clicker training.
By working with a professional they will be able to help you notice the little things before they turn into something that could be dangerous. If the horse is getting frustrated this is a signal telling you that you need to break things down into simpler steps or go slower. Let the horse process the lesson by working in short 5 to 10 minute sessions two or 3 times a day.
I also recommend that owners have a plan in mind. Having a good step by step program that builds a solid foundation is the key to success. Don’t cut corners and don’t leave out the critical steps of building the foundation. I can tell you from experience if you don’t have a solid foundation problems will show up in a big way later on. After all you would not build a house without putting a solid foundation in place.
Even though clicker training is powerful it is still important to be consistent. You are better off working with your horse 2 or 3 days in a row keeping the session between 5 to 10 minutes long than working with them for an hour once a week. Horses love consistency.
Clicker training is like any other training method and if not done properly can cause behavior problems. You will save yourself a lot of time and frustration if you work with a professional from the beginning. Clicker training a horse is very rewarding and you will see a big difference in your horses motivation to learn.
If your frustrated let me help you out. I offer online courses where you can learn from the privacy of your own home. You can also come to my facility for lessons or I will travel to your facility. Don’t wait get started today!