Click'Em All - R+ Science Based Animal Training Basics

21/06/2024

21/06/2024

Zeventig paarden hebben een brand in Normandië, in het noordwesten van Frankrijk, niet overleefd. De brand brak zondagochtend uit in een stoeterij in Bernesq, melden lokale autoriteiten.

21/06/2024

Do you tell your dog “no!”, “leave it!”, “stop!”, “argh!” or similar for any unwanted behavior? Teach your dog a Positive Interrupter instead! Follow the ste...

19/06/2024

Connecting with horses involves several key steps to build a strong and trusting relationship. As with all animals, start by spending time observing and understanding their behaviour and body language, as this helps in recognising their needs and emotions.
Approach horses calmly and confidently, using gentle and consistent communication to establish trust. Engage in grooming and care routines to create positive associations and strengthen your bond. Groundwork exercises, such as leading and lunging, are essential for building mutual respect and understanding.
Always prioritise safety and patience, allowing the connection to develop naturally over time. By following these steps, you can foster a deep and meaningful relationship with horses, enhancing both your experience and theirs.

18/06/2024

THE EXPECTATIONS CHECKLIST

You're totally allowed to have goals. Those goals come with expectations, and to accurately estimate what one can expect from the horse (today!) one needs to be able to predict behaviour. We do that by collecting data and focusing on the process rather than the outcome. This way, your goal functions as a general guideline instead of this blinding ambition that takes you out of the present moment setting both of you up for failure.

Now, I'm not saying there's no place for play and spontaneity in training, but it's important to play and improvise mindfully with realistic expectations. This way, we keep ourselves and our horses safe and happy, our training efficient and our progress sustainable. There's a way to quickly assess whether your ask is a fair one and how good your chances are that the horse will perform or participate happily. I want you to quickly ask yourself these 4 questions in this particular order before you expect your horse to do something.

1. Would he be able to do it?
2. Would he feel comfortable doing it?
3. Would he understand it?
4. Would he be willing to do it?

The more often you do this, the better you'll get to know your horse. This post will address the first question.

1 - Would he be able to do it? How to answer this? Consider things that might influence your horse's ability to do something:

- Species and breed/type: Learn about your horse's ethology, senses, cognition, anatomy and predispositions
- Age: Is your horse too young or too old for this?
- Health and fitness: Is he in pain or would he experience physical discomfort doing what you ask? Has he been met in all of his primary needs?
- Energy: Is your horse not too tired or too hyped up? Is he able to concentrate?
- Time of day/year: Is the environment allowing your horse to do this? His hormones? The weater? The soil?

Start simple: every time the horse says "No", go through the questions and find out where things might have gone wrong. You'll get to the right 'diagnosis' a little quicker each time. So quick, in fact, that at some point you'll know the answer before it has even happened; adjusting your expectations accordingly.

18/06/2024

A user-friendly guide to negative reinforcement in dog training – and the alternatives you should know about.

16/06/2024

🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

16/06/2024

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀!

Let’s talk about supportive management and peaceful coexistence in our animal relationships. We do not need to put a moral stamp on everything. I am not talking about the more ethical dilemmas involved in the choice of certain tools here, that is for another post.

Management is also not something to be mocked or a cop out particularly if it reduces your stress and that of your animal companions. Sometimes it’s 'ok to make our lives and those of our animals easier. It might look like offering your dog a lickimat while you bathe them throwing some treats or a chew into the car boot to help your dog settle or delivering your horse’s medication in a slice of bread or a banana. If it means they are less stressed than using the syringe.

Other examples might include giving your horse a handful of hay to chew so they are more relaxed when you lead them to and from the field applying fly spray with a cloth if they don’t like the spray or even using situational medication.

It is ok to support them and to manage situations not everything needs to be a display of your training prowess, you have nothing to prove ( take a breath).

It’s ok to focus on how your animal feels about a situation than what we can make them do. It is ok to focus on what makes the situation easier for you as that in turn allows you to be emotionally available to your animal.

Excluding medical emergencies where minimising stress may be impossible, try the following:

🐴🐶Rank all of the tasks you do in terms of how stressful they are.

🐴🐶Make two lists one for you and one for your horse or dog

Then use a traffic light system to rank how stressful each of you finds the task

🔴 RED being HIGH
🟠 AMBER being medium
🟢GREEN being low

For example, trips to the vet might be RED for both of you and hacking alone might be green for you but RED or Amber for your horse.

Next, make a list of everything that makes the task or event less stressful for you and your animal. Aim to as far as possible keep both of you in green or amber. You may need to explore what works best and acknowledge that everyone’s needs might change. Lastly, reach out for help if you need it. Most of all don’t forget you are trying your best.

©️Jessie Sams Animal Behaviour and Trauma Recovery Service

09/06/2024

All equestrian centers should have this on their entrance wall...

Picture origin: Hurston Dressage and Eventing ‘Promise to the Horse’

04/06/2024

Exactly...that's not loving horses at all, that's only loving the sport you can use them for. And there's a world of difference...

Picture credit: progressiveequinepartnership.com

04/06/2024

😥

Exactly...Such a sad screaming contrast in this picture between the smiling human face and the horse's expression... There just can be no fun at all if it means to make someone else suffer 💔

Picture credit: Animal Liberation

30/05/2024

Are you aware of the subtle signs your horse might be trying to tell you there is something wrong? Download our horse behaviour checklist to see if your horse is trying to tell you something.