I first came across the concept of target training over 25 years ago. I had just finished my degree and I went to England to spend a few days with Linda Hams, an APBC member and Equine Behaviourist who had kindly agreed to let me see some cases with her.

Linda introduced me to clicker training and the idea of using a target as a way of guiding and directing the horse when working with a loading problem.

I came back home and had a little play about with it, but it was a few years later, when I was working in a saddlery part time while finishing my PhD studies, that I came across a book called ‘You can Train your Horse to do Anything. On Target Training: Clicker Training and Beyond’ by Shawna and Vinton Karrasch.

Possibly the longest title of any book that I had ever seen! Anyway, I used to sneakily read bits of it on my break, and eventually I purchased a copy. I loved that it applied all the theory I had learned on my Psychology degree in a very practical, applied way to horse training. However,  I do remember thinking, goodness, this woman uses a target for everything.

I had a little play with my own mare, and then when I started my business in 2003, I began to teach it to my clients. At the time I just couldn’t see why Shawna was quite so obsessed with the target. Yes, I found it useful and I liked the concept of targeting so I used it in lots of different ways that didn’t necessarily involve holding an actual target, for example teaching ‘heelwork’ for horses- a form of  liberty training based purely on positive reinforcement.

The main place I used the actual target was for loading and I had quite a few loading problems that we resolved through working this way (as originally demonstated to me by Linda!)

It wasn’t until 2012 when I invited Shawna over to stay and run some UK and Ireland clinics that the penny dropped for me. When I watched her work I suddenly realised just what it was that made the target so powerful, and how we can turn that to our advantage when we train.

And yes, she was right, you literally can use it to teach your horse to do Anything!

But the key, the powerful thing, is how it makes the horse feel.

This is the one tool that every horse person should learn to use. You don’t have to use it regularly, but there will always be a situation where you are glad of it. I can guarantee that once you see the value, you will integrate it more and more into your training.

If you would like to learn more, then sign up to my next workshop at Dukes Equestrian on the 12th April 2026, venue kindly sponsored by Equine-X with their product, Connexion, as part of their ‘Keeping it Real’ ethos.

Further information here:

Workshops, Courses and Classes 2026

Booking form for the workshop here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1aNg95Pi_PZCbFkgzazl3pbrFKqbKBvVACw325xmL-ko/viewform

And if you can’t make it in person but you’d still like to learn more, take a look at my online courses here: https://www.psy-htec.com/

You can also book in person or online one to one coaching with me,  contact details here:

Contact

For more information on Connexion please visit https://equine-x.com/

Looking forward to seeing you there!!

Helen