Horse training and the horse training equipment used for horse training has changed dramatically over the last 20-30 years. Because we understand what motivates different behaviors in horses so much better than we once did, much of the brute force of traditional horse training equipment has gone out of training. Thank heavens!
But even while we strive to be kind and gentle, much of what we do to train our horses might still be considered "negative." For example, you pull on the rein-which the horse would prefer you didn't do-and when he responds by turning his head, you let go. Sure, it's a relief when you release the pressure on his mouth, but it's not exactly a "reward"-at least not in the same way that giving him a piece of carrot would be.
New evidence from the Equine Research Foundation in Aptos, California, suggests that maybe that carrot might produce better, faster results and make horses even more eager to learn. According to Evelyn B. Hanggi, M.S., Ph.D., an equine cognitive behaviorist, positive reinforcers such as praise, petting and food are powerful tools.
"Horses learn remarkably well when trained using positive reinforcers," notes Dr. Hanggi. "Rewards teach a horse to give you a specific behavior to receive something good in return."
For decades, such methods have been put to good use training many different species-from dolphins to dogs. Dr. Hanggi and her fellow researchers are hoping that the same type of rewards will find their way into the training repertoires of horse owners as well.
The Equine Research Foundation uses only positive reinforcement in its efforts to discover how horses learn. This research has been instrumental in debunking some of the old myths that horses aren't smart, that they simply react instinctively to life, and that they don't really have the ability to learn.
How Horses Learn
As horse enthusiasts, we commonly see and use a type of learning called "operant conditioning." This type of learning teaches a horse to act in a particular way, either to get positive reinforcement (something he wants, like a carrot) or to get rid of negative reinforcement (something unpleasant, like that pesky leg cue).
The idea is to strengthen the connection in the horse's mind between the action and the reinforcement, so you get the desired response when you use the same cue. For instance, your horse learns to extend his trot when he hears you clucking and feels you mildly squeezing his sides with your legs.
Operant conditioning is a horse training standard. It has been used since humans began working with horses. In fact, research and practical experience show that horses excel at this simple form of learning.
"The equine brain is marvelously evolved to learn different sorts of information in different ways," says Andrew McLean, an Australian horse behavior expert and trainer.
Building Bridges
- Give your horse credit for being the smart, adept learner that he is.
- Use positive reinforcement, whether food, praise or petting, to help your horse learn better and faster.
- Develop a "bridge," a secondary reinforcer, to span the gap between your horse's correct action and his reward.
- At first, reinforce any effort in the right direction. Then become more selective about the actions you reward.
- Condition and reinforce politeness and respect. Ignore or discourage any rude or pushy acts.
- Be patient and consistent when applying these methods.
Using Negative Reinforcement
Perhaps the most common way we shape equine behavior today is by negative reinforcement. To mold our horses' behaviors, we generally use some kind of pressure-the pull on the rein, the tap of a dressage whip, a squeeze with a leg. This pressure becomes the "negative stimulus" that our horses want to remove or avoid.
Negative reinforcement is used before a horse acts in a certain way; it then stops when the horse does the right thing. Most of us use negative reinforcers every time we work with our horses.
However, negative reinforcement should never be confused with punishment. Punishment is used after the horse has acted in what his rider or trainer would deem to be the "wrong" way. Equine behavior experts emphasize that punishment is always confusing and damaging to a horse. It should never be used as a training tool.
While the idea of using a "negative reinforcer" doesn't sound all that great either, wise and caring trainers learn to refine negative reinforcement cues so the slightest pressure produces the desired behavior.
But what if you could produce these exact results by offering rewards rather than by applying, then removing, pressure? This is what positive reinforcement training is all about.
