Proceedings

Principles of learning theory in equitation
The following 10 training principles are presented as ‘First Principles’ for
all horse training interactions. As first Principles, these stand as nonnegotiable
obligations for trainers to maintain optimal welfare in trained
horses as well as optimal training efficiency. These Principles are
presented as further refinements of the original 8 Principles on the ISES
website and in peer-reviewed literature (McGreevy and McLean, 2006).
Training Principle 1 – Take into account the horse’s ethology and cognition
DOES YOUR TRAINING DEMONSTRATE: recognition of Ethology and Cognition?
Ethology is the study of animal behaviour that provides information on how animals have
evolved to live. It helps to explain natural equine social structures and behavioural needs. Since
horses need the company of their own species and readily form attachment bonds, isolation is
detrimental. They have evolved to walk and graze for about 16 hours per day.
Cognition refers to the ways animals process information about the world. Compared to humans,
horses’ prefrontal cortex is relatively small, so they may not experience events as we do. They
excel at memorising and recognising stimuli that trigger certain responses, particularly those that
keep them safe. We must be careful not to overestimate equine intelligence and to say things
like “he knows what he did wrong”, especially when trying to justify punishment. Equally, we
should not underestimate cognitive abilities by supposing that horses do not have emotions.
WELFARE IMPLICATIONS: Isolation and restricted locomotion and foraging have negative
impact on horse welfare. Similarly over- or under- estimating horses’ intelligence also can have
negative welfare implications.
Training Principle 2 - Use learning theory appropriately
DOES YOUR TRAINING DEMONSTRATE: the appropriate use of Habituation, Sensitisation,
Operant conditioning, Shaping and Classical conditioning?
Habituation refers to the process of response reduction, which can occur after repeated
exposure to a particular event or stimulus. Horses are innately fearful of new/unfamiliar things
(i.e. they are neophobic) and may react to various stimulus characteristics, such as
size/magnitude, novelty, proximity, and sudden appearance or occurrence. Objects that are
moving, especially if erratic and/or coming towards them, may be hard for them to identify, even
when familiar.
A range of desensitisation techniques can be used to achieve habituation. Systematic
desensitisation, approach conditioning, overshadowing, counter-conditioning, and stimulus
blending are some methods of desensitisation. (See Table 1 for further explanation and practical
examples.)
Sensitisation is when the responses made by an individual increase, i.e. become more intense.
If an individual experiences a series of arousing attractive or aversive stimuli, sensitisation
describes the likelihood that it will respond more quickly or with more intensity to these stimuli in
the future. This increased response may generalise to a whole class of stimuli.
Operant conditioning describes training using rewards and punishment. There are 4 subsets
(see Table 2 for practical examples):
1. Positive reinforcement: is the addition of something the horse values to increase the
occurrence of a desired behaviour. Primary positive reinforcers are resources that horses
naturally value such as food and gentle touch. Training becomes more efficient if the
reinforcement is given immediately at the onset of the correct response. Secondary
© International Society for Equitation Science 2016
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