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Clarifying Learning Theory Terminology in Order to Enhance

“Fair” Horse Training

Dr. Camie HeleskiMichigan State University

Meet our presenter:Camie Heleski, Ph.D.(heleski@msu.edu)Coordinator, MSU Horse Management Programwww.equine.ans.msu.eduContributing Lecturer: My Horse Universitywww.myhorseuniversity.com

A few fundamental points• Training – modifying or shaping behavior to achieve a desirable

performance• Key factors to success:

– Consistency: using the same cue; having consistent expectations– Predictability: are your expectations high? Or moderate? Or do they

change from day to day?– Contingency: reinforcement comes immediately after the horse’s

response– Appropriateness of reinforcements: do they make sense in the world

of the horse? – Preciseness of cues: especially important with young horses

Some types of learning that we use in horse training:

• Desensitizing/habituating – the gradual decrease of a response to repeated exposure to a stimuli (not fatigue)– Example: gradually acclimating a

horse to accepting having his ears touched & manipulated

• Sensitization – increase of a response to a stimuli – Example: if the first few times

the horse is clipped, the blades are hot or dull and the horse experiences discomfort, she will likely become sensitized to clipping

Note breakaway twine that is fastened to the halter in case reaction is more dramatic than this.

• Operant/Instrumental learning– Animal learns to operate on its environment to

obtain a reward or reinforcement– E.g. Pony learns that sliding the stall door lever

results in its release from the stall & access to food

• Signal learning/Classical conditioning– For example, Pavlov’s dogs…learned to salivate in

response to a bell (unconditioned stimulus <yummy food> paired with conditioned stimulus <bell>)

Training Pattern• Stimuli → Response→ Reinforcement• Rider’s cue…Horse’s Response…Rider’s

Reinforcement• Example: rider squeezes legs

– A. horse walks forward• A. Rider releases pressure, maybe says “good boy”

– B. Horse resists & doesn’t move• B. Rider uses heavier pressure or perhaps a kick or bump

with a crop

Stimuli (cues)

• Unconditioned – a cue that naturally causes the desired response– Example: waving arms at a horse in a round pen to

get them to move forward (action uses horse’s instinctive response)

Stimuli (cues)

• Conditioned – a cue that must be learned– Example: teaching a horse that “cluck” means

trot…needs to be coupled initially with a more unconditioned stimuli (e.g. when longeing, snapping the longe whip)

A reinforcement will ↑ the frequency of a behavior

A punishment will ↓ the frequency of a behavior

Positive stimuli – something the horse perceives as positive or pleasurable; or, in some cases, the addition of a stimulus

Positive reinforcement example: if I want my horse to be easier to catch, I give her a treat each time she allows me to catch her; after a few repetitions, she becomes easier to catch

Positive punishment – Here’s where it gets a little tricky (and in truth, I usually lump both punishments together for simplicity): if my yearling colt is “nippy,” I “pop” him on the chest with a crop; if my timing is correct, he will soon learn to be less nippy

Negative stimuli – something the horse perceives as negative or aversive; or, in some cases, the withdrawal of a stimulus

Negative reinforcement example: if I want my horse to move forward, I squeeze my legs; as soon as he walks forward, I release the leg pressure; the horse works to avoid the aversive stimuli

Negative punishment (still tricky ) An example: my gelding is very “oral” and likes to nibble my jacket sleeve; he also likes to be scratched on the face; if I remove the scratching whenever he starts to nibble, he should learn not to do that

• So a “punishment” is not automatically “bad” and, in fact, is often quite necessary if we are to train safe horses

• A “negative reinforcement” is clearly not “bad” and is the foundation of all pressure-response type training

• (Positive reinforcements are maybe not used with horses as often as might be desirable.)

Which of the following are the most “rewarding” to a horse? <At present, we don’t know for sure.>

• Rest time during a workout or after working on a particular task

• Release of pressure• Food treat• Kind words• Petting/scratching (especially at neck/wither

area…like mutual grooming that horses do)• Or perhaps it depends on how we’ve

established our bond with the horse?

“Fairness”• Children have a sense of fairness or perceived unfairness at a

very early age• Do horses grasp “fairness”?

– Anecdotally, many of us would say “yes”

• Goes back to consistency & contingency• Also, does the “punishment” fit the “crime”• Does the horse get the option of making a correct choice?

– If the horse is going to be punished regardless (or negatively reinforced regardless), this is “unfair” and can create “conflict” behaviors

Conflict behaviors (also referred to as evasion or resistance)

• Horse that is simultaneously spurred to go forward and also is receiving heavy pressure on his mouth, may eventually rebel by kicking out, crow hopping, attempting to rear, etc.

• If that same horse is subjected to contradictory cues repeatedly and, perhaps, is subjected to heavy punishment for the conflict behaviors, he may eventually offer up “learned helplessness” <horse no longer offers appropriate responses to aversive pressure/pain…may appear dull, may experience physiological changes, such as lowered immune status>

Example of “NR” only in an “average” horse (from previous experiment)

Example of “NR + PR” in an “average” horse

Suggested Resources

• The International Society for Equitation Science

• www.equitationscience.com• Equine Behaviour: Principles & Practice – book

by D. Mills & K. Nankervis, Blackwell Publishing 1999, Ch. 9 Learning & Training

Summary

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