1.3 Understanding horses part 2 - mental states

I split this chapter as it is rather long, so here we are a week or so later to go through the second half of understanding horses.

I have just watched the video on the mental states of the horse.

1. resisting state
2. non-responsive state
3. responsive state
4. searching for release/reward
5. figuring out state

The first two are obviously bad - in some training techniques they are referred to as 'right brain' or 'reptilian brain' (neither of which have much resemblance to the actual neural pathways) but as a concept they are talking about the state in which a horse is highly emotional in fight or flight mode and is not in the best place to learn. Too much pressure/force is often responsible for this state.

Unfortunately for me a see a lot of resisting and non-responsive from both Tonto and Sof. I think I have to take a good look at my teaching style. I am too authoritarian with them, working too much in a pressure and release model offering little reward. When I take Sof in the school, she is instantly anxious when I work her on the ground, and I have to take some time to settle her. Often she shuts down into non-responsive which is her coping mechanism. I think with Sofie it is from previous handling, but I need to also be kinder to her. Mr T is in full on resisting. I've been trying to do some ground work exercises with him but he is very nervous and tries to run through me or push me when I put any pressure on him. I have managed to make some progress with Sofie, but hardly any with Tonto.

Marijke would like to encourage students to aim to have horses always in states 3, 4 and 5. Where you use positive reward, and have a horse who is highly motivated, sensitive, and trusting in you. I would really like to achieve this with both my horses. I have it with Tonto when he is at liberty, but mainly because I am not actually asking him to do anything. I have started to train with treats, but I am not sure I am using them quite right - both seem to just get over-excited by them and stop listening. I think this is going to be a challenge for me, it is completely different to the way I have been taught to train horses.

OK just watched the learning principles and feel a bit better about myself. Basically the way to achieve the positive learning states is to combine release with reward - which can be cuddles and praise which I already do, I just need to do more of this with some carefully timed treats I think.

Essentially if you want to work your horse in the mental states of 3 and 4 you need your focus to be on what they are doing right, and allowing yourself to ignore what they are doing wrong. This will mean you work more with reward and release than correction. I think this will be my mantra with sofie, what is she doing right.