08/01/2025
Operant conditioning is learning by consequences of actions. For example, the horse learns not to touch an electric fence because it will receive a shock, or it learns to eat apples because they taste good.
This type of learning involves voluntary behaviours that result in rewards or the avoidance of aversive outcomes.
Understanding the principles of operant conditioning can significantly enhance our ability to train horses effectively and humanely.
Operant conditioning consists of three core elements, known as the operant contingency:
- Cue: The stimulus that prompts the animal to act
- Operant response: The voluntary behaviour performed by the animal
- Reward: The consequence that reinforces the behaviour
For example, when a horse is being ridden, the rider's leg pressure serves as the cue, the horse's lateral movement is the operant response, and the relief from pressure acts as the reward.
Edward Thorndike pioneered the study of operant conditioning through his experiments with cats in puzzle boxes. His work challenged the prevailing belief that animals needed to understand a problem to solve it, introducing the concept of "trial-and-error learning with accidental success".
B.F. Skinner further developed the field in the 1930s with his invention of the Skinner box, which allowed for more controlled studies of instrumental conditioning. Skinner coined the term "operant conditioning" to describe how behavior operates on the environment to produce consequences.
Operant conditioning is often described using four quadrants, which represent different ways to influence behaviour.
The four subsets include positive punishment, negative punishment, positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement. However, from the perspective of training, it would be useful to add a ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ก subset, and that is ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ.
Combined reinforcement is simply the act of using both negative and positive reinforcement in tandem in order to amplify reinforcement.
Adapted from ESI publications Modern Training Volume 2 and Equitation Science 2nd Edition (both available in our online shop).
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