Verbal Cues, Can the Judge Hear You Before They SEE You?

Most of us are guilty of it, verbally cuing our horses. It starts simply enough when you are training them to move, go forward, go backwards, spin, move their feet, a cluck here, a kiss there, here a cluck, there a cluck, everywhere a cluck, cluck. However, after they are trained, do you quit verbally cuing your horse? Or are you a chronic clucker? It's a hard habit to break, but most judges dislike overly done verbal cues. One cluck, ok, but the entire pattern...mmm...not.
This is a bad habit many exhibitors fall into the habit of and just don't fall out of, even AFTER their horse no longer needs it. So, practice with someone who will call you on your clucking and challenge yourself to discontinue your verbal cues. (and for more information about Judges opinons, see my link to the left on Judges opinions...that'll clue you in).
I'll be gone for almost a week at Gordyville's shoot out, hopefully I'll come back with some great new patterns!