Use a clicker, not a bridle

Jericho, a 2-year old paint, is ridden bareback without a bridle using the clicker. Sorry about the terrible quality, it was the best I could do.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• clicker
• training
• bridless
• bridleless
• bareback

[NegativeNancy17]

my only question would be is if you show him or everytime he stops does he always reach back for the treat?

[lyssmarie87]

@NegativeNancy17

Fortunately, never! That is not how clicker training works. He expects a treat ONLY when he hears a click, and of course you would not want to click in the show ring. The same applies for when I ask for a halt. The treat is not linked to a halt, it is linked to the click, so there is no expectation for treats when you stop.

[lyssmarie87]

@life is deceiving

Yes, Jericho is a very enthusiastic pony, and he did initially "Slam on the brakes". However, once he became used to the process he stopped doing that simply because it was too much work, and most horses will realize that a slow stop gets a treat as well as a fast one. On the other hand, this made it INCREDIBLY easy to teach him to stop when I wanted. Now, he stops easy at just a whoa, but can nearly do a sliding stop from a canter when I really sit down and ask!

[fourstars09]

If He is an arabian then I agrea you shouldn't ride him until he is about 5. Arabians bones develope different from any other breed.

Now if he is any other breed... I would said kudos to have such a well trained two almost three year old. Its OK to start any breed at 2 other then the arab.

[lyssmarie87]

I think that this might be too general of a statement. Many trainers believe that you should never start a horse before they are 3, especially for slow-developing breeds such as warmbloods. And while many trainers successfully start horses at 2, it is not true that all other breeds CAN be started at 2. It is always safer to wait.

[4Champ2and0]

@pittielove I know you left this comment like for ever ago, but I just thought you might like to know that there is a girl who does lots of how to videos of this type of training (clicker training). Her screen names are : "Ponypros" & "Welcometopemberly". I think the ponypros sn is more of the how to videos though.. I think she mostly posts horses for sale on the other account. Wish you the best! :-)

[Senyeratheonly]

@LifeIsDeceiving It is not a problem to disagree, I just think that in your first comment, you wrote "is this horse is going to slam on its brakes and expect a treat every time you click" and that shows to me that you have missunderstood the technique.

[LifeIsDeceiving]

@Senyeratheonly yet you still get the same slamming on the brakes effect. I'd rather teach my horse voice commands so I don't have to yank on his mouth than have no control like this if he spooks. Just two different opinions and I respect yours I just see a few faults and you see a few faults with my opinion too. So agree to disagree

[Senyeratheonly]

@LifeIsDeceiving

You haven't understand the technique with the clicker. It is only in te learningprocess you use it! When the horse know the task, you slowly let it go further and further between the clicks, and you ask more and more from your horse before you click.

It takes more time than with a bridle, but it is much nicer for everyone involved!

[LifeIsDeceiving]

yeah only bad thing about doing the clicker training with riding is this horse is going to slam on its brakes and expect a treat every time you click. I'd rather use a bridle and be able to change from a canter to a walk or trot to walk.

[chem987]

me toooo!!!!! thats when i get one. :D

[pittielove]

HOW did you train your horse this way?!!! I love it! I would LOVE to do this with mine!!!