Scottish Clicker Centre Elizabeth Lamb

About Elizabeth Lamb

A training trip to Canada sparked my initial interest in a more "natural" approach to training horses, giving me my first insight into using a pressure and release system to communicate with horses. I learned that the timing of the release is probably the most important part of this process. Although good timing takes practise, I believe it is a key element of being a good trainer.

On arrival home, I experimented with these newfound techniques and was pleased with the results I was getting from my horses. I also decided to add in another element to my training, one that I had dabbled in before going away - clicker training. The inspiration for this was Alexandra Kurland's first book: "Clicker Training for Your Horse". I had taught my horse to touch a target before I left, but wanted to find ways to incorporate the clicker into my pressure and release work. I read and re-read this book, and piggybacked the clicker onto everything I taught. I was astonished at how clever my horse was. I started to "pay" her for work well done, and found that she was keener to work with me than ever before. Not that surprising - we all look forward to getting a paycheque!

After experiencing success using clicker training on other people’s horses as well as my own, I decided to train in France for a while with clicker trainer and dressage enthusiast, Linda Pearson. I spent six months riding and training not only my own mare, who I took with me, but also Linda’s two beautiful warmbloods. I also worked with her miniature horse, focussing on in-hand dressage, and developed a taste for long reining. Linda’s own training with both Alexandra Kurland and James Shaw (Tai Chi) helped me greatly, and I returned to Scotland a much better rider and clicker trainer.

Since arrival home I have continued to develop my clicker training business, which sees me working with regular clients, taking in horses for training, and co-ordinating clinics. I have been fortunate enough to bring Alexandra Kurland and James Shaw to Scotland, and have hosted several clinics for them since the debut ones in early 2006. They have been a great learning experience for all involved, not to mention great fun.

One of my main teachers in my quest to become a better trainer is my horse Chloe. She has shown me lightness that I didn't believe possible, endless enthusiasm, and responses that consistently tell me the truth. She is my horse in a million.