Things You'll Need:
- Clicker
- Small enclosed area
- Target
-
Step 1
Buy a clicker online or at your local tack store. It doesn't have to be a specific type of clicker; it just has to make a loud enough noise to get your horse's attention. Some are mechanical, while others are digital.
-
Step 2
Take your horse to a small, enclosed space, such as a stall or a small paddock. You don't want to give the horse enough room to escape you while you train him using the clicker technique, but you also don't want to crowd him.
-
Step 3
Charge the clicker. This step is where you teach your horse what the clicker technique means. Click the button on the device, then give your horse a treat, such as a horse cookie or carrot. Then click it again, and give him another treat until he starts to expect it. This associates the sound with something positive.
-
Step 4
Begin by showing your horse a bright, shiny object, such as an orange pile-on traffic cone, which is called a target. As soon as he touches the cone with his nose, push the button on the clicker and give him a treat as a reward. This tells him he has done what you wanted him to do.
-
Step 5
Repeat the previous step until your horse touches the target every time you present it to him. Then move on to another target, and still another, until he understands he is supposed to touch the object in front of him, regardless of what it is. This is the clicker technique in its simplest form.
-
Step 6
Carry over the clicker technique to other exercises, such as bridling, saddling and mounting the horse. When he stands still for mounting, for example, he gets a click as a reward for a job well done.
-
Step 7
Wean your horse off the treat rewards slowly as he begins to understand the clicker technique. Eventually, you won't need the treats at all for training purposes.
