Least Resistance Training Concepts (LRTC) Volunteers Training for Emergencies

LRTC Emergency Response Team Mounted Searching: INCREASING CONFIDENCE and REDUCING REACTIVITY in SEARCH HORSES Part Two, Developing the Confident MSAR Mount Please note: This information sheet is not intended to be an all encompassing instruction guide, but rather to illustrate approaches that we have found successful in reducing reactivity in our mounts when encountering stressful stimuli. More specific training details appear in links provided at the end of this multi-part information sheet. Normative vs. Dynamic Training Approaches. This feature is a continuation of Part One in which the context of this discussion is explained. I'll put it right out front. We often depart from normative or "traditional" training approaches. Normative approaches definitely have value however in dealing with literally hundreds of horses and having had the advantage of some of the world's leading equine experts as our teachers and mentors (Parelli, Sharp, Bell, Tellington-Jones, Bennett, Reese, Denlinger, etc.) we have learned the distinctive differences between various methods and approaches. We need our horses to not be overreactive to unexpected stimuli, but at the same time a dull horse in outback range conditions can also be dangerous. In short, we want our mounts to be alert, but not be "on alert." Samson, a horse formally used for ranch work that was considered too unstable for crowd work - Photographed at the Nevada Day Parade after 4 days' of confidence training. We are not likely to remain situationally aware and conduct an effective search if we're constantly concerned about what our horses are doing, or what they may do. Conversely we don't want our horses to be taught to be so tuned out that they don't themselves perceive dangerous situations or fail to provide us with "alert signals" when they detect something of interest. What we have found to be the secret is to seek out that balance point between activity and reactivity and between being overly sensitive and overly desensitive. Those balance points change from horse to horse, depending a great deal on breeding (predisposition) and the horse's lifetime experiences. To help guide balanced development of these horses, we have divided training approaches into two categories, normative and dynamic. Horses, to a great extent, are pattern learners. Especially when it comes to responding predictably to specific cues, a reasonable degree of repetition is usually required to produce reliable "if-then" dendrite pathways. A classic example is that when a rider applies leg pressure, the horse's first thought is (or should be) to start moving forward. As equestrians we typically accept a relatively standard set of cues and we condition our horses through practice to respond predictably to those cues. These normative techniques are important foundation blocks for safety and reliability. However once we get out of the arena and into a complex real world, we need to consider the value of dynamic training. While normative or patterned training can produce reliable "if-then" neuro pathways, where it often fails us is when the horse is confronted with something extremely unsettling and the horse does not have experience in instantly choosing between a survival response versus following a rider's cue. Of course if the rider fails to apply a timely cue and the horse reacts, we can't fault the horse. However if the rider has failed to develop the horse's ability to respond to the rider's cues instead of racing down that "Flight or Fight On-Ramp," we still can't fault the horse. The horse, a prey animal, was placed in a situation for which he was not neurologically prepared. The old cowboys who often worked all day in the saddle could take a green horse and just "work it out." The constant repetition and changing stimulus served to effectively condition most horses. Conversely most MSAR horses spend the majority of their time in corrals or pastures. Thus it benefits us and our horses to get creative with training and improve our mounts' abilities to measure real-world stimulus. We typically start this process as soon as possible by introducing "horse puzzles." Especially with the wild horses, we'd set up various games that at face value would appear dangerous or unsettling, but when the volunteers worked effectively together and made sure their energy wasn't being directed at the horse but rather at the game, the horses would quickly settle. They would watch but wouldn't be in fear of the bizarre activity around them. Playing volleyball with a wild horse. The secret is to maintain an activity level that doesn't exceed the horse's curiosity and thus generate fear. Most horses actually "get into" the game if the energy is properly controlled. The approaches described here often appear radical and even dangerous to more traditional horse people. The activities do have to be rationally reasoned and be designed for a beneficial purpose. However when properly applied the results are self-evident. A critical element in these activities involves "reading" the horse. Horse puzzles and sensitivity problems need to be sufficient to challenge the horse, but not be so intense as to produce survival behavior. The object is to generate problem solving dendrites, not further reinforce flight or fight responses. These types of exercises can also significantly improve handler / rider skills with respect to recognizing their horses' body language. As the handlers' ability to recognize their horses' body language improve along with the direction and level of energy applied in response to that body language, confidence and reliability can improve significantly. Horse Puzzles (Obstacles.) A number of links that describe the horse puzzles we employ appear at the end of this feature. Many people have developed their own challenges that in many cases are quite creative. The issue here is whether these challenges improve confidence or increase reactivity. Therefore this feature will discuss the principles of using horse puzzles and challenges for confidence building rather than dwell on the construction details of the challenges. The desired result is not that a rider could sit a reactive horse, even though that skill is useful. The desired result is for the horse to process the challenge, maintain its composure, still be responsive to the rider's or handler's cues, and proceed safely. To achieve such a result, we need to be aware real-time of how horses perceive their surroundings and the tendencies and alert signals specific to the horse being handled or ridden. Our approach to desensitizing is to create a sort of horsey amusement park. The "rides," while challenging and perhaps a little scary, need to also be fun. We also need to work at a pace that generates curiosity in the horse. A curious horse retains vital information and maintains a more solid relationship between a particular obstacle and desired performance than a horse in a highly fearful state. Pushing too hard and producing repetitive avoidance behavior only "lubricates" those survival dendrites. Even if the horse eventually accepts the challenge, at some later time when the horse is more highly stressed, it could easily choose the undesired behavior (survival behavior.) If a pattern is established where the horse is allowed to solve problems and is subsequently rewarded, the "cause and effect" pathways that are established encourage desired behavior. Perhaps even more importantly, as the horse becomes confident with an obstacle the horse should develop greater confidence and reliability in responding to the handler / rider's cues. Such a result is achievable if the handler / rider encourages rather than pressures the horse through the challenges. Swedish author Willy Klaeson came to Nevada to learn about wild horses. He haltered this former wild horse for the first time a couple of days prior to this image where the horse was calmly leading through several intermediate obstacles. A few days later Willy calmly climbs aboard his "project". It should be noted that Willy is a trotting horse owner, not an experienced rider. We don't do stuff like throw firecrackers at the horses or light hay bales on fire. We're not the riot squad. We are not going to condition our horses to dread what might be coming next. We've seen too many riders end up catching an unintended ride to the trauma center in these situations. All horses will startle when surprised with the unexpected. The question that presents itself is whether the startled horse will rush into survival behavior or give the rider a moment in which to apply a proper cue. When horses have been conditioned to expect that the rider's cue will result in a beneficial solution, particularly when the horse can't immediately generate its own solution, the outcomes are generally much safer and more consistent. For these reasons, problem solving challenges generally prove to be the most beneficial. Continue to Despooking - Logical Progression Return to Part One Press Back to return to the page which brought you here Return to LRTC SAR Tools Resource Page Return to LRTC Training and Information Page Return to KBR Training Page Go To KBR Horse Net