This message is from: Steve McIlree <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Gail--
Wednesday, 7 October 1998, you wrote:
> Hi all,
> One way of getting submissiveness from your Fjord is to clicker train
> commands like "Back" (I ask for one step at a time, use a hand pushed into
> the chest muscles as the initial cue.), "Head Up," Head Down," Step (step
> forward with one foot at a time), and "Touch" (touch a cone, or the end of a
> whip). These simple commands have been *very* useful
Your mentions of clicker training intrigued me so I dug up a number
of references on the Web, Alexandra's and several dog training
sites, and got enough of a handle on it to try it with Tank today. I
must say I was pretty amazed. The Fjord's intelligence, curiosity
and configuration as an eating machine make this training method a
natural for them. We worked on the "touch" using a horse play ball
rather than a cone (I don't think it's a good idea to teach a
driving horse to play with cones). It took Tank less than 15 minutes
to immediately "touch" the ball. Once that seemed pretty well
established, we worked on taking hold of the ball by the handle
until the 1 1/2 cups of grain I had allotted for the session were
used up. Tank seemed to want to continue, but I think it's probably
important to quit while it's still fun.
What resources did you use in learning this training method? I've
signed up for the clicker list you mentioned, and Click-L. I'm going
to withhold judgement on the value of that list for now, so far all
I've seen is endless arguments over some tiny nuance of Skinnarian
doctrine.
One of our Morgans is as greedy as Tank, and our Trakehner is as
smart. I'm looking forward to seeing whether intelligence or love of
food is more useful in using this training method.
--
Steve McIlree & Cynthia Madden -- Pferd, Keyah, Skipper, Tank -- Omaha,
Nebraska, USA
Horses carry the history of mankind on their backs. If you should find one is
carrying you as well, acknowledge your good fortune and indeed your honor.
--Lucinda Prior Palmer(b. 1953)
