Creating Optimal Learning Environments for Ourselves and Our Horses
being met.
When horses don’t have a positive learning environment, they start to exhibit maladaptive (undesirable) behaviours. They can shut down, become more fearful or more aggressive. “Not every horse looks the same when their needs aren’t being met, but you can be sure that if they’re not getting what they need these maladaptive behaviours will appear,” explains Kjelson. Looking at bad behaviour or learning challenges through the lens of learning theory helps us to ask better questions. The next time you have a struggling ride, ask yourself the following:
- Is there anything I can do to reduce my horse’s stress and/or my own stress?
- What can I do to make this clearer for my horse or myself?
- Is there a big picture need that isn’t being met, for me or my horse, that could be impacting how we are showing up in this moment?
- Could pain or a health issue be a factor in my horse’s behaviour?
Safety, Control, and Learning
One of the most important big picture needs is control. Just like humans, horses need to feel some degree of control to feel safe. Feeling a lack of control leads to maladaptive behaviours in all animals; however, as prey animals, horses are particularly impacted by the level of control they have in their environment.
“Because horses are large and powerful, humans are often threatened by or fearful of giving up some control, or what we perceive as control, to the horse,” explains Kjelson. “However, often the reality is that when we allow our horse to feel more in control we end up with a happier and more willing learner.”
Improving the control dynamic between you and your horse can have a really positive impact on the learning environment. “If you have a horse that’s behaving badly, the instinct is often to increase our restraint tactics, for example, using a stronger bit or a shorter lead line. This can help us feel more in control, but it really reduces the horse’s experience of control over their own bodies,” says Kjelson. Instead of increasing restraint, she recommends removing or reducing the restraint tools and simply slowing down the process to reduce the horse’s stress and checking that you are being extremely clear in what you’re asking the horse to do.
Another tip that Kjelson shares to increase the horse’s experience of control is to use an activity that the horse likes and would choose to do themselves as a reward. Maybe your horse loves stretching, or perhaps they love to jump. If you’re working on something new and challenging, such as a leg yield, pop them over a small jump or allow a stretch as a reward for progress. This will help the horse feel more in control through doing something they enjoy and are already confident in.
