How horses learn is integral to how we work with them. It is stating the obvious to say that we need to understand the processes through which horses learn to be able to train them effectively. Yet, multiple studies have shown that an understanding of the basic “nuts and bolts” of how horses learn is lacking in many professional and amateur equestrians alike.
Learning theory describes the processes through which horses learn, and is split into different levels of complexity. The first three levels are the most important for horse training:
- non-associative learning
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning.
You may be familiar with other words around this area of learning theory, such as desensitisation, sensitisation, imprinting, habituation, overshadowing and more. In this series, we’re going to look at each of these levels of learning theory, one by one, beginning with non-associative learning.
How horses learn: non-associative learning
When a horse encounters a stimulus repeatedly, they either habituate – that is, get used to it – or become sensitised, which is when they become more likely to react to it. What people often don’t realise is that which one occurs depends on the horse’s perception of the potential for it to cause them harm, not whether the threat is real or not.
When a horse becomes habituated to a potential danger such as a noisy tractor, they learn not to react to it. Credit: Alamy
This might sound silly – surely a horse will get used to things that don’t hurt it? But consider how many people fear spiders, and how many of them have actually been harmed by one? Realistically spiders are no threat to us – at least, not in the UK – yet they still elicit a fear response in many people. The sight of a spider triggers a reaction in the amygdala – the fear centre in the brain – and this memory of fear is then stored for next time.
So the next time your horse is scared of something you think they shouldn’t be, don’t get frustrated. Instead focus on training them to be confident and you will find they get braver over time. In future articles we will address how to do this.
Habituation takes time and patience, as the horse develops confidence that a perceived threat is not going to harm them. Credit: Philip Barker
A complex balance of habituation and sensitisation
Both sensitisation and habituation are important when training horses. Consider that we expect horses to habituate to contact via the bit, or a rider’s leg against their sides. Yet at the same time we expect them to be sensitive to an aid and respond immediately – the only difference is the amount of pressure and the direction in which it is applied.
This knowledge should motivate riders always to work on having an independent seat, to allow a clear differentiation between light and consistent contact versus an aid. In contrast the more novice rider may sometimes be using the hand or leg as an aid, and other times the same amount of pressure is applied because they lost their balance – no wonder some horses become confused.
Similarly, we expect showjumpers to habituate to all the sensory information they might be exposed to at an international show, including “spooky” fences, yet at the same time remain reactive enough to become sensitised if they touch a pole.
At elite level, top showjumpers are both habituated to the distractions of the crowd atmosphere, while remaining sensitive to their rider’s aids and retaining their desire not to touch the poles. Credit: Alamy
Our job is to help the horse assess and balance those demands. Again, understanding training in more depth is important to navigate this complexity.
- Coming up next in this series, we will explain levels two and three of equine learning theory: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. We will also look at case studies, and how we can put this learning into practice in our day-to-day equestrian lives
You may also be interested to read…
Build your horse’s confidence with this expert’s guide to classical conditioning
Why treating horses like horses, not ‘like kings’, is vital for equestrian sport’s future
Why horses nap and refuse to go forward – and how to re-train them
Study shows horses learn better when they are more relaxed
‘They can say no’: how techniques used to train zebras and rhinos could benefit horses
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