HI all:

I keep Jodie at a friend's who has a lot of contacts in the serious
horse world around here...fox hunting, eventing, dressage, etc., and
she has told some of them about my clicker training with Jodie. (At
first my friend was suspicious of CT, but she's much more of a believer
now, especially now that Jodie's automatic "default" posture is
head-to-the-ground with a deep, relaxed sigh!) Evidently a few of
these riders/owners have asked her if it's possible to use the clicker
to help a horse get over a problem issue--holding up a foot for
farrier, loading, etc.--without adopting clicker training overall and
using it in all their interactions with their horses.

I told her I'm not sure since the training is an overall technique and
a philosophy, and that one thing leads to another and sometimes takes
you places you didn't expect and that you never start with your goal,
etc...all the lessons Alex has taught us. But I got to thinking...could
someone introduce the clicker properly to a horse (charge the clicker,
teach targeting, etc.), then work on one specific problem, fading out
the food reward over time? According to my friend, it's the idea of
carrying food around (especially at events and formal occasions) and
clicking for ALL training that's a big stumbling block for many.

I said I'd ask the list. I also told her that once people used the
clicker and saw their horse's reactions, they'd probably become clicker
advocates, but on the other hand we're dealing with an entrenched,
traditional, and sometimes snooty horse community. My concern that
people who don't do it right or aren't committed to carrying it through
could poison the whole concept.

Thanks for your thoughts. I will pass them on.

Kathy & Jodie