Training Methods

The training at Tintagel Enterprises, Ltd

One of the methods used by Sarah at Tintagel is operant behavioral conditioning. This method of behavioral conditioning started decades ago with marine mammal trainers as a way to establish behaviors on an exotic animal you cannot restrain. What this training entails is the use of a bridge signal, a click, to tell the animal when it has done the correct response. The animal is previously conditioned that when they hear the click they get a food or other such reward. This is the same as Pavlov’s dogs salivating at the sound of a bell. When the animal hears the click, it knows it will get rewarded so it tries to repeat the behavior to get more rewards. The behavior is then slowly shaped into the final maneuver by withholding the click until the animal tries something new or different which is closer to the final result you are looking for. This is called positive reinforcement training, any mistakes are simply ignored. This gives the animal the sense that they control how often and when the treats are given, so the attitude on them remains very positive and bright. Once the behavior is learned treats and clicks are no longer needed.

A newer and more accurate method of applying these same principles is the Bridge and Target system. This method uses an intermediate bridge signal to tell the animal it is getting ‘warm’ and approaching the behavior that will ultimately get ‘clicked’. Sarah already had started deviating from classic “clicker” training with this concept and have recently found a whole group of trainers using it as well. It is far more accurate and quick.

Operant conditioning can be used to train almost anything from fancy tricks to flying changes to walking into a trailer. Most of the horses here learn the basics of clicker training and have it used at various points in there training. It is by no means the only way horses are trained as all animals are different and different ways may be needed to gain their respect and trust. Timid, abused or traumatized animals respond exceptionally well to operant conditioning as they feel they are given the control of the reward and this proves a powerful psychological tool to help in their recovery. However, not all horses are reward motivated, usually alpha types, and this method does not always work before their respect is garnered.

As horses are herd animals they easily understand the concept of herd leader and gain confidence and realization when the human in the relationship takes on that dominant role. Some alpha horses that have been spoiled or simply don’t accept human leadership are prime candidates for round pen work. This is a very safe easy way to teach a horse that it is not the boss in all situations and to be happy herd member it must listen to you. You cannot help an animal that is busy telling you to go away! Other Natural Horsemanship techniques all have there place as different training approaches and work very well on dominant types.

Horses with physical issues as the basis for their behavior need these issues resolved before true emotional acceptance of any training will take place. Round penning or any other kind of fast work will only tear the body down faster. All that will happen is that the animal will mentally shut down to escape the pain of its own body. So an animal that seems very obedient and pliant may in fact be a dull and broken robot. Other horsemanship exercises involving the horses’ mental state may also traumatize the horse into a state of “frozen watchfulness”. This is when as soon as you move or do anything near the animal they stop dead and stare at you without taking their eyes off you. This is NOT obedience; this is how a herd watches an approaching predator. Heart rates and breathing go UP as the animal takes the second to decide whether to flee. To have a horse stand in this watchful position for long periods is very damaging to their minds and bodies. Tests were run in England on horses trained this way and their cortisol, the one of the body’s natural steroids, levels were very high. This is like a human living under high chronic stress. Every day doctors are learning more about the internal damage caused by the high hormone levels in chronically stressed humans not too mention what it does to the mental state. Hence the rise of anti-depressants. Some of the Natural Horsemanship being taught does exactly this to your horse. You do not have a quiet well trained animal; you have one too terrified to do anything else. Like children, horses must know it is ok to make mistakes. The old adage of ignoring the wrong and quietly asking again is the best approach anyone can take. If an animal does not know it has made a mistake a violent and quick correction only serves to frighten it.

Just as cruel is the horse that has been spoiled rotten and knows no limits or bounds of behavior. Any age animal (or child!) who has never been taught ‘NO’ can be dangerous. If some sort of emergency happens you need to know your horse will not crash into you and trample you into the ground. A horse that does not respect your space is an accident waiting to happen. A grown horse can be taught these lessons very efficiently and quickly as long as it is done without emotion, a foal will learn with softer corrections. Some all positive reinforcement trained animals are completely rank and only behave if they feel like it or want the reward. Horses understand action and consequence. Whether the reinforcement is negative, cessation of something negative or something positive, depends on the behavior wanted or the one trying to be extinguished.

Tintagel horses are trained with a culmination of all these things. No one “method” is taught or used above the rest. They have their place and make sense under some circumstance. It is the wisdom to know what the horses’ motivation behind a behavior was or how to get an animal motivated to do a behavior that is the humans’ job. This is what Sarah excels at. Understanding WHY a behavior was done and what to do about it in a way that makes easy perfect sense to the animal. Understanding the gross anatomy to recognize correct unrestricted movement, knowing what mentally the animal is thinking and realizing the emotions at play all have to be addressed to have a well trained happy animal.

Horses never lie.