Positive reinforcement (R+) is so different to the normal way most people interact with horses.

It is often hard to know where to start – what do you do? How does it work? How does it all go together? Often we ponder this question after interacting with our existing horse.

It is always a great thing to ponder, and ultimately enact!

There are so many benefits to switching from traditional horse training (negative reinforcement or R-) to R+. SO MANY. It is more than the sum of its parts.

Often when doing initial research we may find a method of adding R+ on to traditional training. This is often referred to as ‘piggybacking’

This can provide many benefits.

Your cues can become lighter; you focus on what you want the horse to do; you learn how to write training plans; you learn how to break behaviour down into smaller pieces, all good things that benefit the horse (usually) You also add click and reward. The click tells the horse which behaviour we are working on, the reward tells him he got it right.

A lot of horses seem to be really happy with this training approach, and it is far better than the alternative traditional training. But….

There can still be fallout.

Often in early traditional training, R- is paired with the addition of Positive Punishment (P+) Generally a whip used, or threatened to be used, if there is no response to the R- cue.

This causes a Negative conditioned emotional response or -CER.

Tug on the lead rope to go, followed by whip if go doesnt happen. Adding Click/ Treat to this scenario doesn’t counter the conditioned aversive, which is the pairing of the whip threat with the ‘go’ cue.

It can also cause CONFLICT.

*Does the cue now predict a click /treat? Or a whip threat?

Another option touted to minimise the aversive cue has become ‘non-escalating pressure’

Good effort trying to find a non-aversive way to get behaviour, but here is where we get to the myth part of ‘non-escalating’.

People think they can apply a light cue (watch out for that -CER!)

If you are in the lucky position of teaching the cue ‘new’ you can apply a light pressure. If that pressure is neutral /not aversive to the horse you may not get a response. Clue here is ‘neutral’

The recommendation for ‘non-escalating’ is to maintain the light cue and just wait. I wonder what part of ‘maintaining pressure’ people think is not escalating? IT GOES ON LONGER!

As a non-contact person, let me tell you that a stranger touching my arm is going to get a squirm and a move-away. Might be a light touch, but to me it is aversive - the learner decides what is aversive and what isn’t, NOT the teacher!

If that touch comes from someone I know I may ignore if briefly. If maintained, the touch doesn’t need to be harder for the aversive to escalate. It is subject to duration. It stays there. The longer it stays the more aversive it becomes and the more I squirm, even if still very light.

DURATION needs to be factored in – if you add duration you ARE ESCALATING.

If the stimulus causes a move away reaction then the stimulus WAS aversive. If it was neutral, nothing happens. LIGHT stimulus can still be aversive.

Reassess what is driving behaviour and be truthful – was the horse working to make that cue (however light) go away? Or was he working to obtain an appetitive??

BIG DIFFERENCE

A better option to gain lighter cues instead of adding duration to pressure, teach the behaviour with R+ then when solid add a tactile cue that looks like a traditional cue.

Then you can be sure that your horse is working for the appetitive, not to avoid discomfort.

Written By Vicki Conroy of the PPGA Equine Sub-Committee