How do Horse Learn?
Survival in the Wild is often dependent on an ability to adapt rapidly to new conditions. Horses can learn fast if the right training is given.
Horses learn mainly by means of association of ideas. It has been scientifically and practically proved that if a horse can be made to associate a particular task, even an unpleasant or frightening one, with something pleasant he will tolerate it much more readily. For instance, a horse that does not like being shod will accept it in time if it learns that it will be fed some favourite titbits, or have a net of sweet hay to nibble at, during the process. If you are trying to teach a horse to move over to a slight pressure on its side or just the word “over”. The position of the handler’s body is important too. For example, if you stand directly in front of or behind it when saying “over”, it will not know which way to move.
Horses learn their daily routine quickly and watch the things goings on, listen to the various sounds, and absorb daily happenings. They quickly associate the rattle of feed buckets with the appearance of feed, for instance, and the sight of someone carrying their saddle and bridle with work or going for a hack,
They are also quick to absorb atmosphere and can differentiate between a pleased, praising or calming tone in the human voice and a sharp, cross, reprimanding tone, or an urging, encouraging one.
Horses learn short, simple sounds best. Although a stream of words said in a particular tone can convey your feelings - such as calming down or urging on - when you want the horse to perform a particular movement it is best to use short sounds of up to three syllables. As horses recognize the actual sound, th etone and inflection, the tone and inflection of the voice is very important. Always give commands in the same way so as not to confuse the horse. When you buy a new horse, ask the previous owner to demonstrate the exact way in which he or she gave it commands so you can imitate them, even down to their if necessary. If the precious owner asked the horse to “trot on” and you use the long drawn-out command “terr-ot”, you cannot blame the horse for not complying.
Horses are easily upset and startled, so it is best to use reward training rather than punishment training. For instance, when a horse does something right, praise it consistently by always using words “good boy” said in the same tone. If it does something wrong, however, it’s best to give no response at all but make your aids clearer, then praise it when it does get it right, Most horses do want to please.
There are times when a horse may blatantly naughty or dominating. In such cases, one sharp smack or crack of the whip used at the same time saying the word “no” crossly, delivered the instant if does wrong, will convey the message that this behavior is not wanted.
It is essential that both praise and punishment are administered within one second of the horse’s action, otherwise the horse cannot connect your response with whatever it did and will learn nothing. It must associate your action with its own, good or bad, in order to learn whether you are pleased or not. This is the way its brain works and is essential to the learning process.
If a horse comes to associate an action with something unplesant it will not want to do it. For example, if a horse receives a painful jab in the mouth every time it jumps, it will quickly learn that, jumping means pain and will start refusing; if it is kicked on the hip every time it is mounted it will soon start to become difficult to mount, having learned that the process is unpleasant.