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Practising Timing

 
The Importance of Correct Timing

While wondering how best to teach horse owners the concept and importance of correct timing in positive as well as negative reinforcement, clicker training seemed like an obvious choice. It does happen all too often that unintentionally reactions from the horse to averse stimuli are rewarded, thus teaching the horse to perform undesired or even a  behaviour that is dangerous for itself and its rider/handler. Even more often we see horses that must have experienced badly timed release of pressure during negative reinforcement, resulting in punishment or abuse, especially by horse owners that have not sufficiently been trained in timely release of pressure.

The Strength of Clicker Training in Teaching Correct Timing

Poor timing in clicker training does not have the detrimental effect that poor timing in traditional negative reinforcement training has, making clicker training a fun, educational and effective way to teach the basics of equine learning theory without frustrating or stressing the horse. By using clicker training to teach correct timing, the danger that initial poor understanding or poor timing will have a negative effect on the horses’ wellbeing will be absent. When riders / handlers are not quite proficient in regards to the operational mechanics of learning theory, it will result in a confused horse and eventually in a horse that gives up trying to figure out what it is we want from it. 

Youth Education

Starting the education of young riders with basic understanding of learning theory should reduce the future number of horse owners/riders in conflict with their horses instead of harmony and thus reducing the number of stressed and abused horses and even the amount of horse wastage. Hands on experience with clicker training, especially for young riders that own their own horse/pony would not only be educational, but also a fun way to practise timing and will avoid conflicting signals.




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LoFoSo™ Equine Behaviour, Canada.
Contents are original texts and photographs. Nothing from this website may be copied without written permission from the author – Mila Bon