Horse Makeovers: A Positive Method for Training Horses

HORSE MAKEOVERS

A POSITIVE METHOD FOR TRAINING HORSES

Copyright © 2014 Patti Dammier, PhD.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Being around horses poses possible danger and should be approached with every precaution possible. This book is an introduction to behavioral science and how it may be used to train horses. Behavior Modification is a powerful tool if correctly used and not to be casually implimented. This book is not offered as a replacement for professional hands on help and training. While the book is as accurate as the author can make it, the author takes no responsibility to any person with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-3957-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-3959-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-3958-7 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 08/23/2014

Table of Contents

Dedication

Epigraph

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Equestrian Literature

Observing Horse Behavior

Basic Rider Aids Taught Using Longe Work

Teaching Your Horse a Safety Cue

Teaching Incompatible Behavior

Sometimes the Horse Wins

Smart Marks and Horse Training

Chaining Behavior

Ask Behavior Horse

Retraining Using a Schoolmaster

Firestar

Bolting Horse

Kicking Horse

Dog Training Stories

Epilogue

About the Author

Appendix

Glossary

References

List of Illustrations

1.   Natural Method of Training

2.   Horse Training

3.   Longe Work

4.   Safety Cue

5.   Cue, Behavior, Consequence

6.   Incompatible Behavior

7.   Sometimes the Horse Wins

8.   Smart Marks

9.   Confused Horse

10. Ask Behavior Horse

11. The Schoolmaster Pavie: Lessons

12. Hand Signal

13. Stand Cue

14. Halt Longe

15. Harley and Henry

16. Schoolmaster Pavie with His Friends

List of Tables

1.   What behavior will follow? (Every happening has a response.)

2.   Cue, Behavior, Consequence

3.   Example of How Horses Learn Undesired Behavior

4.   Positive Reinforcer

5.   Sequence for the Trainer

6.   Cue, Behavior, and Consequence: Standing Quietly

7.   How Bad Behavior of Running and Kicking Was Learned

8.   Beginning Practice to Change Behavior

9.   How Behavior Can Be Changed

10. Cue, Behavior, and Consequence

Dedication

Dedicated in loving memory to Ernie Dammier, who made all possible.

Epigraph

Horses should be trained in such a way that they not only love their riders but look forward to the time they are with them.

—Xenophon 400 B.C.

Foreword

What is Behavior Modification for Horses?

The basis for answering this question about horse behavior comes from the science and research about learning theory. Over 75 years of scientific research explains the theories about how animals learn. The foundation of learning theory is explained by applied behavior analysis, methods of behavior modification, and operant conditioning. A simple explanation of these principles is that behavior followed by an event, such as a reinforcer, will increase the occurrence of that behavior. When any behavior is connected to a cue, the cue becomes a training tool. The solution to horse-training problems lies in the teaching of a new cue. This brief explanation of the principles of behavior modification includes several important key points.

Key Points

Identify Behavior

Often the training of horse behavior fails to identify the specific horse behavior and uses emotional words that don’t identity what behavior the horse should perform. The first step is to identify the specific identifiable behavior to be observed. This is called a behavioral objective or outcome. The trainer visually identifies and reinforces one behavior. Behavior observation and identification are a key element for training

One Task at a Time

The techniques of behavior modification include several tools. It is important for the trainer to understand that these tools are powerful and need to be seriously and carefully implemented with consistent repetition to be effective. Learning to read isn’t completed in one session and neither do horses learn behavior in one quick session. Difficult behaviors, such as reading, are learned one easy task at a time and add other more complicated tasks until the final goal is reached. So it is with horses, especially when retraining. One task is learned per training session with successive tasks taught as the horse learns the previous behavior.

Behavior Reinforcement Procedures

The next part of teaching horse behavior is the use of behavior reinforcement to strengthen desired performance. Often the concept of reinforcement is inaccurately described as treats and rewards. Positive reinforcement is the precise delivery of either primary or secondary reinforcement delivered for the correct performance of behavior. For this lesson the concepts of positive reinforcement using primary and secondary reinforcers identified as:

1. Primary reinforcers - items that the horse understands to be desirable without teaching- such as food

2. Secondary reinforcers -cues taught by the trainer by combining a stand in signal with a primary reinforcer.

Horses learn secondary reinforcers even though it wasn’t purposefully taught. An example is the sound of such items as a car, door, etc. that has been connected with the delivery of food. Food is a powerful reinforcer because it is at the base of survival and it doesn’t have to be taught.

Horse Makeovers: A Positive Method for Training Horses

Horse Makeovers continues the ideas and examples provided in the book Behavior Modification for Horses: A Positive Method for Training Horses. This book covers details about the specific tools of using behavior modification. This new edition has additional material about how to use the tool of Behavioral Science, including examples of how to solve behavioral problems.

Preface

My pursuit of creating positive educational environments that support learning has led to a lifelong study both experiential and academic. People or animals engage in activities that are pleasant and are encouraged to repeat those activities because they’re pleasant. There is nothing mysterious about how learning takes place and the methods that will reinforce those preferred behaviors. Just because horse training claims to be natural doesn’t mean it’s an effective tool for creating a learning environment for horses. Horses accept our intervention because they learn through a series of positive experiences that no harm comes to them and we are consistent in our positive behavior. Research demonstrates that horses respond favorably to humans because we create a positive relationship.

It’s time to move away from the faddish gadgets and quick fix methods and invest a little time to learn the basic principles of behavior modification and behavioral science that provides information to create a positive learning environment and a method of obtaining desirable behavior from horses.

Acknowledgements

Writing a book takes more than a single person’s effort. I would like to acknowledge the following people:

Wendy Peabody for her imaginative illustrations. Wendy is a freelance illustrator and fine artist using a wide variety of mediums. Her favored medium is pen and ink, because of her working often in the black and white