There follow a few dilemmas for you to consider…

• The horse’s need for company
• Rider needs vs horse’s needs – competition
• Time
• Breeding & unwanted horses
• Training method & coach selection
• Gear selection & use
• Horse choice

Lameness vs company

A horse requires being on flat ground for a chronic lameness, but his friends are in a large, hilly paddock and will disappear from his sight, this is a dilemma of the horse’s mental and physical health. Sometimes even the best plans are not so easy to implement. Should the other horses be confined closer (but it now reduces their feed/range, and increases the owner inputs), should a new friend be introduced (prehaps a goat or a pony – with its own set of dilemmas), should he instead have regular contact so as to appease his basic need, and if so is it enough? This is a difficult subject because for a horse, friendship appears to be a more pressing basic need than his physical health. He would rather (because evolution tells him to) be with the herd, even if it hurts and is ultimately to his detriment. Company is a more pressing need to a horse.

Rider needs vs horse needs – competition

Riders are trying to shape horses into things they were never bred to do, or have been bred to do – but the horse may not like his job. A horse, even if smartly bred, may have an accidental conformation that makes his job difficult or produces additional physical (or mental) stresses. For example: the too upright pastern in a jumper, too shorter neck in a dressage horse, predisposition to OCD. Sometimes horses are better matched to another ‘job’ than the one he was bred to do. He may be a terrific trail horse, he may be wonderful with kids, he may help rehabilitate people or other horses. Sometimes we have to be realistic about where in the natural life-cycle the horse sits – maybe he is not yet old enough to fulfil our desires, maybe now – purely as a factor of age, he can no longer be expected to the job he once loved or was skilled at. With age his job changes – when he is older, we cannot expect him to perform at the same level, but having kept him well-trained and of sound mind and body, he can be happy teaching a less confident rider in less demanding tasks, he may enjoy quiet hacking more, or a decreased workload, or even retirement. Typically competition riders at least have the finances to provide good feed, good therapists and good vets.

Financial considerations

The everyday dilemmas begin simply with the choice of where the horse is to live – and this is driven by individual financial considerations. Barns and grazing options can work out to be challenging to the budget, but they must also suit the horse. The best barn in the world is of no consequence if it stretches your finances to the point of not being able to pay for unexpected medical treatment or injury. These expenses need to be factored in before you even choose horse ownership. You need to factor in enough slack for the unexpected need for stabling for injury, for extra feed, for even a rise in feed prices during drought. These ensure the basic needs of the horse are met. If your horse gets an illness or a chronic injury, what is your plan, how will you cope?

Whilst on the subject of horse-keeping, expensive doesn’t necessarily mean appropriate to the horse’s needs – often making life easier for the owner than the horse, in a barn bringing confinement, less social interaction, with limited exercise, and more chance of developing stereotypies such as stall-walking, crib-biting, weaving.

Time

How much time do you need to have in a day to meet the horse’s daily needs and to undertake any training, or to meet your competition goals? How does this impact on your work, your family life and relationships? How does this impact your personal lifestyle balance? Does riding keep you sane, and therefore become a very important need to be personally fulfilled? If you have a young horse, or a more challenging horse – do you have the appropriate amount of time to give the horse that he will require? It may be a more difficult task for you if you work long hours, have to commute a long way to the horse, have a young family or a demanding job. Additionally, do you have the confidence and skills? Clinton Anderson got it right when he said that a horse is simply maintence on legs!

Breeding and unwanted horses

When and why do you choose to breed from your horse? There are many horses where a ‘back yard owner’ decides to breed from their mare – but sometimes it is to fulfil an owner want, rather than any sort of need. I have seen many situations where horses that should never have been bred from – poor conformation, unsuitability for the owner (who intends on keeping the foal), and here’s a prime one – the horse has behavioural problems… so what do you do… you guessed it… you breed from it! These sorts of owners lack the skill to handle a foal, typically lack suitable facilities, and lack the experience of running a broadmare. The foal is not going to have a good start… and may end up with health or behavioural issues, the first 18 months being so important to the social and physical development of a foal. These foals that do not have the opportunity to grow up in a herd environment, and with other foals, typically lack the learned social skills, important to him operating safely in a human world. These are the foals that become over familiar with humans (they have been overhandled, and under-disciplined for biting, kicking, pushing, even charging people and chasing them from the paddock). There are many horses that end up unloved, unwanted, that end up at the knacker’s yard, or are surrended to or saved by the brilliant equine welfare organisations, sanctuaries and individuals that have sadly become increasingly required because of humans making bad decisions.

Training method and coach selection

What training method suits the horse? What does the horse tell us? Listen to his subtle (and sometimes very unsubtle) signs. Constantly review and revisit evidence of these signs throughout your training and interaction with the horse. The fact is that whilst some competition-coaches place performance before welfare, there are others that have a better balance. Some of the best horse(wo)men never compete, but if a horse has a problem they are the first point of call. Why is this? This is because some of the training methods have become de-coupled from adequately addressing how the horse learns. There are some ‘cowboys’ who would not know what ‘habituation’ is, what ‘negative reinforcement’ is, but they sure know how to apply it – AND more importantly – the horse knows! Good training employs methods that whether you understand the terminology or not, lead to good horsemanship because of their
application of common principles. Sometimes trained ‘trainers’ become parrots of their mentor, rather than a thinking/evolving horseman in his/her own right. This too has happened many times, and is why I believe some end up moving away from doctrine-based training to something more holistic, open-minded and evolving.

Gear selection & use

We are willingly being  sold: (a) unneccessary and even damaging equipment every day, (b) trendy equipment given the current fashion, (c) ill-fitting gear, either cheap or expensive… saddles, bridles etc, etc (d) good gear that is then ill-used – even a cavesson noseband can become a weapon if over-tightened. So… every time you put a piece of equipment anywhere near your horse, you have an ethical dilemma – in choice, fit ,quality and maintenance.

Horses unsuitable for rider

Oftentimes, people are drawn to horses (like partners) that are not what they need – they unknowingly sacrifice years of fun, safety and wonderful learning and growing opportunities for a horse that is beautiful, that is of a fancy or trendy breed, that is young,  ‘rescued’ or inexperienced. It all depends where you are at as a rider as to where your (rational) choice should lie. Be realistic, and go into a new relationship with a horse with eyes wide open. Once you own a horse, he becomes your biggest problem or your greatest joy – choose wisely. Like partners, people often repeat the same mistakes – and even go as far as replacing an unsuitable horse inadvertently with a replica of the former!

Related posts:

1. Equestrianism’s future
2. What does lateral thinking have to do with horse cruelty?
3. Ethical Horsemanship on Stable Scoop Radio Show
4. What does the horse want?
5. Anky van Grunsven, Patrik Kittel and the horse’s blue tongue
6. Klaus Hempfling horse ‘mystique’

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Although science is to be considered at the FEI meeting, the types of tests that are undertaken are difficult morally, difficult to undertake, and the past methodologies have at times been sub-standard, which is why I think that, in addition to the science,  ‘common-sense’ should be used and erring on the  side of caution is advisable. The petition Mr Karl mentions is one way to add your voice, and I encourage you to do the same.

Dear Madam, Dear Sir,

On 9 February 2010, more than 20 experts will attend an FEI meeting in Switzerland to discuss once again whether the so-called hyperflexion (“Rollkur”) is an adequate method of training a horse. In order to support the opponents of this method and offer them further arguments, a petition has been initiated at www.no-rollkur.com. We’d like to invite you to support this action against hyperflexion – time is short!

You were so kind as to sign our own petition calling for reforms of the FN rules, which was initiated in May 2009. This obviously bore fruit: The German FN eventually invited Philippe Karl for a meeting in Warendorf, Germany. They now have to find an appropriate date. We will of course keep you informed about the outcome of this meeting.

Thank you very much again for your support!
Cordially,

Philippe Karl & his team

Here’s the link again: www.no-rollkur.com

Thanks for your time and happy riding…

Related posts:

1. Anky van Grunsven, Patrik Kittel and the horse’s blue tongue
2. Rollkur use investigated by EponaTV
3. Klaus reveals horses ‘die inside’
4. Equestrian competition’s sad expose
5. The positives of negative reinforcement
6. Do competition horses achieve the ‘Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare’?

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What has changed since equestrian sports emerged from the Beijing Olympics (2008) in tatters with the dubious distinction of being the most drugged-up of all sports? A total of 8 positive samples from 6 horses were identified at Beijing, these being spread among horses from the German, Irish, Brazilian, Norwegian and American teams.

It has been especially personally embarrassing for Princess Haya, head of the FEI when, following statements that banned substance use would not be tolerated, her husband Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s endurance horse ‘ Tahhan’ tested positive to two banned substances in April 2009.

Drug use seems to be particularly rife in the sports of show jumping and endurance riding, however also dressage rider, Isabell Werth’s horse, Whisper 156 (GER) failed a drug test  in 2009.

January 18, 2010, the FEI has rolled out it’s new anti-doping website FEI Clean Sport, with the new regime to clean up the sport’s act to be implemented from 5 April 2010.

The process itself has not gone untainted, with raging disquiet following allowance of  a substance previously banned for 20 years – Phenylbutazone (’bute’) – which failed to attract objections prior to the FEI General Assembly (Copenhagen 2009), but which achieved an assembly vote of 48/53 FOR the new ‘progressive’ drugs list versus the old.  With the obvious implications for competition horse welfare, and following moves by veterinarians and concerned others, the drug is to undergo a further review in 2010 before it’s acceptance in competition.

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games to be held in Kentucky in September this year will make an interesting study…

Related posts:

1. Equestrian competition’s sad expose
2. Equestrianism’s future
3. ‘No Rollkur’ message from Philippe Karl
4. What does lateral thinking have to do with horse cruelty?
5. Rollkur use investigated by EponaTV
6. Klaus reveals horses ‘die inside’

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Just wanted to thank you for taking on some of the biggest issues in the horse world today…. as a young girl I always wanted my own horse but came from a poor family so it was not to be…..

As I grew older, I spent many years working around horses,cleaning stalls, exercising, etc. learning as much as I could and riding whenever someone would offer me a mount to work with…. never had any formal training as most of the trainers I had access to at that time were rough, even cruel to their show horses in the name of winning ribbons…. I just couldn’t bring myself to treat horses in that way…

Though I may not have had my own horse during those years I spent the time learning about other animals as well, working in zoos and museums and eventually acquiring my own USDA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Educators licenses, as well as a wonderful group of exotics, mammals, birds of prey, insects and reptiles who traveled with me to help teach people of all ages about respect and understanding for the other creatures that share this planet with us….

During that time I also had the opportunity to engage in many different animal interaction programs with elephants, sea mammals and big cats learning about the training methods used by trainers at Sea World, Ringling Brothers’ circus and Disney World among others… these methods were different than what I had seen being used with horses and dogs, for the most part by people who believe that animals need to be “dominated”… the exotic and sea mammal trainers I worked with had very different methods, kindness and empathy for the animals feelings ruled the training sessions…. and I learned how to communicate what I wanted not just with voice cues but with body language as well….

When I turned 50 a few years ago I decided that it was time to revisit my deepest desire to acquire a horse, however, after doing quite a bit of research I decided to start with a mule!!!  I never regretted that decision and still have mules today…. I will always remember my first mule Tigger who taught me a lot about training equines of all types especially as she was a rescue case and needed retraining on a grand scale….  I learned how to work with her rather than try to beat her into submission and to this day I refuse to carry a crop or whip while working with equines…… there is no need if you put in the time to train properly from the ground first and develop a strong relationship based on friendship not fear….

To be honest I’m not into the horse training method du’jour, instead I take the lessons I have learned while working with other animals and bring them to my equine training with great success… I enjoy reading what other people have to say about their own training methods but mine is a potpourri of methods  learned over a period of 30 years which allows me to evaluate each animal as an individual and create a training method that works for that particular animal…. it is unfortunate that too many trainers treat horses in the same way without giving any thought to individual needs creating a cookie cutter methodology which is easy for the trainer but hell on the individual horses they train….

I know a lot of people in the horsie set here in New England think that I’m nothing more than a stall mucker and stable hand, however, all those years mucking stalls, working closely with horses of all types, observing behaviors has given me a base education in equines that goes far beyond a couple of hours a week taking a riding lesson from some trainer who may or may not be competent or even empathetic to the animals they are training… for many training horses and riders is nothing more than a paycheck…..

Based on my own experiences I hope you will encourage all horse owners and trainers to participate in animal interaction programs with other species in order to start thinking outside the box… most aquariums and zoos offer some sort of “trainers day” or “behind the scenes” tours to patrons in order to help people learn more about training methods….

Just because someone has won a couple of blue ribbons or even an Olympic Gold Medal does not mean that they are humane or even capable trainers…. as far as I’m concerned if they need to use methods such as Rollkur, harsh bits, whips, etc., I consider them incompetent, lazy idiots who have the empathy level of a kumquat…. harsh perhaps, but with all of the amazing things that people are doing these days without the use of cruel methods and equipment it’s time that we set the bar a lot higher when it comes to working with and training one of the most beautiful creatures that walks this planet….

With thanks so Soso for sharing her story, which is used here with permission.

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But in fact, negative reinforcement is indeed the trainer’s friend, and has nothing to do with beating horses or performing any other dodgy activities.

But what does negative reinforcement actually mean?

Unlike the common misconception that it is something ‘bad’ – as humans, we tend to associate the word ‘negative’ to averse consequences, for example a sarcastic remark is ‘negative’, a fight is ‘negative’; but negative reinforcement in animal training is simply the removal of something that results in improved responding rates.

While this terminology originates in behavioural psychology, the meaning can be found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary [negative n. 2. negative quality, absence of something, negative v.t. neutralize (effect)].

To understand this negative reinforcement, we also probably need to know what ‘reinforcement’ means… the Concise says that to reinforce something means ‘to strengthen or support’, including in quantity, size, importance – so this suggests an impression of an increase in force or magnitude.

But The Penguin Dictionary of Psychology, written by Arthur and Emily Reber recognises use of the term also elicits confusion among psychologists. Is it any wonder we are confused?! The Rebers – after a useful diatribe exploring ‘reinforcement’ finally come up with

any event, stimulus, act, response or information when made contingent upon the response that preceded it, serves to increase the relative frequency or likelihood of occurrence of that response.

Simply put, negative involves removal or absence, and a reinforcer increases responses – Simple!

What does it mean to a horse-rider? No matter what anyone says, people ride using negative reinforcement. The stimulis (aids) are applied using a bridle, bit, halter, string around the neck and the legs on the horse’s sides. The removal of the bit pressure or the leg pressure removes discomfort and signals to the horse that his response was correct. The horse has no way of determining that his response is ‘correct’ if he is not rewarded by a removal of the stimulus when the response occurs.

All good horsemen (yes, women too) know this. The Dorrance brothers knew this, Philippe Karl knows this, Andrew McLean knows this, Steffen Peters knows this. The old masters knew this ‘leg without hand, hand without leg’. Gas pedal and brakes do not go on together.

Repeat after me…

‘correct use of negative reinforcement is a good thing’!

At the most subtle level (blink and you will miss it) the best proponents of the German system may recognise this, but that system is terrible at expressing it or teaching riders to ride using correct negative reinforcement, with confusion produced by statements such as ‘the horse must be through’, and be ridden ‘with the forward-driving aids into the hand’, undoubtedly leading to some of the abominations seen at all levels of the sport with horses suffering from relentless pressure.

Another day, we will explore positive reinforcement – also a good thing!

Related posts:

1. Anky van Grunsven, Patrik Kittel and the horse’s blue tongue
2. Klaus Hempfling horse ‘mystique’
3. Rollkur use investigated by EponaTV
4. ‘No Rollkur’ message from Philippe Karl

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