Lisa Croft - Evidence Based Equine Training

17/11/2025

SOCIAL INTERACTION IS THE HEART OF EMOTIONAL STABILITY

Horses are herd animals and social contact is not optional. IT IS FUNDAMENTAL.

They rely on companions for:

• safety
• play
• comfort
• grooming
• communication

Social deprivation increases anxiety and reduces learning capacity. Horses kept in isolation often become hypervigilant easily startled or overly attached to humans or other horses.

Providing suitable social interaction whether through herd turnout shared paddocks or safe fence line contact helps horses build:

• confidence
• emotional resilience
• smoother transitions into training environments

Remember that socially fulfilled horses are simply easier to train.

Featuring Toto and Trev owned by Mae Mills. ( Video credit Mae Mills )

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16/11/2025

MEET THE BEHAVIOURAL NEEDS FIRST: Social isolation in Horses and Humans

There is a common saying that isolation is the greatest cause of mental illness in humans. While the statement is simplified, modern scientific research consistently shows something powerful. Social isolation and loneliness profoundly affect mental health emotional stability and cognitive functioning.

And interestingly the same principle applies to horses.

When we look at the FOURTH DOMAIN OF THE FIVE DOMAINS MODEL BEHAVIOURAL INTERACTIONS the parallels between human neurobiology and equine learning science become unmistakable. Both species rely deeply on social connection natural behaviour and meaningful interaction to remain emotionally balanced and cognitively capable.

Below is how the research on humans aligns with and reinforces what we know about horses and their behavioural needs.

WHAT SCIENCE SHOWS ABOUT HUMANS HOW ISOLATION IMPACTS MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING

Recent studies reveal several important findings:

• Loneliness and social isolation significantly increase the risk of psychiatric disorders
• Different forms of isolation such as emotional or subjective loneliness are strongly linked to anxiety disorders
• Isolation predicts depressive symptoms especially in older adults and is worsened by reduced movement and activity
• People with serious mental illness experience very high levels of loneliness which is linked to more severe symptoms
• Social isolation is also linked to physical illness, cardiovascular disease. inflammation and increased mortality

Across studies one pattern is clear: Humans deprived of social contact and meaningful interaction show poorer emotional regulation reduced cognitive flexibility increased stress and decreased resilience.

Learning becomes harder. Memory is affected. Problem solving declines. Emotional stability drops.

Now let us turn our attention to the horse.

DOMAIN 4 BEHAVIOURAL INTERACTIONS IN HORSES

Horses just like humans are wired for connection. Behavioural interactions encompass the way horses relate to:

• other horses
• their environment
• themselves

And just like in humans these interactions are essential for emotional stability cognitive clarity and effective learning.

WHY BEHAVIOURAL EXPRESSION MATTERS:

Horses are social mobile grazing animals. They evolved to live in herds travel long distances each day and communicate with subtle body language. When these needs are restricted by modern management such as isolated stabling limited turnout or living without compatible companionship the result is often behavioural compromise.

Research shows that unmet behavioural needs can lead to:

• increased reactivity
• difficulty focusing
• frustration or displacement behaviours
• stereotypies such as cribbing weaving or box walking
• reduced ability to cope with training stress

These are not bad behaviours they are biological feedback signalling that the horse is struggling.

By contrast when horses can express natural behaviours we see:

• better emotional regulation
• improved problem solving
• lower baseline stress
• more reliable responses
• greater willingness in training

If we want horses to respond calmly and learn efficiently, we must first support the behaviours they are designed to perform.

SOCIAL INTERACTION IS THE HEART OF EMOTIONAL STABILITY

Horses are herd animals and social contact is not optional. IT IS FUNDAMENTAL. They rely on companions for:

• safety
• play
• comfort
• grooming
• communication

Social deprivation increases anxiety and reduces learning capacity. Horses kept in isolation often become hypervigilant easily startled or overly attached to humans or other horses.

Providing suitable social interaction whether through herd turnout shared paddocks or safe fence line contact helps horses build:

• confidence
• emotional resilience
• smoother transitions into training environments

Socially fulfilled horses are simply easier to train.

ENVIRONMENTAL INTERACTION EXPLORATION AND AGENCY

Horses need opportunities to move explore and engage with their environment. Movement is not only physical enrichment it is cognitive and emotional enrichment as well.

Freedom to:

• walk
• graze
• roll
• investigate new objects
• choose where to stand or rest

supports a healthy nervous system.

A horse who has agency throughout their daily life is better prepared to handle novelty in training. When the environment is monotonous or restrictive the horse becomes more reactive and less adaptable.

Agency outside training builds confidence inside training.

SELF MAINTENANCE BEHAVIOURS - LET HORSES BE HORSES

Self-care behaviours include:

• rolling
• resting
• stretching
• mutual grooming
• foraging

These behaviours regulate both physical and emotional wellbeing. Horses deprived of opportunities for self-maintenance often show heightened sensitivity irritability or tension during training.

A horse that is physically and emotionally self-regulated learns more easily.

HOW ISOLATION AFFECTS A PREY ANIMAL:

Unlike humans, horses evolved as prey animals whose survival depends on

• herd cohesion
• shared vigilance
• social bonding
• predictable safety cues

For a prey species isolation does not simply cause loneliness
It triggers a biological fear response.

A horse kept alone experiences:

• higher baseline vigilance
• difficulty resting or sleeping
• reduced grazing time
• increased startle responses
• chronic tension in the nervous system

This heightened arousal state directly interferes with learning because learning requires a regulated nervous system capable of focusing processing information and forming associations.

Isolation places horses into survival mode and survival mode is incompatible with optimal learning.

ISOLATION STRESS AND SLEEP IN HORSES:

Sleep is a vital part of physical recovery memory consolidation and emotional regulation. Horses need both REM and non-REM sleep, and they can only achieve REM sleep while lying down.

Isolated horses or anxious horses often:

• do not lie down
• sleep in short, fragmented periods
• fail to enter deep sleep
• accumulate sleep debt
• become irritable hyperreactive or even collapse from REM deprivation

Poor sleep alters the horses' cognitive abilities in the same way sleep deprivation affects humans:

• reduced memory
• reduced tolerance for training pressure
• slower learning
• impaired coordination
• lower resilience

When behavioural needs are unmet sleep is compromised
When sleep is compromised learning is compromised.

THE PARALLELS WHAT HUMANS AND HORSES TEACH US ABOUT LEARNING

Across species the message is clear:

• Isolation undermines learning
• Connection supports cognitive function
• Behavioural needs are biological

In humans, isolation increases stress hormones reduces cognitive performance and destabilises emotional wellbeing
In horses' isolation especially for a prey animal creates hypervigilance sleep loss and reduced learning capacity

Both species thrive when their behavioural needs are met.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Behavioural interactions are at the core of equine wellbeing and human wellbeing. The fourth domain reminds us that horses are not simply animals we train but sentient beings with deep behavioural needs that shape their ability to learn.

By supporting natural behaviour providing companionship offering movement and agency ensuring behavioural expression and protecting sleep we do not just improve welfare
We create horses who are ready and able to learn.

The science is clear across species:

When behavioural needs are met learning becomes possible
When they are ignored learning becomes compromised

Horses thrive when they can be horses.

( Featured are Toto and Trev, owned by Mae Mills )

13/11/2025

"The Art within the Science": Individual differences in equine learning and adapting the protocol to the horse in front of you

Equitation science provides us with a clear, evidence-based framework for training horses. Grounded in the principles of learning theory such as habituation, operant conditioning, reinforcement, and classical conditioning, it helps us understand how horses learn and why certain approaches are more effective and ethical than others. These principles are consistent, measurable, and universally applicable across species.

But while the science is stable, the learner is not. Every horse brings their own experiences, sensitivities, and predispositions to training. Two horses can be trained under the same program, by the same coach, with the same clarity, yet one progresses steadily while the other requires twice the time or a slightly different approach to reach the same outcome. This variability does not mean that the science has failed, or that one horse is better than another. It simply reminds us that evidence based does not mean identical.

The Consistency of Principles:

Learning Theory provides a reliable foundation for all training. Whether we are teaching a young horse to accept a saddle or refining an advanced movement under saddle, the same core processes are at play.

Good Training always relies on:

Clear signals that are easy for the horse to distinguish

Consistent consequences that make desired behaviours worthwhile to repeat

Timing and release that allow the horse to connect their behaviour with the outcome

Low stress, incremental exposure to new stimuli and tasks

These principles do not change from horse to horse. What does change is how quickly each horse perceives the connections we are trying to establish and how comfortable they feel within the training environment.

The Variability of Learners:

Every horse is a product of both biology and experience. Genetics influence temperament, sensitivity, and motor control. Previous handling shapes confidence, predictability, and associations with humans. Physical factors such as pain, conformation, or fatigue can also influence how a horse engages with learning tasks.

For example, a horse with a highly reactive temperament might require longer periods of habituation and more frequent rest breaks to prevent over arousal. A horse with a history of aversive handling might initially find even mild pressure cues stressful, requiring a slower reintroduction to negative reinforcement. Conversely, a calm, inquisitive horse might appear to learn faster because it remains within an optimal arousal state for longer.

The key is not to label these horses as easy or difficult, but to recognise that their learning trajectories are individual.

Adjusting Protocols, not Principles

The flexibility of Equitation Science lies in its application. The underlying mechanisms of learning do not change, but the protocols we use to apply them can and should be adjusted to suit the horse in front of us.

For example:

The number of repetitions needed for habituation can vary dramatically. One horse may accept the clippers after three short sessions, another may require ten.

The intensity or duration of pressure used in negative reinforcement should be adapted to the horse’s sensitivity, ensuring it remains subtle and fair.

The criteria for progression should depend on the individual’s consistency and relaxation, not on a pre-set timeline.

When a horse needs more time, it is not a deviation from evidence-based training, it is a refinement of it. Scientific principles give us the structure, observation and empathy give us the finesse.

The role of the trainer: Observation and Patience

The trainer’s ability to read the horse’s feedback determines how successfully learning principles are applied. Equitation science encourages us to observe objectively, noticing changes in posture, breathing, or tension that indicate whether the horse is in an optimal state for learning.

A good coach uses this information to make micro adjustments, shortening sessions, lowering criteria, or reinforcing more frequently to maintain motivation and welfare. This is not being soft; it is being strategic. True skill lies in maintaining the integrity of the scientific method while adapting it sensitively to the horse’s emotional and physical needs.

Patience and consistency are the trainer’s greatest tools. When we stop expecting identical outcomes on identical timelines, we allow the horse to learn at its own pace, which in turn produces more reliable, confident, and ethically trained horses.

The Art within the Science

The phrase “the art within the science” describes this balance perfectly. Science gives us clarity and structure, protecting horses from confusion and coercion. The art lies in how we apply that science moment by moment, how we interpret feedback, regulate our own emotions, and choose when to push or pause.

Equitation science does not remove the artistry of training, it refines it. By understanding learning theory, we can use our creativity and empathy more effectively, because our decisions are grounded in what we know about how horses learn, not in tradition or intuition alone.

Conclusion

When we accept that every horse learns differently, we remove pressure both from ourselves and from our horses. We can remain confident in the principles of equitation science while allowing the timeline to vary.

A scientifically informed trainer does not expect every horse to follow the same curve of progress. Instead, they use the evidence-based framework as a compass, not a stopwatch. The destination remains the same, a horse that understands, trusts, and performs willingly, but the route we take is adapted to the unique learner in front of us.

06/11/2025

- How Equitation Science relates to nervous system awareness and training -

I have been reflecting on the idea that science and connection in horsemanship are somehow separate. We are often taught learning theory on one side, and emotional attunement or bond building on the other, as if they come from different worlds.

But they actually describe different parts of the same system.

Learning theory, informed by researchers such as Daniel McGreevy, Andrew McLean, and the ISES community, explains how behaviours change through timing, clarity, and reinforcement. It gives us structures for communication that are ethical and consistent.

However, whether a horse can access learning at all depends on the state of their nervous system.

This understanding comes from research on stress and emotional regulation, including the work of Stephen Porges on autonomic states, Jaak Panksepp on emotional systems in mammals, and Sue Carter on bonding and oxytocin.

A horse who feels unsafe is operating from the survival centers of the brain. In that state, the areas that support calm learning and curiosity are not available. This is not a training problem. It is biology.

So when we talk about:

• Maintaining our own calm presence
• Supporting a horse in returning to a regulated state
• Using boundaries that are consistent but not forceful
• Noticing subtle signs of stress before they escalate

We are not stepping away from science.
We are applying science more completely.

Connection influences regulation.
Regulation influences learning.
Learning influences behaviour.

These are not separate concepts. They are interconnected processes.

This is why many modern training approaches draw from multiple areas of research, including:

• Classical and operant conditioning, which describe how learning occurs
• Stress and attachment science, which describe when learning is possible
• Equine behavior and ethology, which describe what is natural for the horse

The Equitation Science field has been working toward this integrated view for many years. Examples of this include the Five Domains Model developed by David Mellor and Ngaio Beausoleil, the Equine Pain Face research by Dalla Costa and colleagues, and increased attention to emotional arousal and threshold awareness.

So what may feel like bringing in something new is really bringing together the science of behavior and the science of emotion into one complete understanding.

When we approach the horse from this whole perspective, training becomes more effective, more humane, and more connected for both the horse and the human.

13/08/2025

Forward, Down, and Out - Horse Yoga

I do this quite often with my horses. It is a yoga inspired warm up from Simon Cocozza’s Core Conditioning for Horses called the Forward, Down, and Out posture.

This posture is based on the horse’s natural grazing position, where they stretch their neck forward and down while rounding through the back. It might look simple, but it does so much for their body. It releases tension along the spine, activates the deep core muscles that support movement, improves posture and suppleness, and can even help prevent issues like stiffness or kissing spine.

When a horse works in this position, they begin to move with more freedom and balance. The back lifts, the hindquarters engage, and the whole frame softens and stretches.

Sometimes the most powerful training tools are the ones nature already gave them. This one is simple, natural, and incredibly effective for building a strong, supple, and happy horse.

28/06/2025

💡 Rethinking "Straightness" in Horse Training

For generations, we’ve been taught that a “straight” horse is a well-trained horse balanced, responsive, and supple. But what if we’ve misunderstood what our horses actually need?

New insights remind us that asymmetry is natural, not a flaw. Just like humans are left or right handed, horses have their own motor and sensory preferences. Trying to force them into symmetry, to erase their “crookedness,” might actually create stress, tension, and psychological imbalance.

Instead of fighting their nature, what if we trained with it?

📌 Here’s what the research shows:

🔹 Body asymmetry is innate and doesn’t prevent high performance

🔹 Motor laterality increases under a rider’s weight, often to the horse’s preferred side

🔹 Without balanced training, this can lead to long-term issues

🔹 Sensory laterality, like always observing with the left eye, may be a sign of stress or poor welfare

🔹 Forcing straightness may be counterproductive, increasing emotional tension and reducing cooperation

Just as with human athletes, sport horses need to use both sides of their bodies, even if those sides aren’t symmetrical

⚖️ But balance isn’t just left versus right, it’s also longitudinal, between the forehand and hindquarters

💡 And here’s the key: if the horse’s hindquarters aren’t strong enough, attempts to “correct” with the reins may backfire, causing the horse to escape laterally or resist altogether

That’s why:

✅ Strengthening both sides equally

✅ Building up the hindquarters

✅ Using thoughtful, progressive training, not forced postures or premature collection, are all essential to achieving true balance

🚩 Perhaps most importantly, increasing laterality can be a welfare indicator, signalling the need for better housing, handling, or training

In light of recent research, the traditional goal of straightening the horse should be reconsidered

🔸 While body asymmetry is innate, it does not prevent a horse from performing at a high level

🔸 Many methods aimed at achieving straightness, such as using extra equipment or forcing training on the weaker side, can cause stress, tension, and even make the horse uncooperative

🔸 In the worst cases, this can lead to loss of sensitivity and learned helplessness

🌍 In wild horses, motor laterality is balanced

🏠 In domestic horses, factors like age, breed, training, and carrying a rider tend to cause preferences, often to the left

👁️ Horses usually use their left sensory organs first to observe new or potentially threatening situations

⚠️ A strong left bias can signal increased emotionality or stress

📉 Long-term issues in welfare, housing, or training may cause shifts in motor and sensory laterality, linked to pessimistic mentalities

It’s time to rethink training methods focused solely on straightening and instead prioritize balance over straightness

🏋️‍♂️ If a horse is truly balanced, moving its hindquarters under its center of gravity, it will naturally be straight

🔄 But a horse that is simply “straight” is not necessarily balanced

🧬 Morphological asymmetry and laterality will always exist, but with correct training and muscle development, these can be minimized

💚 Ultimately, for a horse to be relaxed, responsive, and happy, training should focus on both longitudinal and lateral balance, while embracing and accepting the horse’s natural laterality

Let’s shift from forcing perfection to building partnership, for the well-being of every horse

18/06/2025

💡 Did you know your horse’s movement is controlled by something called a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) in the spine? It’s a fascinating part of your horse’s nervous system, a cluster of nerves inside the spine that plays a huge role in how your horse moves. There are actually two of them, one near the front of the body and one near the back.

What’s really interesting is that the CPG at the front controls the one at the back. That means your horse’s movement is led by the front end, not the hind end like we were often taught. 🐎

This pattern goes way back in evolution. When animals first began moving on land, they used their front limbs to pull themselves forward. We still see this today in newborn animals. For example, baby rats use their front legs to pull themselves around, and baby marsupials use their front limbs to climb into the pouch. That same basic pattern is still wired into your horse’s body.

So why does this matter for us as riders and trainers?

The CPG organizes all of your horse’s gaits walk, trot, canter, and gallop, by using diagonal leg pairs. That means the left front works with the right hind, and the right front works with the left hind. If you notice a problem in a hind leg, it’s often the diagonal front leg that’s actually causing it. That one insight can completely shift the way you approach training, balance, and problem-solving.

And there’s more... Each diagonal pair tends to respond differently to our aids. One may respond better to rein aids, and the other to leg aids. Once you understand how this works, it makes your training feel so much clearer and more effective.

25/05/2025

Wither scratching benefits in Equitation Science

1. Positive Reinforcement Alternative
Can serve as a non-food reward during training.

Effective especially for horses that are over-motivated by food or have dietary restrictions.

🧪 Scientific support: Studies show that horses respond favourably to tactile rewards like withers scratching, sometimes preferring it over food under certain conditions.

2. Enhances Horse-Human Bond
Mimics social grooming, promoting trust and affiliative behaviour.

Helps horses perceive humans more positively, improving cooperation.

3. Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Associated with a drop-in heart rate and relaxed posture.

Helps horses relax in new or challenging environments (e.g., veterinary visits, trailer loading).

🧪 Feh & de Mazières (1993): Grooming at the withers led to a measurable decrease in heart rate, signalling calmness.

4. Ethical Training Practice
Aligns with equitation science principles: using methods grounded in horse behaviour, cognition, and welfare.

Encourages low-stress, reward-based training, avoiding coercion or punishment.

5. Improved Learning and Retention
Calm horses learn better. By incorporating withers scratching, trainers can help maintain emotional stability, which supports better learning outcomes.

Featured: Katrina Bolmat with Starry

23/05/2025

Disconnecting our feet from the horses' feet aka PARK

"The horse learns to associate the visual stimulus of the handler walking with the persistence of his own go response. This is a maintenance aid, analogous to the effect of the rider’s seat in maintaining the go aid under-saddle. Here we are trying to detrain the tendency of the horse to move forward when we do. Instead, we want him to learn to go only from the lead aid, but then to maintain walking by associating with the handler’s steps. We don’t want him to initiate walking by cues from our movement because there are countless times when we want to move without the horse moving. For example, going around the horse to do up his girth. Removing this confusion can have astounding effects on inducing relaxation. So, try to keep in mind that the first signal the horse should sense is the lead-rein pressure and not your forward movement. Changing an established habit can be difficult, but the benefits for the horse in making his world predictable are huge."

( reference: Academic Horse Training - Andrew & Manuela McLean )

Featured is Katrina Bolmat with Starry Night, Macedon Ranges, VIC
Thanks, Katrina, for the lovely demonstration

27/04/2025

Fun in the sun on the sunny side ☀️ of great dividing range. Featured is a client horse Angel with her owner Katrina Bolmat. Angel ('Holland's Bend Frangelica ), is a 3 year old filly by Fransiskus out of Furstin Grand, bred by Jane & Peter Bartram.

As we have systematically moved along by establishing the basic responses for Stop, Go, Turn and Yield in hand, we have now progressed into under saddle training. This is Angel's 5th ride.


- Step Back -

"The step-back deepens the stop response and provides a fast and effective technique to produce lightness of rein aids. The step back also goes through the shaping scale of basic attempt (a step), obedience (a stride), rhythm (multiple strides), and so on. At rhythm level the step-back converts to a rein-back. Note in the above table that the rider’s legs are not involved in training the step-back response for a single step or stride, but they can function later as an effective ‘keep going’ signal for multiple strides (from rhythm onwards). The rider’s legs maintain contact only; they do not apply pressure at any stage. Only train step-back when the horse is sufficiently relaxed: if the horse is tense, he may rear when the step
back aid is applied."

ASSESSMENT – During immobility, when you increase pressure on the reins, does the horse:
Step backwards at all?
Raise his head?
Go back crookedly?
Run backwards?

( Resource: Academic Horse Training - Andrew and Manuela McLean )

25/04/2025

- A friendly reminder to all about Cancellations, Rescheduling & Weather policies -

While I try to be accommodating with my cancellation policies due to the unpredictable nature of horses, I do require 24-hour notice for cancellations (and reschedules), otherwise, a full lesson fee will be payable. However, if you cannot attend yourself, you may arrange another person to attend on your behalf, either with your horse or another horse. Alternatively, if you wish, I may work with your horse either in hand or under saddle, depending on each client and the circumstance.

All lesson appointments run as per normal during wet weather as long it's safe to do so. In extreme weather such as during storms, heavy rain that makes driving to destination unsafe etc. lessons that run outdoors/indoors will be cancelled.

Happy riding & see you soon 🍂

12/04/2025

Testing out basic responses this morning. A demonstration of "Go" in hand 🐾🐴