mixermune

Its been too cold and muddy to ride, so I was looking into something else to do with my horse until the spring rolls around. I knew about clicker training in dogs and other animals, and I discovered quite a few sites dedicated to clicker training horses.

I've read everything I could without paying money for it, and gave targeting a try. My gelding caught on very quickly and within no time he was touching the big red lid I was using as a target for a click and a treat.

Now here's my question: Target training was cute, and it was fun, but does clicker training really work for improving ground manners or manners under saddle? Before I drop 40 bucks on some crazy book about how to teach behaviours to your horse.. does anyone have any experiance with it actually DOING anything other than producing a cute trick? Does it ruin them? I don't want to ride my horse around with him CONSTANTLY expecting to stop for treats.

I got my gelding about a month ago and he's come up with what is commonly called Sweet Itch or Queensland Itch. Its an allergy to the bite of a specific type of midge fly, and its made him so itchy he's rubbed himself bald on his neck. I've googled and searched for remedies, and now I'm asking here. Please do not just copy paste from the web, as I've likely seen it already.

What can I do to help him? The vet has been out and we are putting him on some meds, but is there anything else I can put on his rub-marks to help soothe his itchiness and help his hair grow back? Anyone have any experience with this awful condition?

I'm trying to pull down the boarder along the top of the guest room, and that sucker is stuck! I've tried scoaring it and then spraying it with a comercial product called Dif, but it isn't making any DIFference.