Can I use something other than your clicker and target?
Yes. The important thing to remember is that the bridge signal (clicker) and target can be repeated in any situation with any rider. We begin with the clicker because we have found that horses have become desensitized to our voices, they hear us talking to them and other people every day. The clicker provides a unique, distinct sound that grabs their attention, and expedites the training process.

The hand-held target is useful because it's seen as an extension of your hand and becomes familiar to your horse. Horses by nature are curious, and will want to touch the target to see what it is. By providing the white float (target) at the end of the stick, you have given the horse an object to focus on. So you want to use an object with a distance end on it. Some thing that is light and easy to use consistently.

You are setting your horse up to succeed with the target.

 

If I use the stick clicker, is it easy to click my crop by mistake?
No. The clicker requires the force of your finger into the click box. We have found it very useful to have the clicker attached to the crop for immediate reinforcement, as it allows you to hold one less thing in your hand and still have immediate, easy access to it.

 
I notice you use two different targets, a hand-held one and a stationary one. How many targets can my horse recognize?
Over a period of time, your horse can learn to recognize multiple targets. Again, the key here is to set your horse up for success. We use two targets, one that we operate with our hand to teach the horse what we want it to do when interacting with us. The second, stationary target is useful in teaching the horse where to go, when in his stall, loading into a trailer, etc.

You may train other objects as targets but be consistent. Part of the horse's success is in recognizing what to do with that particular object. He should hold on the target with his nose. You will have more success by teaching fewer number of objects as targets, but by having the same object in more places. You may have five stationary targets in different places but they should be visually the same for your horse. This way it will be easier for him to know what to do with the target when he sees it, even if it is in a new place.

 
Can you use two different targets in the same exercise?
Yes. For instance, in trailer loading, you use the hand-held target to encourage the horse up the ramp and into the trailer. Once at the top of the trailer, the horse can see the second stationary target, and that can be used to encourage the horse the rest of the way into the trailer and to stand where you want him.

 
Why do I have to use the clicker? Why can't I just praise my horse and give him food?
The clicker, once your horse is conditioned, provides a bridge between the desired behvaior and the time you can reward him. This timing is crucial for the horse to understand what he did that was correct. For instance, a woman was trying to train her horse to hold his foot up for her to pick out his hoof. As soon as she was done she would let go of the foot and then get food. By the time she gave him the food, he had put his foot down. Gradually, he began to associate putting his foot down with the reward, not holding it up. Thinking that he was doing the right thing, he'd stamp on the floor, expecting to be rewarded. By adding the clicker to this scenario she let the horse know that, "Holding your foot is the behavior I like and I'm going to reward you for it." All she had to do was click during the action she wanted.

 
Do I have to use food as the reward?
No. However, it is strongly recommended that you use food. Every healthy horse in the world will respond to food. It is one of several primary reinforcements, meaning that they need it to survive. Therefore they are born with the desire to search for food. Being Grazers they constantly want to eat. This makes food an exceptional motivator: it is something they really want. You may find other things that your horse enjoys like toys, turnout, rest, a scratch on the withers, etc., but these things vary from horse to horse and usually hold less value than food.

 

On Target Training Principles
Using the On Target Training system
Undesirable Behavior