Welcome

Back in 2000 I was among the first people talking about how clicker training (positive reinforcement) could be applied to horses. Back then, it was considered a ‘fad’. But the fad never went away. While clicker training itself isn’t quite mainstream I can see a trend toward more a more thoughtful, horse-centered approach to horses. From cities banning horse-drawn carriages to the introduction of bit-less bridles (or even no bridle at all) in competitions. 

I was initially influenced by Karen Pryor and Alexandra Kurland. Karen’s book, Don’t Shoot The Dog, is a must read for understanding the concepts behind clicker training in a simple and pragmatic way. Alexandra was the first with a book specifically about training horses with clicker training called Clicker Training for Horses. She has since written additional books.

Later, I discovered Shawna Karrasch who applied her experience at SeaWorld to bring positive reinforcement training to the horse community.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention my dear friend Sharon Madere. I was lucky to live just minutes from Sharon’s beautiful training facility in Ocala, Florida. We spent many wonderful days talking, laughing, and training horses together. An experience I will always treasure.

In addition to these amazing women in the world of positive reinforcement I was also heavily influenced by some people from the traditional world.

Clicker training is based on the principles of behavioral science. All good trainers have an instinct for these principles. Some of my favorite teachers include: Karl Mikolka for his unique experience in classical dressage. It is unfortunate that so little of his extraordinary work is left behind since he passed. Harry Whitney for his insights into the horsemanship of Bill Dorrance. And, Warwick Schiller for his willingness to evolve as a horseman in public. The common thread is always to see the horse’s point of view.

This site is about my own blend of classical dressage, traditional horsemanship and clicker training. If you have doubts about how all that could possibly fit together, just browse around the site.

—Sharon