Should I make you wait until you listen to the podcast to find out what the great news is?  I think not.  I’m delighted to finally be able to announce that the first lesson in my DVD series is now available on line.  “Lesson One: Getting Started with the Clicker” is available as an on-line mini course.  

I’ve been working on this project for several years.  I’ve had it mostly done for a while, but there were other things that kept pushing it onto the back burner, including getting the Equiosity podcasts out every week.  One of the advantages to not traveling for clinics is I have time for more projects, including getting “Lesson One” up on line.  

The original lesson was produced in 1999.  It was updated in 2006.  So it was more than time for an update.  Rather than remake the entire lesson, I have built the course around the original material.  Every bit of the original has been broken down into small, bite sized pieces.  I introduce you more fully to the horses who were featured in that lesson.  Why did they stand out amongst the equine clicker pioneers?  What did they teach us about clicker training.  Their stories will inspire.

I’ve added so many details to the teaching.  But again rather than replace the original video, I’ve added to it.  Some of the video expands the lessons.  And some of it points out details we didn’t yet realize were important.  In these sections I am coaching an earlier version of myself as I point out the changes in handling details.  It’s a good way to learn.  You see the reminders.  We did it this way originally, but this is better, and what’s more, this is why it’s better.

So if you are just getting started in clicker training, this is a great resource for you.  It’s an easy way to learn great clicker training basics.  And if you’ve been following my work for a while, I think you’ll also enjoy this course.  For you it’s a look back.  You’ll see the evolution of the training, and you’ll get to meet the many horses and their handlers that I have talked about in these Equiosity podcast and my clinics.

(And I should just add, this podcast includes not just the announcement about the course, but a discussion of how to teach backing in a square.  That lesson is in second DVD lesson: Ground Manners, but Dominique had a question about how it is taught so we jumped into that discussion as well.)

To learn more about the new Lesson One On-line course go to: https://www.theclickercenter.com/dvd-lesson-1

And to order go to: https://the-clicker-store.myshopify.com/products/lesson-one-getting-started-with-the-clicker-on-line-lesson

Episode 143: Great News!

This is Part 3 of a 4 part conversation.   In November Dominique and I spent a delightful afternoon going through a list of topics Dominique had been accumulating.  We talked the afternoon away, so I’ve split our conversation into four episodes.

In Part 1 we talked about trailer loading, the Microshaping Strategy, and what criteria we use to decide when to end a training session.

In part 2 I described a procedure for teaching a horse to lift his feet that uses body part targeting.  This lesson helps develop skills in the handler that are needed for teaching lateral work.  

I also described a fun lesson where instead of round penning horses, we round pen people.  The lesson teaches handlers the choreography of ground work.  

Now in part 3 we consider another critical handler skill and that’s fast decision making.  Often we look at training progressions with the focus on what the horse is learning.  Of course, the question that interests people is: What am I going to be teaching my horse?  

In order to teach well, there are skills the handler needs to learn.  Many of these are obvious physical skills such as learning good rope handling techniques.  What is less obvious are some of the “invisible” skills such as fast decision making.  These invisible skills are the “grease” that makes all the physical skills work smoothly.

So in this episode we focus on flexible thinking and fast decision making.  We review the progression of lessons that develops this skill for the handler and we consider why this is such an important skill.

We also look at shaping on either side of the click and more details about teaching foot care, especially related to handling the hind feet of potential kickers.

Epsode 307 In Conversation Pt 3- Flexible Thinking And Fast Decison Making

Equiosity is the podcast about all things equine with a special emphasis on the horse-human bond.

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