RC: Re: Clicker Training

[Susan Willis <smw@sos.net>]

Too many years ago I worked for a short time at a show barn as a groom...and
at one of the shows we attended I happened to walk by a man excercising a
horse on a longe line....and he was controlling the horse's speed and
direction with whistles.....a low, soft tone was the cue for the horse to
walk, a two tone signalled trot, he made a 'shushing' sound for a canter,
and again a low two tone for a halt....absolutely amazing!

I patiently watched in utter amazement, and when he acknowledged me I asked
where he had learned to control a horse in this manner.... he said it was
'the way' that all the grooms handled horses on 'the Continent'....to which
I assumed he meant in France, etc. (as we were in Maryland at the time!) He
further explained that horses can differentiate tone much better than we
can, and each horse listens for and responds only to his particular groom
(could explain why they do well with voice, too?)

I have used whistling different times for different things ( I have a
'feeding' whistle that really brings them running!) Horses do pick up on it
very fast if you are consistent.

AS for whether or not its common 'on the Continent' perhaps now that I have
an international knowledge base to draw from I can get an answer to that
question!! Any one else ever seen this done?

Susan


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