Found this interesting article at TheHorse.com. (Link at the bottom!)
What do you all think about this? :)
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" Is your horse ready to learn? Australian researchers have determined that a little mental warm-up to prepare your horse for learning can go a long way toward effective, ethical training.
“Increasing the arousal level of horses prior to a training session could improve learning performance and safeguard equine welfare by reducing stress reactions during the training session,” said Paul McGreevy, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, MACVS (Animal Welfare), professor of animal behavior and animal welfare science at the University of Sydney.
McGreevy presented the work of his student, Kate Fenner, BEqSci Hons, of Kandoo Equine, in Towrang, Australia, during the 2016 International Society for Equitation Science conference, held June 23-26 in Saumur, France.
“This ‘engagement zone,’ as we can refer to it, is a level of arousal that’s not stressful, per se, but just brings the horse into an engagement of attention and preparation for a training lesson,” McGreevy said.
In their study, Fenner, McGreevy, and colleagues taught 68 horses to step backwards in response to bit pressure over a course of eight trials. Half the horses were first “brought into the engagement zone” by preparing them for the lesson with light bit pressure. The scientists removed the pressure as soon as the horse moved away from it. The other half were control horses which were not brought into the engagement zone before training.
“As we expected, heart rate increased and heart rate variability (variations between heart beats) decreased during this preparatory phase with the rein tension, suggesting a slight stress response that can be considered arousal,” McGreevy said.
During the actual training phase, “prepared” horses showed less conflict, possibly indicating a more positive learning experience. Further, the control horses tossed their heads much more than the prepared horses during the training session.
“Interestingly, both groups of horses chose to avoid rein pressure, by stepping back more quickly and taking larger steps, rather than habituating to it, highlighting a need for coaches and riders to assess rein tension requirements over time,” Fenner added.
“The significant reduction in head-tossing behavior suggests that preparing the horse for the lesson may improve learning outcomes by reducing stress during the subsequent lesson,” said McGreevy.
Fenner noted that “if the horse is too emotional, he is frightened and will not be learning, and when he is not emotional enough (not paying attention), he will also not be learning.”
As such, “defining this ‘engagement zone,’ as an arousal level that optimizes learning and minimizes stress, would have horse welfare benefits,” McGreevy concluded.
So before you dive into training, consider helping your horse prepare mentally by taking steps to bring him into the engagement zone."
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http://www.thehorse.com/articles/37950/is-your-horse-ready-to-learn?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=health-news&utm_campaign=08-09-2016
Ok, interesting little article!
I'm just jealous of their job and that they got to go to Saumur :p
Hi Kicki,
Do you think this "arousal,that's not stressful" equals the orientation with eventual schooling on the Dually halter we do when bringing the horse into the roundpen for Join-Up? It sounds so familiar, like bringing adrenalin up to be able to lower its level afterwards. Just a thought...interesting though!
Thank you for bringing it to our attention,
Miriam
Hi Miriam,
Yes, I did see the similarity with the round pen orientation. Also the way they started the back up training by a sort of incremental steps like "preparing them for the lesson with light bit pressure".
HI kICKI AND MIRIAM, I have been looking at and thinking about this article for the last several days. I find it most interesting and thought provoking.. My thoughts have been focused on my own orientation to the way that I train and prepare a horse and myself, to reach a PEAK PERFORMANCE TRAINING MOMENT. I have to ask myself the questions " WHAT HAPPENS JUST PRIOR TO THAT MOMENT?- -and WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT MOMENT HAS PASSED?"
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.I am thinking bout doing a video staring Miss Rosie O Grady because she typifies what the above article is all about, including its conclusions. She is 23 yrs young, broke her front leg 2 yrs. ago, so, as a consequence, she is slow to warm-up because of arthritis. However, when she enters the ENGAGEMENT ZONE it`s hard NOT to notice the transition of thoughts and energy that come alive. It is precisely what they describing in the article.
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Another obvious example that I see happening is when I tease my stallion with a mare while I have the stallion on a lead-line .He will bring an enormous amount of energy for all to see as he becomes engaged.. That energy must be controlled and brought back down through movement as I ask for his focus to change from the mare to me. A VERY TEACHABLE MOMENT and he has LEARNED TO SWITCH HIS FOCUS. I have been able to do this WITHOUT the use of a chain, but it does take some time to bring about. One of my proudest moments when this happened for the time.
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By posting this article, you a given us all a PAUSE to think about the small steps as we approach working with our horses. MANY THANKS, Kicki .
Bud
Delighted to hear that,Bud. :)
Fingers crossed you do make that vid!
Hi Bud and Kicki,
Looking forward to this video!
A great opportunity to fine-tune our skills..
Miriam
Hi all
I found this article very helpful, and have thought a great deal about it when training with Shilo.
Before we begin our session I have noticed that I have a little routine that I didn't really notice before, I think that this routine gives Shilo the clue or cue that he know needs to focus.
This routine just involves little things like asking him to back, ask him to move left and right, also a little sweet spot, and after that then we move on to the session, I think that Shilo would be confused if we didn't go through the motions before training, though I haven't tried to not go through our routine.
Shilo likes routine, it makes him comfortable.
Bud, I would love to see a video of you training your horse if you could find the time to make one.
Thanks for the article Kikki, - food for thought.
Dionne.
Hi everyone,
Dionne, i do exactly the same with Dayka and, like you, i've noticed it seems to get her ready for "work", if i ever skip this routine then she thinks i'm taking her grazing and her behaviour is completely different.
But i don't know if that would be getting the horse "engaged" or rather using ritualistic habituation to relax our horses before asking things from them ?
Interesting stuff Kicki - it is a shame that Paul McGreevy is so negative towards Monty when, while there are differences, there are many areas of shared belief.
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The principles you describe apply to humans too. Learning theory tells us that a little bit of preparation and stress enhances learning (just a little bit!). I am training a group of people at the moment (not horse related) and explained to them that an element of discomfort has to be present. If they are too comfortable they are not learning about themselves and any pre-conceived ideas/prejudices they have. If it is too stressful, it does them harm and I am a poor educator. The ideal is the middle ground where people can explore their values and beliefs in a safe way while challenging themselves (and me), developing their self awareness and maybe experiencing some temporary emotional pain while they work through this introspection.
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My horse is very spooky, high flight response and very sensitive but it is fascinating to watch him connect with himself as soon as I start to put the Dually near him. He stops, curves his head in and arches his neck in very slightly ready to have the dually put over his head as if he knows 'ah, we are going to work'
Very thought provoking! I can only say that i agree that having them too stressed doens't work as they are elsewhere (woods vs donkeys i have never been able to worjk through-and i tired for a loooong time. but i could literally be on fire and woods is too stressed to even notice) and if they are too chilled they are not listening and taking anything on board. I have to let Wood's 'come down' before i get on, which, the more ive done this the quicker it happens. If he is stressed by something we just wait or distract untill he is at a level to work with me.
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Lucie and Dionne, i do the same! I always walk woods round the school beofre work (unless a hack but the high viz going on is his que for that!) I sometimes think this is boring for him BUT it also is a guage to me how he is menatlly and i honestly think it settles him for work-if i just went striaght in i think he would panic a bit.
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So i guess i would agree with this statement, BUT, i may be missing something, would it not be considerd part of an incrememtal lesson instead of 'engaging them'. Surely engaing them for work would be to do something similar to what Dionne, Lucie and I do? So getting them into the frame of mind before you even begin to teach-if that makes sense?
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Jess
Yes please on a video Bud, that will be fantastic to watch and learn from. do you already have a youtube channel?
Mel
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