Clicker Training – Unleashing the Power of Positive Reinforcement  

Clicker Training and positive reinforcement are finally making it to the horse training world.  So what is Clicker Training? Yet another fad?

Clicker Training is a form of Operant Conditioning using positive reinforcement.   If that sounds like a mouthful, Clicker Training could be simply described as a way of teaching an animal to do something using rewards. 

Operant Conditioning itself is a scientific term which means that learning occurs and behaviours changes based on what consequences occur when we do something.  I say ‘we’ because this is a large part of how all animals, including humans, learn.  You may be familiar with behavioural experiments where pigeons peck at a particular symbol to receive a food reward.  That is one form of Operant Conditioning – the pigeon has learned that a painted symbol brings a reward and so it only pecks on that symbol.

So what’s with the clicker? A clicker is a simple yet fascinating device that makes a distinctive sound to mark behaviours that you want.  In scientific speak it is a conditioned reinforcer – meaning that the horse accepts it as a substitute for the food reward, much like we use praise.  But it is also a bridge – the horse understands that the Click! means ‘food is coming  - later’. It is also a behaviour terminator – ‘ok you’re done, you can come and receive your reward’.

You don’t have to use a clicker, many trainers use whistles, verbal commands or other bridges. The choice is the trainer’s but it is advisable to at least start with a clicker simply so that you can see how effective it is and understand the concepts of Clicker Training.  If you then decide to swap to something else that’s fine.

All trainers use Operant Conditioning, most just don’t know it.  One of the differences with Clicker Training is that the vast majority of clicker trainers do actually understand the terminology and theory of the science behind behavioural learning and so can apply it well.  In traditional horse training and Natural Horsemanship the operant conditioning tends to occur mainly through negative reinforcement and punishment.

So let’s explain those terms.  In behavioural sciences negative and positive don’t refer to good or bad.  Negative is removal or ‘take something away’ while positive is addition.  So negative reinforcement simply refers to something like a leg aid.  I press with my leg, when the horse moves, I REMOVE my leg to tell the horse that was correct.  This is a negative reinforcement.

So what’s wrong with that?  Nothing!  Understanding and using positive reinforcement and Clicker Training is not about right and wrong, or good and bad. I use negative reinforcement all the time.  However, surely I can be a much more effective trainer if I understand ALL the tools I can use? 

Clicker Training is not about replacing current training methods.  One of the great things about Clicker is how well it works when you use it WITH your current training.  The added understanding of operant conditioning often improves how you apply your current training methods as well because you can apply them with greater understanding and timing.

There are also some situations and horses that simply respond more to positive reinforcement than to negative reinforcement.  If you only understand one way of training you have fewer options for success with that particular horse.

Moreover with positive reinforcement something very special happens.  The animal learns how to learn.  This is a very important distinction and one of the most rewarding things about training with Clicker. There is a lightbulb moment initially when the animal realises what is going on and starts to work for the clicker but there is also something else that seems to occur to particularly with horses.  It is a sort of ‘waking up’ or renewed enthusiasm for interaction that seems to occur with normal, well behaved traditionally trained horses that are presented with clicker training opportunities. 

So still not convinced that you’d like to learn more about Clicker or give it a go? How about it’s just incredible fun!

Some common myths and misconceptions:

• You always have to use the clicker

The clicker is a training device.  It marks what you want while you are teaching a new behaviour.  Once the behaviour is perfected you fade the clicker. Just as you can’t use a lunge line or side reins in competition, you can’t use the clicker but the performance you have built during training continues.

• Food makes horses nip\bite

The "no food around horses" rule is a really interesting phenomenon to me.  Clicker Training doesn’t make a horse nip or bite.  Food manners are taught and the horse quickly learns that the clicker is the gatekeeper to all rewards.  Food is a paycheck – no work, no pay.

• Horses only understand negative reinforcement

Shhh! – don’t tell my horse or any of the other horses trained with Clicker!  All animals learn using all consequences.  In the herd horses receive and learn from all reinforcers and punishers equally.

• The horse will only work for food

People often think that the horse will get full and lose interest or will only perform if food is around.  Neither of these is true.  All food rewards are tiny – and it take a large amount of food to ‘fill up’ most horses.  My most experienced clicker horse has NEVER filled up despite lengthy training sessions (I usually end sessions not him). Also because of the way in which you provide treats the horse doesn’t always get food – the uncertainty of receiving a Click! (and therefore food) is one of the things that keeps horses performing and improving their efforts.

If you are interested in learning more about Clicker Training please visit my website www.playwithhorses.com or contact me anytime for lessons or to find the next demo\clinic. 

This is a copy of an article submitted to New Zealand Horses Online April 2006

copyright Horse Play 2006