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Lisa Croft - Evidence Based Equine Training, Melbourne (2025)

29/11/2025

Coaching spots available
for Groundwork & Foundational Ridden Work

MACEDON RANGES, SUNBURY

Focusing on building a solid foundation for both horse and rider. Approach that integrates groundwork and ridden exercises that promote:

✔️ Biomechanically correct movement for horse and rider.

✔️ Balance, coordination, and posture development from the ground up.

✔️ Communication and trust-building through clear, consistent cues.

✔️ Progressive skill development, ensuring a safe transition from groundwork to ridden work.

✔️ Evidence-based training informed by equitation science principles.

Whether working with young horses, retraining, or refining your riding skills, these sessions provide a structured, science-backed foundation that supports long-term performance, safety, and horse welfare.

25/11/2025

WHY SEEING ANOTHER HORSE IS NOT ENOUGH AND WHY TOUCH MATTERS

Many owners assume that if a horse can see another horse through a window, grill, or fence line, their social needs are met. But visual contact alone does not satisfy the biological systems that regulate equine wellbeing.

For a herd living prey species, connection is multi layered, and sight is only the most superficial layer. Horses need physical touch to complete their social circuitry. Without it the brain and body remain partially dysregulated.

Below is why touch changes everything:

TOUCH IS A PRIMARY SOCIAL CURRENCY IN HORSES

Horses communicate constantly through physical contact. It is one of their strongest behavioural needs and one of the most powerful regulators of their emotional state.

Physical touch allows horses to:

• groom each other
• synchronise breathing and heart rate
• share warmth
• reinforce bonds
• soothe each other
• reduce stress

Visual contact allows awareness.
Touch allows regulation.

A horse can see another horse and still feel alone.

MUTUAL GROOMING IS A NATURAL STRESS REDUCTION SYSTEM

Mutual grooming releases:

• endorphins
• oxytocin
• calming neurochemicals that regulate the nervous system

These chemicals:

• lower cortisol
• relax muscles
• deepen bonding
• reduce vigilance
• support emotional stability

A horse who can see another horse but cannot touch them is biologically blocked from accessing one of the most important self soothing behaviours they possess.

TOUCH PROVIDES INFORMATION THAT SIGHT CANNOT

Horses rely heavily on physical signals to understand social context:

• pressure against the body
• gentle nudges
• shared rest positions
• alignment when grazing
• shoulder to shoulder standing
• head resting on another’s back

These subtle cues are essential for maintaining herd cohesion and emotional security.

Visual contact does not provide:

• proximity signalling
• emotional buffering
• the sensation of another body near theirs
• the reassurance of shared presence

Touch communicates safety far more powerfully than sight.

BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS INCREASE WHEN TOUCH IS RESTRICTED

Horses who can only see but not touch others often develop behavioural tension such as:

• pacing
• calling
• fence walking
• frustration at mealtimes
• sensitivity to grooming
• increased reactivity
• displacement behaviours

This is because the horse’s brain recognises the presence of another horse but cannot complete the social connection.
This creates social frustration, which raises arousal and stress.

Allowing touch resolves this frustration almost instantly.

TOUCH IS NECESSARY FOR FULL SOCIAL BONDING

Horses form friendships through actions, not distance observation. Physical contact is how they:

• build trust
• negotiate boundaries
• resolve conflict
• establish mutual comfort

Without touch bonds remain shallow or incomplete because key elements of social behaviour are missing.

Two horses who can only see each other cannot develop the deep emotional buffers that herd members normally provide each other.

THE BODY CALMS WHERE WORDS DO NOT EXIST

Horses do not rely on verbal reassurance. Social bonding is felt through:

• skin contact
• shared space
• steady breathing
• synchronous movement

These bodily cues allow horses to:

• rest
• lie down
• enter REM sleep
• graze without tension

Simply seeing another horse does not unlock these behaviours.
Only touch and proximity do.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR TRAINING

A horse who lacks full social contact is emotionally undernourished. They enter training sessions with:

• higher baseline stress
• lower tolerance for pressure
• decreased focus
• reduced problem solving abilities
• heightened reactivity

A socially fulfilled horse on the other hand is:

• calmer
• braver
• more flexible
• more attentive
• more willing to learn

Touch is not a detail. It is a foundation.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Visual access is a start but it is not enough.
To meet a horses behavioural needs we must provide the full social experience:

• touch
• shared space
• mutual grooming
• companionship
• co regulation

A horse who cannot touch another horse is living in partial social deprivation.

A horse who can touch is living in social completeness.

And only the socially complete horse has the emotional stability required for consistent healthy learning.

Video credit Mae Mills, Toto & Trev

25/11/2025

EXPLORING SOCIAL INTERACTION IN HORSES

When we say that social interaction is fundamental for horses, we are not talking about a luxury or an optional enrichment. We are talking about a biological requirement as essential as movement and forage. For a herd-living prey species, social contact is a cornerstone of emotional regulation, physical safety, and cognitive development.

To understand why this matters so profoundly for learning and behaviour, we need to look more closely at the nature of equine sociality.

THE HERD AS A REGULATION SYSTEM

In the wild a horse is never emotionally alone. Even when grazing a short distance from the group horses remain connected through subtle cues
ear positions, orientation, facial softening, changes in tension, and movement patterns.

The herd functions as a co regulating system where individuals help maintain collective safety and calm. This shared vigilance reduces the workload on any one horse allowing rest sleep and overall nervous system stability.

When a horse is isolated this shared regulation disappears. The horse must monitor the environment alone which increases vigilance and sympathetic arousal. This is why isolated horses often:

• pace
• call out
• stand rigid and upright
• react to small noises
• struggle to rest

These are not behavioural problems. They are survival responses.

WHY SOCIAL NEEDS DIRECTLY AFFECT TRAINING

Learning involves forming associations evaluating safety and engaging cognitive flexibility. None of these processes function well under high stress.

A socially deprived horse often arrives at training already elevated. Their threshold is lower their responses are faster and their ability to process information is compromised.

By contrast a socially secure horse has a regulated nervous system. Regulation leads to:

• more accurate responses
• greater ability to generalise lessons
• improved impulse control
• better emotional recovery after mistakes
• clearer reactions that reflect understanding not anxiety

Meeting social needs is not just welfare. It is the foundation of good training outcomes.

THE ROLE OF MUTUAL GROOMING AND PHYSICAL TOUCH

Mutual grooming is not just affection. It triggers endorphin release stabilises heart rate and lowers cortisol. Horses that regularly groom each other show signs of:

• reduced tension
• more stable herd relationships
• lower reactivity
• greater tolerance for frustration

By removing access to mutual grooming we remove one of the horse’s strongest natural mechanisms for stress reduction.

This loss shows up in training as:

• irritability
• distractibility
• defensive responses to touch
• difficulty standing still

When we restore social grooming opportunities training softness often returns without additional effort.

THE EFFECTS OF PARTIAL SOCIAL CONTACT

Modern management sometimes provides partial but incomplete solutions such as bars between stalls or small windows that allow sight but not touch. These arrangements are better than complete isolation but still fall short of fulfilling social needs.

Horses benefit most from:

• full body contact
• shared space
• coordinated movement
• grazing together
• resting near one another

Touch and movement are powerful communicators. Without them the horse experiences connection without fulfilment.

This can create frustration that may appear as:

• teeth grinding
• fence walking
• aggression toward neighbouring horses
• tension during grooming or tacking

True social contact resolves these patterns far more effectively than behavioural correction alone.

COMPANIONSHIP AND THE MYTH OF OVER ATTACHMENT

A common misconception is that horses become herd bound because they have too much social interaction. In reality horses become herd bound because they have too little quality social stability.

When horses lack a predictable secure social group they cling intensely to the little contact they have. This is a symptom of deprivation not excess.

When social needs are consistently met horses become:

• more independent
• more confident
• less anxious in new environments
• more engaged with their handlers

The solution to herd bound behaviour is often more social access not less.

SOCIAL FULFILMENT IS A TRAINING TOOL

Connection creates calm. Calm creates clarity. Clarity creates learning.

Horses who are socially fulfilled:

• problem solve more effectively
• maintain focus for longer periods
• recover from pressure quickly
• offer voluntary engagement in training
• show smoother transitions both emotional and physical

When trainers support social needs they spend less time managing behaviour and more time teaching.

Social access is not separate from training. It is part of it.

Video credit to Mae Mills, Toto & Trev

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

Lisa Croft - Evidence Based Equine Training

29/11/2025

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