THE HORSE GAZETTE
A horse, Of Course
non-judgement, the path to perfect horsemanship
By Don Blazer © 2009
Your success lies modifications with horses are reinforcement can easily lead
within. When you follow “habituation/desensitization” to unwanted behaviors.
your heart and you practice and “positive and negative A horse sees you
non-judgment you are on the reinforcement.” coming and knows you
path to perfect horsemanship. Habituation and are bringing food. In his
Practicing the fourth desensitization are simple excitement, he kicks the stall
secret will change everything forms of learning. The wall, and you hurry with
about the way you train and horse initially responds to a the food to stop the kicking.
handle horses. stimulus and eventually learns Repeat this several times and
Horses, as humans, to respond less and less or the horse soon becomes an
are herd animals. Survival is not at all. It is habituation obnoxious and dangerous
the first concern. The actions and desensitization we use problem.
and focus of horses, as they to eliminate “spookiness” in In that instance you
are with humans, always begin a horse. We want the horse have not “given”, but have
and end with themselves. to get over the spookiness so “taken” away your leadership
Horses, as humans, seek the that he can focus on what we position. Think rather than
acceptance of the herd, and the want to teach, or to keep him react and do not feed until the
praise of other herd members. listening to our requests. horse is quiet.
Understanding that, you can “Flooding” or You must “give”
understand why the fourth “sacking out” are forms of leadership, not abandon it.
secret has two steps. habituation and desensitization N e g a t i v e
To reach perfect and they are also a way we reinforcement is the
horsemanship you must first “take” from the horse instead removal of something which
4. Give. That is the secret! of giving. While flooding or is uncomfortable. The
The first who needs sacking out have been used for shortening of the reins sets a
forgiveness is you. Yesterday years and are still used with bit barrier which is somewhat
is gone and will never return. results, they are not the way to uncomfortable. You give the
While you may wish you had perfect horsemanship. There horse leg cues to round up the
done things differently or is almost always too much body and find a shorter frame
behaved in a different way, risk of injury or punishment to and bit pressure becomes
you cannot change what is the horse when we “take” by nonexistent…a negative
past. Don’t live with “regret” forcing the horse to tolerate reinforcement that the shorter
or “guilt” or the wish for what something or accept something frame is correct.
“might have been.” Simply which frightens him. Leg pressure is
forgive yourself and begin Tying a horse hard reduced when the horse rounds
your next moment with the and fast to a snubbing post will into the proper frame and
desire to forgive and give. “take the fight out of him.” another negative reinforcement
Forgive those you Why not “give” the horse an has been applied.
think have wronged you. opportunity to become familiar Riding forward both
Forgive the mistakes others with something by allowing legs apply equal light contact.
made. him to test it with his senses of To turn left, the left leg contact
Forgiveness has smell, feel, sight, taste and/or is removed and right leg
no “debt”. When you have hearing? Why not “give” the pressure is increased.
forgiven, it is over and all that horse lessons over a period of This is an example
is to come is new. time on standing and being of “giving” the horse an
When you have tied? option. The right leg has
forgiven, you have no fears, Because it takes blocked movement in that
frustrations or disappointments time? Yes, it takes time. But direction, but the left leg has
associated with your horse. perfect horsemanship isn’t opened the door for the horse
You have only the promise of instantaneous. to move through.
a new beginning. P o s i t i v e “Taking” leaves no
And the new reinforcement is the adding options.
beginning is the second step: of something---a reward When you have
“giving” not “taking.” for having performed as mastered the fourth secret,
You must change requested. This is easily you always find a way to give
your way of thinking about understood as “giving.” rather than take.
training and handling horses, Positive reinforcement teaches Don Blazer is the
but not necessarily what you the horse to become an active author of Nine Secrets of
do physically. participant, seeking the Perfect Horsemanship. Visit
The most common correct answer. But positive his website at www.donblazer.
and constantly used behavior com
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