Interview: Sharon Foley - clicker trainer, dressage rider and author

October 10, 11:14 AMClicker Training ExaminerEve Alexander

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Sharon with Pamela (seen in video below)

Sharon, how did you get into clicker training?
It was about 10 or 11 years ago. My friend, Laurie, had just gotten a puppy. She'd heard about clicker training on a breed discussion forum on line. Intrigued, she ordered some booklets about clicker training and gave one to me. Immediately, we both knew we'd just been exposed to something really important and very cool.

But, at the time, neither one of us made any connection between clicker training and horses. I spent the next year or so learning about clicker training and the science behind it with my dogs.

Over time, the concepts started to seep into my horsemanship and riding. It took some years more to find a balance point between the dressage I loved, the natural horsemanship which had caught my attention and the clicker training that fascinated me.

Eventually I did and the result is what you are reading in my book, Getting to Yes: Clicker Training for Improved Horsemanship.

How does clicker training make riding safer?
When a rider applies the principles of clicker training to her training program (meaning break goals down into achievable steps and reward desired behavior) she ends up with a horse who is confident and trusts his rider to set him up for success. Horses are ‘unsafe’ when they engage in the fight or flight behaviors associated with their own fear. And while horses can still be unpredictable we improve our chances for a pleasant and safe ride tremendously having built the aforementioned relationship.

How important is ground work in training horses for under saddle activities.
The ‘old masters’ said, the horse you lead is the horse you ride. It is old wisdom but no less important today. And, my own experience bears out the truth of that wisdom. I can tell just from handling the horse on the ground how he will be to ride. A wise trainer will always address a problem at the first inkling of that problem. Getting to the ‘thing’ before the thing that happens happens! Since it is possible to feel the problem starting to emerge before you ever get on then it makes sense to start there to fix it.

US dressage champ Steffen Peters is a clicker trainer.

Is ground work boring?
To me, ground work is riding from the ground. And just as dressage is infinitely fascinating, so too is ground work. Most people don’t know enough about what to look / feel for which is why it is perceived as boring. When you know more it becomes a lot more interesting! And, I’m still learning about ground work.

Can clicker trained horses compete against traditionally trained horses?
Absolutely. It is up to the trainer to know the goals of the competition. There is no reason not to use clicker training to prepare the horse to win. More and more competitors are realizing that positive reinforcement WORKS.

Do you have any recommendations for people who want to get started in clicker training?
Study as much as you can the basic principles of clicker training which apply to all animals--including humans. While there is more info than ever before on clicker training horses available these days there is still much more on dog training. Don’t discount these resources as great sources of information. Practice your training skills on other animals… the family dog or cat or even fish. And when you work with your horse start with fun and simple things (like tricks). Pick something where it won’t matter if you make ‘mistakes’. In fact, an important part of the process is to become OK with mistakes. Learn to smile and vow to learn something from them when they happen.

Sharon's very affordable book is easy
to read and beautifully produced.

What inspired you to write your book 'Getting to Yes'?
Well I guess I need to admit that there isn’t an inspirational story associated with it. I was contacted by a representative of T.F.H. Publishing who was looking to add books about horse training to their collection of animal training books. Honestly, at first I thought it was spam mail. But, I read it again and realized that there really was a publishing company by that name and followed up. I enjoy writing and many people were telling me, ‘Sharon you should write a book.’ I thought, one day maybe I would. Then this publishing company contacted me and said, we’re going to pay someone to write a book. I figured it might as well be me. And, that is really how it happened. I was fortunate that they said, write what ever you are passionate about and the result is this book.

I've written a series of articles about the barbaric so-called 'training' of Tennessee Walking Horses, but I acknowledge that there is abuse and exploitation of horses in all disciplines. Do you have any feelings about cruel training methods, particularly in dressage? 

Sharon & Danke show a non-coerced, relaxed canter.

Dutch dressage queen Anky van Grunsven
demonstrates an ungraceful canter with rollkur.

Not much that I’m aware of compares to what the TWHs endure which is truly sickening. However, there is growing contempt within the dressage community for the practice of ‘rollkur’. This is a mis-guided attempt to address what is believed to be the ‘new’ training challenges associated with the super-bred warmbloods used for dressage competition.

Really, what we have is a lack of quality horsemanship which depends on taking TIME to do things right. Nowadays we have these extraordinary horses who basically leave the womb at 3rd level. They are rushed into training so they are competing at Grand Prix by the time they are 8 years old. They are doing the ‘tricks’ but the horses are often tense, rushing, with hindquarters trailing. The worst part is the fact that judges reward the results of these practices.

So, while classical training applies to all horses irrespective of breed (or price tag) the will to follow the old wisdom is being lost in the need to make the big money in competition. Fortunately, there are some highly respected individuals within the community who are making their voices heard against these practices and educating folks as to what correctly moving horses should look like. Truly a breath of fresh air!

How do you feel about natural horse care?
I prefer to keep my horses barefoot (I trim them myself) and that they live out 24x7. I just think that is better for their general health and well being. Neither of my horses thrives on just pasture (even though they have 24x7 access to it) so I do feed additional grain to ensure that I meet all of their nutritional requirements. I use bits when riding dressage but do quite a bit of preliminary training in a halter or sidepull.

Sharon, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions today. I have your beautiful and affordable book, Getting to Yes: Clicker Training for Improved Horsemanship and am enjoying it very much. I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in non-forceful, safe, kind, and effective horse training. Sharon's website www.horsemansarts.com has a lot of great information on it - for novice and advanced clicker trainers. Be sure to listen to her wonderful interview with dressage star Jane Savoie!

Here is a video of Sharon clicker training a Tennessee Walking Horse to stand for mounting.

Photo credits: Sharon Foley; Steffen Peters - AP Photo/Jae C. Hong; Anky van Grunsven rollkur picture -www.horsegroomingsupplies.com

The copyright of this article is owned by Eve Alexander. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Eve Alexander in writing.