I am currently adding to a thread on HorseForum.com about all the ins and outs of clicker training. For the most complete information, visit it here: Clicker Training: Challenge Accepted!
Understanding behavioral theory and training (no matter your method):
Reinforcement: The Nitty-Gritty Details
Operant Conditioning: Applying it to Horses
Reinforcement Schedules
Pats and verbal rewards: Are they reinforcement?
Do I have to use a clicker and treats?
Clicker training basics:
Giving the clicker meaning/Targeting
Targeting (Continued) and Head Lowering
Mouthiness
Clicker Emergencies
More information about me:
When I was finally able to purchase my first horse all on my own, I wanted to start from scratch. Thus, Flash, a 18-month-old AQHA palomino gelding entered my life. He was gentle and quiet, easy to work with, but had only been halter trained. I had a clean slate with an adorable face to work with! Having a background in psychology and teaching (including a B.A. in Psychology and teaching credentials/experience), I had studied clicker training and positive reinforcement and knew how incredible it could be. I decided to give it a shot with Flash from the very beginning - and it worked like a miracle! Flash eagerly offers up behaviors to try and figure out what it is I want him to do. He loves it so much that when he really "gets it", he starts nickering at the click! He knows his treat is coming. We have developed such a strong bond and relationship with one another as we've learned to be patient and work to make each other happy.
One of the features of clicker training that I love is that I can combine it with any other method of training. For example, when teaching Flash lateral flexion, I held the reign so that it pulled him to the side. When he gave in and flexed, not only did he receive the release of the reign (negative reinforcement) as I have trained other horses in the past, but he also earned a treat for it!
Now, I've begun clicker training with Snickers as well. It has proven a little more tricky to clicker train a horse that is used to simply receiving treats on a daily basis for looking cute in his stall (they give cookies on occasion and grain every evening), and he has had to learn that he actually has to work for his treats in clicker training. Whereas I'm using clicker training as a fundamental feature of Flash's training, I see myself using it more sparingly with Snickers as he has already been green broke. However, it worked like a charm when working with him to overcome his bridling issue! It's a good trouble shooting method with him and I can easily use it to fine tune behaviors or work through any bad habits.
The book I use to clicker train and that I recommend for anyone considering doing it is "The Click that Teaches" by Alexandra Kurland. It does a really good job of taking you step by step from teaching your horse what clicker training is to advanced games and tricks. It even includes a trouble shooting guide for common issues, such as worming and trailering, and suggests which games to play to overcome them. All you need is this book, a good quality clicker (I recommend the StarMark Clicker for it's loud volume and durability with horses as well as getting a good quality wristband so you can always have your clicker near your hand but not have to hang on to it), a horse, and a good attitude for teaching and learning! The attitude and patience is key, because being rewarded for good behavior is usually a completely new concept for horses, so it might take a few sessions before they get it. Of course, some horses take longer to learn clicker training than others, but when they do, it works wonders!
