Trick Training

[Chickerdoodle13]

All horses have risks associated with them, even a dead broke, calm as night one. An experienced horse person is not necessarily the person who has the "best trained" or calmest horse, but sometimes it is the person who acknowledges risk ALWAYS exists when working with horses. The OP has shown that she (Actually, I'm not sure if you are he or she! LOL) realizes there is a risk in working with her horse.

Sometimes the only way to call in a horse that is not used to people is with grain. But then again, everyone has their own ways to do things when it comes to horses. Heck, sometimes you have to make a mistake just to learn a lesson. All others can do is give the information we have and hope that person doesn't make too big a mistake. That's the problem with talking horses I think...everyone is so set in their ways. I don't mean that your ways are wrong, Greathorse, but I don't believe anything in the OP's post calls for such strong criticism.

 

[accio! chickens]

I'm going into town tomorrow and I'm going to pick up a clicker from Petsmart. I've already started this process accidentally. Food has been used in clicker training with horses very succesfully for years. I recognize the risks of working with my mare, but there is risk with horses in general. As chickerdoodle said, even the most deadbroke horse is risky to work with. I respect that you don't use food in your training, but what may work for you and your horses won't necessarily work for Mylie and me. Every horse is different and every situation should be treated differently. You cannot generalize that all horses will abuse the use of treats as a reward for good behaviour. If that treat is only offered when good behaviour is exhibited (and with clicker training, you click first, then offer the reward -- the food reward can be phased out to accomodate a pat or forehead rub but this doesn't work for all horses, it does however, work for Mylie) then you are less likely to encourage food agressive behaviour in your animal.

You are welcome to your opinions but I am welcome to mine as well and your comments only display how "im right and your wrong" the horse world is.

Chickerdoodle, I'm a she

ETA: And to set the record straight. Mylie bolted once but I held on to the leadrope, I could have held on longer (had I been wearing rubber palmed gloves) and she would have calmed down and relaxed again but I stupidly had the rope looped (I know, bad move) and fractured my left ring finger/tore ligaments. So yes, I know there is a definite level of danger associated with horses, I am well aware of this. I am well aware that this was entirely my fault and I respect the danger of working with horses and I take the necessary precautions to ensure I am not hurt. For one, I always wear a helmet in the field with my horses no matter how docile they seem. I take calculated risks, if I don't feel that it would be a good day to work with Mylie, then I don't.