Frequently asked questions
R+ / Clicker Training
What is clicker training?
Why is positive reinforcement something I should consider? How will it benefit my horse and I?
There is no good way to breifly explain the endless changes that come with shifting training to a positive reinforcement focused based mentality and approach. The best way to explain it is, your relationship with horses and towards horse training changes dramatically. Problems that seemed so irritating, frustrating and impossible are become easily explained and simpler to work with. Training makes sense and requires less frustration, stress, and confusion on both the part of the human and the horse.
Can I use positive reinforcement and clicker training while riding?
Absolutely! Horses learn the same when you are on their back as when you're on the ground. Everything you teach on the ground is transferable to in the saddle, much the same as R- based training. The process to achieving the cues for riding look different with R+ though... unless you're combining both R- and R+.
Where do I start? How do I even begin?
It's super easy to get started, BUT, I encourage you to do your research beforehand. Researching how, why, and what can prevent major easily avoidable mistakes.. mistakes I too have made and had to learn from the hard way.
Does positive reinforcement work for every horse?
Absolutely! It doesn't matter if you're a human, elephant, lizard, orca, fish, brown horse, short horse, old horse, skinny horse... Positive reinforcement WORKS.
What is positive reinforcement or R+?
Positive reinforcement is just one form of operant conditioning. There are four forms of operant conditioning.
I can't give my horse food during competitions, or even praise him, how can I continue to compete and start training this way?
Great question! I wrote an indepth article on the subject here...
How do you teach lessons while giving the horse autonomy and using positive reinforcement?
Really easily actually! They just aren't your typical large group classes with horses going round and round the arena while the trainer sits in the middle and barks orders. ;) (that's at least how I grew up taking lessons).
When can I stop using food?
In short... never! But don't let that scare you. When you train with traditional and natural horsemanship methods that are based on pressure and release, you ALWAYS use pressure and release to maintain the behavior/motivation. You may reduce the amount of pressure used, you may increase the criteria necessary for the horse to complete before the pressure is released.. but pressure and release always exist. It's no different with positive reinforcement training, there always has to be positive reinforcement of some kind.
What if I run out of food?
Running out of food isn't a problem usually. You can prepare to end your session before you run out, so that you don't leave your horse hanging for something that's not coming.. or, you could offer your horse scratches as a reward in a very special spot if that's something they like.
How long do you train for and how often?
How long and how often depends on the individual horse and human, but typically sessions are shorter than ten minutes and I usually will do two in a day.. sometimes more, sometimes less.
Do I have to use a clicker? Can I use a word or a sound instead?
No, you don't have to use a specific clicker "box", but you *should* use a bridge signal of some kind.
When will I start seeing changes?
That really depends. It depends on the horse, the horse's history, your skill level in training with positive reinforcement/clicker training, errors made, how dedicated you are to changing the training relationship between you and your horse, if you have assistance/guidance, your relationship with your horse, if you're dealing with possible emotional/mental/physical baggage with your horse, and so much more.
What are Operant Conditioning and Classical Conditioning?
Operant conditioning is the way in which learning occurs through rewards and punishment for behavior. Through operant conditioining the learner (horse in our case) makes associations between the behavior and a positive or negative consequence. It's important to remember that the + and - signs are mathmatical symbols, not symbolic of "bad" or "good".
Is it ever too late or too early to start training with positive reinforcement?
Never! If your horse is in good health, and you won't be interfering with the dam/foal relationship, you can begin working with positive reinforcement as early or as late as you want. Old dogs DO learn new tricks, and foals learn very quickly too! Again though, be careful not to interfere with the dam/foal relationship and consider working with scratches as a reward and in very short sessions during those early months.
I'm not the only one that interacts with my horse, will it confuse him and will it be safe?
In the beginning, there will be a little confusion for the horse, but horses are excellent and understanding "context cues". What this means is they are able to understand in what situations, with which people, with which cues, things do or don't happen. This is why we hear "but he never does that with me!" or "He's never like this at home..." statements.
How can I use R+/clicker training to desensitize my horse or help them be more confident?
Great question, I wrote a couple articles about this subject, as I'm very passionate about using low stress, more positive approaches, to desnesitizing horses and building their confidence. Check them out here.
Can I use R+/Clicker training even if I have zero experience with horses? Where do I start?
Absolutely! I just recommend you work with a professional that can help you learn the mechanics and application of clicker training, as well as equine behavior, health, and care in a safe way. It's no different than getting into working with horses using natural horsemanship or any other training program. You will need help to learn how to safely be around horses and how to care for your horse correctly, as well as how to safely and effectively apply the training.
What do I do if my horse is afraid of the clicker ?
If your horse is scared of the clicker sound, consider finding a quieter clicker (I have my favorite one linked here), putting the clicker inside a thick sock or your pocket, or using a vocal sound in replacement of the clicker. Eventually they will become used to it and begin to associate the sound with positive things, and you'll be able to work back to using a regular clicker if you want.
I have more than one horse, do I need more than one clicker sound so I don't confuse them?
Nope! In the beginning they will likely be a tad confused, but horses are able to pick up on when the clicker is for them and when it's not pretty easily if it's consistent.
Do I have to start over with all my training?
No, you don't. You can start by just picking a single behavior you want to work on with R+ or teaching something new.. like target training or stationing at a mat, and then slowly start swapping other areas of your training with your horse to R+ as you're ready. But some horses will do better with a complete over haul of the training. These horses are typically deeply traumatized, dangerous, aggressive, or highly reactive.
Can beginner and advanced rider lessons be taught with clicker training or on a clicker trained horse?
Absolutely! The lesson program will generally look different than you might see at most lesson barns... you aren't likely to see horses going round and round and round and round the arena for 45 minutes while the trainer sits in the middle of the arena and critiques equitation etc. BUT, it's absolutely possible and I do it all the time. Even group lessons are possible.
My horse doesn't like treats or seem to care about working for food rewards, what now?
It is possible your horse doesn't like treats, but it's not possible that your horse doesn't like food. All horses like food, but not just like.. they NEED food... food is and always will be a primary reinforcer for your horse. They may just not be wanting the food you're offering, or the fact that you are the one offering it. OR, they may not be wanting to do what it is you want them to do, because there is a conflicting motivator that is more powerful in that moment than food.
Can I keep doing all our normal stuff outside of clicker training sessions without confusing my horse?
For most cases, yes, that shouldn't be a problem. Just keep in mind it's best to separate what you're training/re-training with R+ and what you're going to keep doing the same way you always have. What that means is, don't train a back up cue with R+ one day and the next day use R- and P+ to train the back up. Pick which way you'd like to train a backup and stick to it. Consistency is key with horses, regardless of approach.
I want to try training my dog this way, but I'm not sure where to start. Can you help?
Absolutely! While I don't professionally train dogs anymore, here are some great resources to get you started.
How do I find a trainer in my area that trains this way?
Unfortunately there are no public directories of professional positive reinforcement horse trainers available that I know of. There are however many facebook groups that can help you find a trainer in your area, or.. there are many trainers, like myself, that offer long distance coaching via email support and video coaching. We can create a lesson program for you, coach you step by step through the process, and help you begin this journey!
There are no trainers in my area that use positive reinforcement or anything even close, what do I do now?
Most trainers that now train with R+ professionally, learned from long distance resources, books, and social media. As unfortunate as it is that clicker training isn't "normal" and there are not a lot of trainers yet throughout the world, you still do have the ability to learn how to use it and to get professional help.
Won't the horse just be doing it for the food?
Yes and No. It's important to remember that regardless of the training approach we are using, the horse is always always doing what we are training it to do for a reason. There is always a motivator behind training.. that's how training works. They learn because of that motivator.
What if my horse is SUPER low energy and just won't do anything, even for food?
Sometimes what appears to be low energy can actually be fear, resistance out of pain, confusion, or reluctance to do something they know is going to end up being unpleasant for them. So we have to work to eliminate any possible cause for the horse's reluctance to engage.
Here's some more information on the subject
Lazy & Resistant Part 1
My Horse Doesn't Like Treats
https://www.instagram.com/p/BrS1Qk7neLS/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=6yl8020wsbm0
Whats the difference between positive reinforcement training and pressure and release (or natural Horsemanship and traditional training)?
Most horse training is based off of R- and P+ (negative reinforcement and positive punishment). What this means is that regardless of whether you're taking a lesson at a hunter jumper barn or you're actively following a natural horsemanship method of training... it's all based on applying an aversive pressure until the horse responds as desired, and then releasing that pressure to teach the horse that whatever action they just did earned the release.
Positive reinforcement training on the other hand is based on the effort to use as little aversive pressure and as little punishment as possible; teaching the horse through giving the horse something desirable as a reward for doing what you want. The goal is
not to squeeze harder, the goal is
not to use the crop, the goal is to remove as much stress from the training as possible while also encouraging a very motivated horse. Positive reinforcement is a reward based system while negative reinforcement falls into an avoidance based system.
Why I'm Not A Natural Horsemanship Trainer
What is R+ and How Does It Work
Is this a new kind of training? Why have I never heard of it before?
Positive reinforcement is nothing new, but it wasn't "labeled" until sometime around 1938. The process of using positive reinforcement has however been around a long time before that just by natural consequences of life and learning. Every species alive experiences positive reinforcement throughout the day.. whether that's by getting a paycheck for a job well done, getting a hug from a parent after cleaning up your room, eating a delicious meal after a hunt.. We just don't always acknowledge that we are actively learning and how we are learning... And for a long time there was no known way to label it.
Operant Conditioning (R+, R-, P+, P-) became the official name as a result of BF. Skinner's work and we've continued to build on his work .. there have been incredible advancements in research in this area since Skinner.
Clicker Training first started sometime in the 1940s as scientists worked to use Operant Conditioning to train animals .. and ever since then it's slowly been growing in the training of a wide variety of animals.. and even people! (Check out TAG Teach).
The first book on clicker training for horses in particular was published in 1999 by Alexandra Kurland, then soon after Shawna Karrasch published her own book on how to use clicker training/positive reinforcement for horses. For a long time though, those were the only two books published on the subject and Equestrians utilizing positive reinforcement as their primary form of training we're few and far between.
In the dog and marine animal world though, clicker training quickly started replacing older traditional methods. And not long after, zoo keepers started experimenting with using clicker training to teach lions, elephants, tigers, giraffes , anything you can think of, to allow for voluntarily care and handling.
Horse people just haven't been quick to make the change... Though now, thanks to social media, that's quickly changing. We now have more access to limited resources.. such as professional positive reinforcement trainers and there are now also many books published on clicker training horses, podcasts, frequent clinics all over the world, and quite a few professional trainers that offer services to help people start clicker training.
So no, it's nothing "new" in the sense that we've always been able to train this way, but the knowledge of how to use it with horses is still pretty young.
What do R+, P+, R-, and P- mean?
R+ = Positive reinforcement
R- = Negative reinforcement (or pressure and release)
P+ = Positive punishment
P- = Negative Punishment
Don't let the words Negative and positive confuse you though. These are "math" type + / - signs. Positive means to "apply" and negative means to "remove".
Do horses remember the training for a long time?
It depends on the skill of the training and the individual horse, but horses do seem to retain R+ training for much longer than R- training in my experience.
I remember before I started training with R+ there were many horses that had to be worked with frequently to maintain the training, or they just seemed to forget everything. You couldn't just turn them out to pasture for a couple weeks and then get on their backs like you rode them yesterday... And then of course there were the horses you could, but they were rare. Ever since switching to R+ though all of my horses now are suddenly "like they never skipped a beat" horses, jumping right back into where ever we left off even after weeks or months of break.
In my personal experience, horses do retain R+ training longer.. and are less prone to complete back tracking of training.
What do you do if the horse doesn't do what you ask?
This question really deserves a blog article all by itself, which I plan to make and then add here, but really it comes down to...
Does the horse know what you're asking?
Does the horse have reason to do what you're asking?
Does the horse have reason NOT to do what you're asking?
There's always a reason for an "incorrect" or "non" response from the horse. And the answer to "what do you do when the horse doesn't do what you ask?" lies in one of those questions.
Horses learn from pressure and release though don't they? Using food during training seems unnatural, like bribery.
Yes, horses do learn from pressure and release (negative reinforcement), but they also learn from positive reinforcement, negative punishment, and positive punishment. These are all forms of operant conditioning, which is a way through which animals of all species learn, how they teach each other, and how the environment teaches them. But just because someone CAN learn through the naturally occurring positive punishment when they touch a hot stove, does that make it the best or least aversive way to teach someone they shouldn't touch a stove? Just because a horse can learn to avoid the spur (P+ or escalating R-) by responding to the leg, does that make it the least stressful or most effective form of training?
The long and short of it is that R+ is no more unnatural than R-. As trainers, we have to choose how we wish to teach our learners what we wish them to do... And the way we choose to do that should be as humane and low stress as possible; whether that's R- or R+.
Training Is Manipulation
Horses May Not Give Each Other Treats...
When Can I Stop Using Food?
Why I'm Not A Natural Horsemanship Trainer
Why I Don't Use Treats
Do I have to use food/treats?
No, but you do have to use something the horse enjoys/wants/likes/ and is willing to work for. Sometimes scratches in sweet spots will work for certain horse's but food is typically the preferred positive reinforcer for a horse.
What Is R+ and How Does It Work?
Can you explain some of the terms used with positive reinforcement training? Like "primary reinfocer"?
Absolutely! So instead of creating my own glossary, here are some EXCELLENT resources that explain everything you will ever hear me reference, and maybe a little bit more ;)
Brief Glossary Of Terms
R+ Terms
Can I use R+ with feral horses and horses that can't be caught or touched?
Absolutely! But targeting is probably not going to be the place to start, and you're probably not going to be hand feeding treats like you might with most domesticated horses. Instead, you're going to need to set up the environment to be as low stress as possible and start where the horse is comfortable and find a way to offer a reinforcer at a distance.
Here's some excellent resources on working with feral horses with positive reinforcement, but unfortunately the resources are still limited on this area.. though there are many positive reinforcement trainers that focus on training feral horses, so it's absolutely possible... just may take some digging and help from them until we can have better documentation freely available to the public. (Anyone want to sponsor a feral horse at TWE? ;)
Behavior
Won't the horse become pushy or mouthy around food?
When introduced correctly and when the lifestyle and health of the horse is taken into consideration, clicker training and positive reinforcement is safe for all horses and humes, and won't create a mouthy or nippy horse. In fact, clicker training/R+ is one of (if not THE) most effective ways of undoing food aggression and nippiness.
What if my horse is aggressive towards me and other horses when food is around?
Food aggression and resource guarding is common issue domestic horses suffer from due to the lifestyle we keep our horses in and the training methods used to try and make them safe around food. Whether it's towards other horses or towards humans, food aggression is not "normal" and is should not just be passed off as "how the horse is". We need to work to find the source of the aggression and then work to repair the root cause, not just suppress the symptoms.
My horse has a terrible attitude and behavior issues, will R+/clicker training fix that?
Yes and No. It depends. All behavior (even the behavior we don't like) serves a purpose. Whether that's the horse trying to communicate something is wrong, trying to recieve some kind of reinforcement, doing what they've been previously trained to do, or just doing what they are born knowing how to do... there's a reason for it all. Your horse is NOT out to get you and make your life miserable on purpose.
How can I use R+/clicker training to desensitize my horse or help them be more confident?
Great question, I wrote a couple articles about this subject, as I'm very passionate about using lower stress more positive approaches to desensitizing horses and building their confidence. Check them out here.
I'm not the only one that interacts with my horse, will it confuse him and will it be safe?
In the beginning, there will be a little confusion for the horse, but horses are excellent and understanding "context cues". What this means is they are able to understand in what situations, with which people, with which cues, things do or don't happen. This is why we hear "but he never does that with me!" or "He's never like this at home..." statements.
What if I die or something happens to me and I have to sell the horse?
Of course this would be unfortunate and not something we want to think about, but it's reality and should absolutely be prepared for. Every horse should be trained with the expectations that they will at some point be handled/trained/ridden/worked with by another human that may or may not have our same approach to training horses.
What if my horse kicks, bites at me, or rears?
I hear this question a lot, "What if my horse bites me though? (or does anything else I don't like) What do I do? How can I resolve this with positive reinforcement?"and I wish there was as simple and easy of an answer as the positive punishment answer is (smack the horse, make it wish it had never even considered biting you), but it's a little more complicated than that. Don't worry though, I DO have a very practical answer for you that is very effective and should resolve the biting or kicking once and for all. We just need to ask some questions.
My horse won't even acknowledge my presence or let me catch them, how can I use positive reinforcement?
It can be trickier to utilize R+ when working with feral horses or horses that are avoiding human contact due to past negative experiences with humans, but it can absolutely be done. Check out these videos to learn more.
What are calming signals and displacement behaviors?
Calming signals, and appeasment or displacement behaviors are all forms of body langauge that the horse uses to communicate with others.. including humans. Sometimes they are releases of stress or self soothing behaviors, sometimes they are forms of communication trying to defuse a possibly stressful situation.
I've started clicker training but my horse seems frustrated and is even a bit dangerous now. Does clicker training not work for him?
Clicker Training is just like every other kind of training in that it can be done poorly and mistakes can be made. In most cases, frustration and dangerous behaviors during training with food/clicker training stem from underlying physical issues, errors in the training, and/or frustrations stemming from lifestyle/environment... But are not a reflection on "clicker training" as a whole or an indication of whether or not clicker training will work for your horse.
If your horse is acting dangerously or in a frustrated way during training, please contact a professional for assistance and also check out these articles on the subject.
But My Horse Is Aggressive Around Food
Killer Horses
What If My Horse Kicks Or Bites
The Downside To Positive Reinforcement
Think Smaller
About TWE
What type of training do you do?
My training is based on the humane hierachy and LIMA. My goal is to train horses using the least invasive minimally aversive approach first and then progress down the humane hierachy as necessary for specific situations.
Do you have YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter...?
I do! All of them are under "The Willing Equine" or @thewillingequine, except twitter which is @willingequine
I need help with my horse, can you help me?
Absolutely! For training support, go to my training support page and for all other inquires email me directly.
Do you teach lessons?
I do! Both locally and via video coaching. If you're interested in lessons, contact me via email and I'll be in touch shortly.
Do you take horses for training?
I do, but I provide a very unique and specalized service with limited availability to owners/students that are dedicated to continuing the work begun with their horses while at TWE. If you're interested, please contact me and I'd be happy to provide more information.
Do you do video/online coaching?
I do! Video lessons are a great way to get the help you need when you're just starting out, or maybe you're more experienced but just want a fresh perspective on how the training is going. I offer long distance video coaching that's designed to be the next best thing to having a live personal training instructor on site, with a voiceover feedback on the training footage you send me, visual and verbal homework assignments, and a personalized lesson program.. all on your own schedule!
Can I come visit?
TWE is not currently located at a public facility, so we don't have public visitng hours, but we love to welcome people to come observe lessons, watch training, or schedule a consultation. Contact me and we can discuss further.
Do you teach clinics? How do I find out where and when? How can I host one in my area?
I do! Contact me if you're interested in hosting a clinic in your area, and soon I hope to have an updated calendar and information on how to find and host a clinic.
Do You Only Use R+/Positive Reinforcement/Clicker Training?
A trainers skill level, education, and experience will dictate how much they are able to achieve with positive reinforcement alone, and also their dedication to using positive reinforcement will of course impact how much they use in their training.
It's a never ending journey though! Any (good) trainer will be constantly evolving as their skill level and education improves, which means... A "positive reinforcement trainer" (like myself) will be constantly looking for new and better ways to use positive reinforcement, and how to further wean out the use of aversives and punishers in training. It doesn't mean I will never ever use pressure or punishment, inadvertently or intentionally, but it DOES mean I don't want to and I look for every opportunity not to.
How do you work with other professionals that don't use or agree with positive reinforcement training? Such as vets, farriers, barn owners, etc.
It can be a challenge sometimes, as often positive reinforcement (and working with food rewards) is very misunderstood or brings out very strong opinions in other people, but it is possible. Typically when other owners and professionals can see that the person training with positive reinforcement is being safe and is educated, they will give them space, and other times... not so much. I just tell my people to be respectful, let your actions do the talking for you, and let very pushy people know that you appreciate their suggestions and offers to help, but that they have chosen to train in a little bit different way.
Liberty Training
Are Clicker Training & Positive Reinforcement the same thing as "liberty training"?
Yes and no. Liberty training is a very broad spectrum term that is typically used to refer to any tackless type riding, but that doesn't mean the horse is actually "at liberty". At liberty STARTS with the horse knowing they have a choice.. So TRUE liberty training has to give the horse a choice in the training.. which means much of what you see on social media and such is not actually training "at liberty", they are just defining themselves as "liberty trainers" to associate with a certain image of tack-less riding, when in reality the catagory should be "tack-less riding" not "liberty training".
Can I give my horse a choice and autonomy without using food/clicker training/positive reinforcement?
That's a tough question... because all training occurs through a form of motivation. The animal has to be motivated to do xyz... and so without using food, clicker training, or positive reinforcement... what are we left with to motivate the horse to learn something new? We don't have to use food, and we don't have to use a clicker, but I do believe training has to be based on a primarily positive reinforcement approach in order to truly give the horse autonomy/choice.
How do I start training at liberty/with autonomy?
It's really easy actually. Just go to a large open area, such as your horse's pasture or the arena, take off all equipment, and leave the whip, clucking noises, ropes, and arm waving behind. Training at liberty requires starting at liberty for the horse to understand they have the choice to participate or not.
From there, it depends on the horse. If the horse really cares to stay near you, you can probably start clicking and rewarding behaviors that you'd like to train right away. But keep in mind, the horse is allowed to walk away and you can't correct mistakes. Also, make sure your horse is already properly introduced to working with food reward safely, or just try working with scratches at first.
At Liberty With Tiger playlist
Training At Liberty
Or Else
Also, keep in mind you can plan to have certain sessions be at liberty and others not. I always encourage giving the horse as much choice as possible during training and life in general, but don't feel like you can never put a lead back on your horse or ask them not to walk off. You can, but if you really want your session to be "at liberty" I suggest removing all equipment that could accidentally become a way to control the horse.
How can I show my horse he has a choice/he can say "no"?
In short, by allowing the horse to not respond or to do something else instead. If you ask them to stand at the mounting block (which they may usually do) and this time they swing their butt away or walk off, that's them communicating they do not want to be mounted. Respecting that and practicing something else instead (that doesn't involve getting on your horse) will quickly communicate to the horse they can communicate to you.
Of course we need to problem solve *why* the horse isn't standing at the mounting block.. is there possible pain? Perhaps they could sense you were short tempered or anxious? Maybe they don't feel well... Or, maybe they just didn't understand what was being asked. You can always go back and break down the desired behavioral (standing at the mounting block) into much smaller pieces and make it a positive experience for the horse to be sure the horse does know what you're wanting ... But always make sure not to correct the horse for telling you no.
Or Else
Diet / Health
The vet has said my horse can not have treats and has to have a very restricted diet, so I can't work with food.. what now?
Whether you're dealing with a horse that has metabolic issues (like cushings, EMS, IR, etc) or perhaps your horse just needs to loose a few pounds... you can still work with food reward, just maybe not "treats". Don't worry though, I don't work with treats either.
I'm worried my horse will get fat or gain too much weight if I train with food. How do you work with easy keepers/EMS/IR/Cushings/PSSM horses with clicker training?
I have quite a few horses that are SUPER easy keepers, some have EMS /IR too, and some are pre -cushinoid. They seem to gain weight on air, so I understand completely. The trick is balancing out their diet with the training with food, and making sure the horse is eating food appropriate for their body's needs.
Do you stall or pasture your horses?
Except for in extreme weather conditions, or if a horse is injured or sick, my horses remain out at pasture day and night. Occasionally I bring them into the barn before lessons or training, but the bulk of their time is spent with their companions, in spacious pastures with 24/7 access to forage.
How old should a horse be to start them under saddle or even sit on them?
A young horse shouldn't be sat on until around four.. and even later is better. The process should be gradual, beginning with just light sitting in the saddle, and progress to casual walking every so often with a rider, then a little trot work, and so on. Horses should be given ample time to grow before being expected to carry a rider and the weight of tack, and we know that doesn't happen until the 6 at the earliest and sometimes as late as 7 or 8 for very long and tall horses.
Read more here...
Are all your horses barefoot? Why? And how do you keep them sound?
I'm passionate about being as minimally invasive in my horse's care, and the horse's hoof is one of those areas that we tend to artifically impact with nails and metal when it's usually unnecessary. In most cases the horse's hoof is perfectly designed to support and carry the horse even over the roughest of terrains, but there are some cases where the hoof is weak due to health or poor genetics, and in those cases I would consider composite shoes or boots.. For the most part though my horses are barefoot.
What do you feed your horses or do you have any recommended supplements?
I have a couple Instagram and blog posts on the subject, where you can see what I'm feeding currently. I modify the diet per the individual's needs , but here is the base..
The Underweight Horse
My Current Base Diet
My horse is on stall rest, what are some things I can do with them that are relationship building and useful for later?
The list of what can be achieved training/relationship wise in a stall is nearly endless... I actually really enjoy the times when my horses are on stall rest or the weather is bad and everyone comes into the barn. It helps bring us back to the basics and introduce new behaviors that will improve care/maintenance, polish up known behaviors, and spend time on the "little" things that tend to get pushed aside when the weather is nice and we get focused on riding and other "big" activities.
Here are some resources with ideas...
Products/Equipment
What are the sticks with the funny things on the end that you use and how do they work?
Why do you work with horses on the other side of a fence?
This is called working in "protected contact", and it's a set up used in the beginning of introducing training with food rewards, and also sometimes used periodically throughout the rest of training as needed. I explain it more here... Starting at 14:45
Where can I get treat bags, clickers, target sticks, and everything you use in your videos? And how do I use them?
Everything I use is explained and listed in this youtube video, but also on my Resources Page.
I see a big floor mat in a lot of your videos and photos, what purpose does it serve and where can I get one?
I have a video that explains the mat more thoroughly, but in the meantime... it's a giant balance mat that is useful for helping strengthen horses' cores, establish stabilizing abilities, to awareness of the body, and for the rehabiliation of neurological horses. I use the mat during a wide variety of training exercises and for all of my horses, young to old.
Do you ever ride in a bit? What do you think about saddles, bits, spurs, crops, whips, side reins etc?
I typically do not ride in a bit, as I feel they are unnecessary and do not offer any benefits for the horse or rider except in very unusual situations where a horse dislikes having rein contact on the nose. Even then though, I feel that's a result of unfamiliarity and needing to be gradually introduced to the new cues via a bitless bridle, or.. it may be indicative of a pain/physical issue that should be addressed by a qualified veterinarian.
With that being said, I have one or two types of bit I can use if needed that I feel are milder and less aversive options to the horse. (option one) (option two) I do however almost always ride bitless and I transfer all my students and training horses to bitless as well.
And for bitless, not all bitless options are created equal. I prefer a plain side pull with a very padded nose band and a soft leather chin, with enough space for the jaw to freely move. My preferred bitless option at the moment is an Orbitless Bridle
Orbitless Bridle
Saddles are a useful piece of tack necessary to protect the horse's back, if the saddle fits correctly. A poorly fitting saddle is far more damaging than no saddle at all. There are also some more modern "in between" options such as flex tree saddles, tree-less saddles, very very padded bareback pads, and so on that can be excellent options.
As far as spurs, whips, crops, side reins, and all other training "aids" I believe to be entirely unnecessary when training is correct, methodical, patient, and positive. If a horse won't go, you don't kick him harder or put on spurs. You problem solve possible causes for him not wanting to move forward and you re-teach him the necessary cues for moving forward. If a horse won't lower his head or "collect" a pair of side reins or a pessoa system will only force an "image" at the cost of your horse's long term health and mental state.. but won't actually develop collection or softness; it may actually make him more dull.
Tack And Auxillary Equipment
I do however have two training aids that I have used in more recent years but really I don't even find them necessary anymore. I did write about their purpose and how to use them in this blog post though.
Long and low aids
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