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EQUINE CLICKER TRAINING..... using precision and positive reinforcement to teach horses and people |
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About the Site In the last 10 years, clicker training for horses has started to spread through the horse community. Many owners started to clicker train their horses after finding success with their dogs or with exotics. Others were just intrigued by the idea of teaching horses in a different way. As part of a support network for this rising interest in clicker training horses, I (Katie Bartlett) started this web site as a way for clicker trainers to share their stories, their horse’s stories, training tips, and resources.
Over the years the site has changed as I have added articles about training my own horses and what I have learned at clinics, through books, DVD's and other resources. I have spent many years (10 as of 2011) studying with Alexandra Kurland and I have written extensively about her work. I have also taken on various new horse projects including a rescue pony and some young horses. If you are interested in reading more about me, you can read more about me below.
There are two different ways to access the articles on the site. You can choose "Articles" off the menu and all the article are listed there, grouped by category. Or you if you are new to clicker training, you can choose "Clicker Basics" or "Getting Started" and those pages will suggest which articles to read (and in which order) so that you can proceed in a logical fashion. "Clicker Basics" is about the theory behind clicker training. "Getting Started" is the practical information about how you actually start clicker training.
In addition to being an educational website, this site is also intended to
provide some networking information by making it easier for clicker trainers
to find each other. So, one focus of this web site is to
collect names of clicker trainers everywhere.
A clicker trainer is anyone who is clicker training their horse. You
don’t have to be a professional or someone with a lot of experience. I would
encourage everyone who is clicker training to be listed here. This will
provide a way for clicker trainers to find each other, whether you are
looking for someone to help you, or just someone with whom to share your
clicker training experiences, training ideas, and progress. Even if you can’t find someone locally, you
might find someone who is willing to provide internet or phone help, or even
to just be an email friend. I think that having a support network is really
important, especially for those of us who are isolated from other clicker
trainers, or working alongside horse owners with more traditional methods.
About me: Katherine (Katie) Bartlett
I started clicker training in the winter of 2000-2001 after buying Alexandra Kurland's first book, Clicker Training for Your Horse. I read the book and thought it sounded interesting and started playing with clicker training my horses. Since then I have been hooked. I had always been interested in animal behavior and having a good relationship with my horses. Clicker training combined all my interests together. No wonder I enjoy it so much.
I attended my first clinic with Alexandra Kurland in 2001 and have been a regular attendee at the Groton clinics since then. I originally took my gelding Willy, but now I take my mare, Rosie. Clicker clinics are wonderful experiences for both horses and handlers. Rosie learned about traveling and working in a new barn in a low key and positive environment and she is now quite settled working there.
Since attending my first clinic, I have been working through Alex's exercises and learning about single rein riding and how to apply clicker training to horses. Now I continue to focus on that, but I have also been working on integrating Alex's exercises and clicker training into more traditional dressage exercises and training. I have also been exploring starting young horses with clicker training and how to use clicker training to create a safe, confident, and happy riding partner for trail riding and other fun activities. I am trying to continue my clicker education by learning more about clicking dogs and other animals and attending Clicker Expo each year.
These days my clicker projects include Willy and Rosie (my original clicker stars), Finale the Shire, Red the Quarter Horse, Stella the rescue pony, 3 dogs, various cats and a guinea pig. I have even been known to try it out on my kids (there are 5 of them) and my husband. I have recently started doing some local teaching in addition to internet coaching and hope to do some demonstrations and presentations in the coming year. If you want to know more about my own personal story (how I found clicker training and why I got hooked), you might be interested in the following articles: Also, here is a little piece I wrote for one of the clicker lists. I hope you will enjoy clicker training as much as I do. Good luck and have fun,
Katie Bartlett (kabart315@gmail.com)
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