Horse training is fun
Until when it’s not. Sometimes we get stuck and don’t seem to make any progress. We keep repeating the same steps or try making them smaller but still without success.
If that happens, stop repeating and begin analysing.
What is usually missing in such cases is a COMPONENT SKILL.
Identify the skills needed for the behaviour you want to teach and verify if your horse knows and is able to perform them to the level required.
You may not be aware that your horse doesn’t know a component or is not comfortable doing it. Once that piece is sorted out, learning will be fast.
Learning is fast and fun if you have all the component skills.
You reach your training goals by achieving many tiny successes over a period of time.
Consistency is key
Start with a behaviour that your horse already knows to get the behaviour going and build from there.
Aim at being successful on the first try, then change a tiny little something towards your goal, and be successful again. The change can be so small it is hardly noticeable.
Making learning easy is not cheating. It’s good training.
Mary Hunter
Being successful is fun and keeps you going. Keeping records (videos, training journal) is evidence of your progress which helps you being consistent.
If you don’t seem to make progress, then you probably have not yet found the best training plan. A missing detail can make all the difference.
The detail may lie in the set-up of your training environment or the objects you are using, or it might be in the way you move in relation to your horse. You may assume a component skill is in your horse’s repertoire when it’s actually missing.
Video is your friend
People often take videos once the behaviour looks like something they want to share. And that’s ok. That’s exactly what should be celebrated. But video is also an excellent tool to improve your training.
Videotape your training session and watch your training from a distance. That may reveal aspects you have not noticed when being close to your horse.
Another benefit is that you keep records of the training progression and, with time, you will see the positive impact of your training.
If watching your video on your own is not enough to find the next step in your training, then consider VIDEO COACHING. Your horse does not need to travel and watching a video frame by frame reveals details that are often missed during live training.
Your coach can help you keep the training sessions fun and easy for you and your horse. Because this is how you build magical relationships.
This is how it works
- You send me a 3-5 minute video of your training session.
- We meet on Zoom and analyse the video.
- With that information, I suggest the next training steps and explain them in detail, possibly with the help of my equine partners.
- You implement the suggestions.
- Optional: follow-up clarifications
Before booking a coaching session check these resources:
Video coaching may not be the best solution for you at this point. If you are just starting to explore clicker training and your horse is not particularly challenging, then I suggest you start with Alexandra Kurland’s Online Course or her books and DVDs. These materials give you all you need to get started. My coaching is most efficient, if I can refer to Alexandra’s online course, therefore I offer a discount to online course subscribers.
Before committing to a paid coaching session, I also suggest to chat informally to get to know each other and assess if the format is a good fit. You can book a time slot for a Zoom call here:
Booking a Coaching session
You have decided to book a coaching session, no doubts whatsoever, then click the button below which takes you to the payment options and then, in a second step, choose the day and time that suits you.
Important: Make sure you have a 3-5 minute training video to share before booking a day for your coaching session.
I am looking forward to meeting you and your horse,
Michaela
