Why can’t I just say ‘good horse’ and give a pat instead of clicking?
The main advantage to a clicker is that you can click in the very instant the horse does what you want. By the time you say ‘good horse’ and pat him, several seconds may have passed and he isn’t sure exactly what he did to deserve your praise. So he will have to keep guessing until he figures it out. Another thing about the clicker is it is consistent. When using your voice, sometimes you might be excited and other times tired or grumpy, and your horse will hear the difference. People often don’t realize they use different words, for example saying ‘good boy’ one day and ‘well done’ the next. When my horse does something extra special do I click more than once? No, you want to keep your clicker use consistent. Just one click. You’ll reward your horse’s exceptional effort with a bigger paycheck, in other words – give him a special treat (licorice or peppermint candy) or more of a usual treat (a whole apple, a handful of carrots). Will I always have to click and treat? As your horse beco
