16. How to Change a Cue

If you want to change the cue at any time, give the new cue one second before the old one, he performs the behavior, then click and reward him.
This also works for changing a tactile cue to a verbal one and reverse.

So, if you want to change “Whoa” to “Stop”:

“Stop.Whoa” Horse stops. C/T.

After several practice sessions, you can drop the old cue and see if he understands the new one.
“Stop” horse stops c/t.

If not, keep pairing the new before the old and periodically dropping the old cue to see if he understands it yet.

“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
“Stop” horse stops c/t.
“Stop. Whoa” horse stops c/t.
Etc.

Test the new cue alone when he is doing something else but is in training. In this case, as he walks along on a day you have not yet trained this, try giving the Stop” cue to see if he responds.

Remember that every time you change environments, you will have to start the behavior from the beginning and drop the cue until you are getting the full behavior reliably again. Then start using the cue again. Ex: If you plan to take him on a ride with his buddies one weekend and he has just learned a new cue, don’t expect him to be able to respond correctly to the new cue in the presence of his buddies. Pretend he doesn’t know the cue and retrain it as you did when first teaching it. Practice the new cue with the old, then drop it as before.

You can also Combine Tactile and Verbal cues.

To change a squeeze with leg for speed into a verbal cue, present the verbal first, leg squeeze second, c/t when he does the behavior:

“Trot” squeeze with your legs. Horse trots, c/t.

With practice, drop the leg squeeze:
“Trot” Horse trots, C/T

Fact: A cue is not a command. Cued behaviors are voluntary. Commands are taught using force.