Episode 143: Great News!

Should I make you wait until you listen to the podcast to find out what the great news is? I think not. I’m delighted to finally be able to announce that the first lesson in my DVD series is now available on line. “Lesson One: Getting Started with the Clicker” is available as an on-line mini course.

I’ve been working on this project for several years. I’ve had it mostly done for a while, but there were other things that kept pushing it onto the back burner, including getting the Equiosity podcasts out every week. One of the advantages to not traveling for clinics is I have time for more projects, including getting “Lesson One” up on line.

The original lesson was produced in 1999. It was updated in 2006. So it was more than time for an update. Rather than remake the entire lesson, I have built the course around the original material. Every bit of the original has been broken down into small, bite sized pieces. I introduce you more fully to the horses who were featured in that lesson. Why did they stand out amongst the equine clicker pioneers? What did they teach us about clicker training. Their stories will inspire.

I’ve added so many details to the teaching. But again rather than replace the original video, I’ve added to it. Some of the video expands the lessons. And some of it points out details we didn’t yet realize were important. In these sections I am coaching an earlier version of myself as I point out the changes in handling details. It’s a good way to learn. You see the reminders. We did it this way originally, but this is better, and what’s more, this is why it’s better.

So if you are just getting started in clicker training, this is a great resource for you. It’s an easy way to learn great clicker training basics. And if you’ve been following my work for a while, I think you’ll also enjoy this course. For you it’s a look back. You’ll see the evolution of the training, and you’ll get to meet the many horses and their handlers that I have talked about in these Equiosity podcast and my clinics.

(And I should just add, this podcast includes not just the announcement about the course, but a discussion of how to teach backing in a square. That lesson is in second DVD lesson: Ground Manners, but Dominique had a question about how it is taught so we jumped into that discussion as well.)