When training animals, and especially horses, positive reinforcement should be used. The training process involves the human having an idea they want to convey to their horse. They try to communicate this idea to the horse and show it what they want. The horse, as a partner, is always eager to work with the human (even if it initially seems otherwise) and to please them. It will therefore try several approaches and attempt to implement the human’s idea. Sometimes it’s on the right track right away, and sometimes it takes a little longer. But to support our horse on its journey, we want to reward it for every step in the right direction, so it develops an understanding of the movement and remains motivated to find the solution. For me, positive reinforcement is one of the best ways to work with a horse, because it’s the best way for them to learn, and at the same time, we build a foundation of trust by my horse learning that I am a pleasant learning partner. But what types of positive reinforcement are there?
FIRSTLY, THERE’S THE USE OF FOOD AS A REWARD. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY INTENSE FORM OF POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, AS FOOD HOLDS A HIGH VALUE FOR EVERY ANIMAL. THEREFORE, USING FOOD AS A REWARD MUST BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED. NOT ALL HORSES ARE SUITED TO IT, AND A CONSISTENT HAND IS NEEDED TO ENSURE SUCCESSFUL USE OF FOOD DURING TRAINING. WITH PARTICULARLY DEMANDING OR DOMINANT HORSES, FOOD AS A REWARD IS GENERALLY NOT RECOMMENDED. HOWEVER, FOR MANY HORSES, FOOD AS A REWARD CREATES AN IMMEDIATE POSITIVE ASSOCIATION, AND THEY WILL BE VERY WILLING TO REPEAT THE MOVEMENT FOR WHICH THEY WERE REWARDED.
FURTHERMORE, THERE IS PRAISE THROUGH PHYSICAL CONTACT, FOR EXAMPLE, STROKING THE NECK. OF COURSE, THE HORSE MUST ASSOCIATE SOMETHING POSITIVE WITH THE GESTURE, OTHERWISE IT HAS NO VALUE. FOR HORSES THAT HAVE HAD TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES WITH HUMAN TOUCH, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS NOT THE BEST CHOICE INITIALLY. HOWEVER, FOR MOST HORSES, IT IS A PLEASANT GESTURE THAT CAN BE PERFORMED AT THE RIGHT MOMENT AND QUICKLY SIGNALS TO THE HORSE THAT WHAT IT IS DOING IS GOOD.
ANOTHER POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT METHOD COMES FROM YOUR VOICE. PERHAPS YOU’VE ALREADY DEVELOPED SOME WORDS YOU USE WHEN YOU PARTICULARLY LIKE WHAT YOUR HORSE IS DOING. THESE COULD BE WORDS LIKE “GOOD BOY/GIRL, ” ETC. HORSES ARE VERY GOOD AT REMEMBERING DIFFERENT SOUNDS, SO VERBAL PRAISE IS VERY EFFECTIVE. IT’S NOT JUST THE WORD ITSELF THAT MATTERS, BUT ALSO HOW IT’S SPOKEN. I ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT THIS PRAISE CAN HAPPEN DURING THE EXERCISE ITSELF, HELPING TO MAINTAIN MOTIVATION. 🙂
FURTHERMORE, THERE IS POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IN THE FORM OF A PAUSE, WHICH CAN MEAN THAT YOU SLOW DOWN OR END A PARTICULAR EXERCISE. YOU CAN CHOOSE TO CONTINUE AT A RELAXED WALK OR TO HALT YOUR HORSE COMPLETELY AND GIVE IT A LOOSE REIN. A PAUSE IS A GOOD SIGNAL THAT IS ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD.
IN ANY CASE, YOU’VE PROBABLY ALREADY FORMED AN IDEA OF WHICH POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT YOUR HORSE LIKES BEST, BUT PERHAPS YOU’D LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW IT REACTS TO OTHER TYPES OF PRAISE.