“Ten Training Principles For All Horse Interactions”
(Listeners’ Choice)
By Popular Demand we have re-published this episode. Each weekend we are choosing the most listened to and commented on episodes for you to enjoy.
This interview was previously published in 2018 Andrew McLean 2 (111)
About Andrew
– Episode 003 – Andrew McLean http://horsechats.com/andrewmclean
– Listeners’ Choice 141 (003)
About This Episode
– Andrew discusses 10 training principles for all horse interactions. As first Principles, these stand as non- negotiable obligations for trainers to maintain optimal welfare in trained horses as well as optimal training efficiency. These principles are presented as further refinements of the “Original 8 Principals” on the ISES website and in the peer-reviewed literature (McGreevy and McLean, 2006).
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“Ten Training Principles for Horses”
1 – Train according to the horse’s ethology and cognition.
Does your training demonstrate recognition of Ethology and Cognition? – Ethology is the study of animal behaviour that provides information on how horses have evolved to live. Cognition refers to the ways animals process information about the world.
Welfare Implications: Over or underestimating horses’ intelligence has negative welfare implications. Isolation, restricted locomotion and foraging have welfare implications.
2 – Use learning theory appropriately.
Does your training demonstrate the appropriate use of Habituation, Sensitisation, Operant Conditioning, Shaping and Classical conditioning?
– Habituation is recognized when animals stop responding to events and stimuli as they become accustomed to them.
– Sensitisation is when an individual response intensity is increased.
– Operant conditioning – describes training using rewards and consequences.
– There are 4 subsets: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Positive Punishment and Negative Punishment.
– Shaping is the gradual step-by-step building behaviours.
– Classical Conditioning uses cues and signals to trigger and elicit behaviours.
Welfare Implications: The use of pressure/discomfort has the potential for serious welfare implications that range form escape, aggression and apathy to learned helplessness.
3 – Train easy to discriminate signals (exercises).
Does your training demonstrate the operant and classically conditioned signals are unique and easily discriminated for.
Welfare Implications: Blurred and ambivalent signals can lead to confusion, distress and responses that compromise performance and rider safety
4 – Shape responses and movements.
Does your training demonstrate that, for any behaviour modification, training begins by reinforcing basic attempts at the target behaviour and then gradually improving approximations of that behaviour?
Welfare Implications: Poor shaping can lead to confusion and responses that compromise performance and rider safety.
5 – Elicit responses one at a time.
Does your training demonstrate that individual cues/signals are separated in time from each other?
Welfare Implications: Clashing cues weaken stimulus control and can lead to confusion and responses that compromise performance and rider safety.
6 – Train only one response per signal.
Does your training demonstrate that each signal elicits a single response?
Welfare Implications: Ambiguous rein and leg signals lead to confusion and responses that compromise performance and rider safety.
7 – Form consistent habits.
Does your training demonstrate consistency, so that in training new responses, training is set up in the same context each time, and the same signals are used on the same part of the horse’s body or in the same location relative to the horse’s body?
Welfare Implications: Inconsistent training can lead to dull responses that compromise performance.
8 – Train persistence to responses (self-carriage).
Does your training demonstrate the duration of locomotory responses so that the horse learns to ‘keep going’ in rhythm, straightness and outline to avoid any need for constant signalling and the risk of the horse habituating to signals?
Welfare Implications: The consequences of a lack of self-carriage range from dull responses to hyper-reactive responses that compromise performance, welfare and rider safety.
9 – Avoid and dissociate flight responses (because they resist extinction and trigger fear problems).
Does your training demonstrate the avoidance of flight responses?
Welfare Implications: Acute stress shows up as problem behaviours (escape, aggression, apathy). Chronic stress has very serious welfare implications, including learned helplessness, and can be fatal.
10 – Demonstrate minimum levels of arousal sufficient for training (to ensure absence of conflict).
Does your training demonstrate appropriate relaxation?
Welfare Implications: Too much arousal may lead to compromised welfare, which may show as acute/chronic stress (escape, aggression, apathy).
Time Stamps
00:59 – Background
02:39 – First Principle – Train according to the horse’s ethology and cognition.
09:28 – Second Principle – Use learning theory appropriately.
15:30 – Good trainers doing things instinctively
17:21 – Third Principle – Train easy to discriminate signals.
18:34 – Exercises to show that the aids are clear
20:20 – Fourth Principle – Shape responses and movements.
24:00 – Fifth Principle – Elicit responses one at a time.
28:26 – Sixth Principle – Train only one response per signal.
30:34 – Seventh Principle – Form consistent habits
31:55 – Eighth Principle – Train persistence to responses (self-carriage)
34:23 – About dressage riding
36:00 – Ninth Principle – Avoid and dissociate flight responses (because they resist extinction and trigger fear problems)
39:50 – Tenth Principle – Demonstrate minimum levels of arousal sufficient for training (to ensure absence of conflict).
42:20 – Contact: see details below
Andrew’s Contact Details
Phone: 0408 101 141 or + 61 408 101 141
Email: info@esi-education.com
Website: www.esi-education.com
Facebook Link: www.Facebook.com/EquitationScienceInternational
Books
The books that Andrew has written can be found on this link
http://www.esi-education.com/shop/
HELP (Human Elephant Learning Program) Charity
https://www.facebook.com/helpelephants/
Music
BenSound.com
When Andrew is a return guest on Horse Chats, what question would you like to ask him?
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