You Can Train Your Horse to Do Anything!: On Target Training Clicker Training and Beyond

by Shawna Karrasch, Arlene Newman, Vinton Karrasch

On Target Training is a revolutionary reward reinforcement training method specially developed for horses by animal training experts Shawna and Vinton Karrasch.

Genres: Horses

172 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Klemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't entirely agree with the person who reviewed before me. The book is definitely about clicker training, and definitely about targetting.

Having said that, this book is a bit more theoretical than practical. While Karrasch often mentions her On Target Training method, it's... not really a method. When I think of a method of training horses (or any animal), I think of a book with a lot of images and a step-by-step programme to follow, rather like Parelli. What this book does is explain the theory behind positive reinforcement-training (R+ training), and the use of a bridge signal (a.k.a. the clicker), and why they work. She also suggests a lot of things you can practice or improve via R+ training, as opposed to traditional negative reinforcement training (which is often employed by NH trainers like Parelli).

The reason this book doesn't give you a comprehensive step-by-step programme, is because that just doesn't work when you employ R+ training. Every horse will react differently to it, and it's impossible for a trainer/writer to list all the ways it can go differently. What this book does is give you the tools you need to be able to figure things out for yourself safely. In my opinion that is infinitely preferable to a method which does not allow for different lines of thinking or deviation from said method.

I quite enjoyed this book. I think it gives one a solid base of several theoretical concepts that will make you understand what you are doing when you employ R+ training. It gives several ways to deal with multiple problems, and it gives you the tools to safely start experimenting with this way of training. Karrasch, coming from the Seaworld environment (which you can think of what you will, but she does have a lot of experience with R+ training), started training horses only at a later point in life and thus didn't grow up with the traditional ways of training horses. She gives a fresh perspective which makes it easy to start thinking differently about how you train yourself.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone willing to learn more about positive reinforcement and clicker training.

[Goele Lousbergh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult one to score. I thought it was well written and interesting. The trainings plans for specific problems and behaviours was quite repetitive though. And once more: I would like my horsey books edited more nicely, with color pictures and the like. Am I the only one who checks the date of books to see if they date from the 80s?

And the one thing I could not get myself to ignore: her writing about marine animals in captivity made me sick to my stomach. It goes against everything I stand for and is just cruel and repulsive. I bought the book on an impulse, not knowing anything about Mrs Karrasch. I had sworn never to buy a book from an exotic animal trainer - so if you want to read it, don't buy it, I'll give you my copy.

[Julia Gaugler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would highly recommend this book to those of you who are just learning about positive reinforcement/clicker training.
Its a nice and chill introduction.
Afterwards I recommend you look into "Reaching the Animal Mind" and "Don't shoot the Dog!", Both by Karen Pryor.

Have a nice day!
Jewels

[mirba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn't explain really much about clicker and neither about targeting. But, anyway, it's a clicker book

[Anna HP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really practical and helpful