Horse Training With the Initiator Signal - Asking Your Horse's Permission

Positive Reinforcement Horse Training, Force-Free, Restraint-Free, Permission-Based, Natural Horsemanship, Clicker Training

The initiator signal is a means for the horse to communicate to the handler the rate at which the criteria can be comfortably raised. A variation on targeting, the handler holds her hand out for the horse to touch when he wishes for her to engage in the training exercise. Thus, the horse gives the handler permission to train him.

For example, if the trainer wishes to ride a young colt for the first time, she may hold her hand out of the horse to touch. When he touches it, she may move towards his side and click after she pretends to jump up. She would then return to the horse's nose and offer her hand for him to touch again. If the horse touches her hand, she may jump by his side again. If he thinks twice about touching her hand, but ultimately touches it, the horse has indicated that if the trainer reduces her criteria that he will continue to engage willfully in the training process. If the horse refuses to touch the trainer's hand, he is indicating that he does not wish to engage in the game and will likely become reactive if she attempts to jump on his back again.

The initiator can be used to get the horse's permission to engage in all varieties of activities, from bandaging a leg wound to desensitizing a fearful horse to whips. It an be used with any positive reinforcement technique, whether clicker training or training with conditioned reinforcers like petting.