Behavior Articles

Revolution in Horsemanship Castration: Creation of a gelding from a colt or stallion Difficult Horses: Where Do They Come From? Trailer Loading Made Easy (Horseman's Day) Enjoying Veterinary Visits

 

Revolution in Horsemanship

by Robert Miller, DVM (Presented during Horseman's Day 2003, New Orleans, La.)

          During the eighth decade of the twentieth century, a change in horsemanship began in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Several horseman in Northern California, Idaho and adjacent states began to do public “clinics,” demonstrating and advocating a style of horsemanship that depends primarily upon persuasive, gentle methods of manipulating and shaping equine behavior, rather than the forceful, coercive and often inhumane methods that have prevailed in all horse cultures throughout history.

I retired from veterinary practice in 1987 and decided to devote my remaining active years to supporting the efforts of these trainers and their protégés by lecturing and writing about what has become a “Revolution in Horsemanship.”

My personal contribution to this movement was a system of training newborn foals, developed over a period of 40 years, wherein by shaping the behavior of the neonatal foal during its critical learning times and imprinting period, a permanently gentle and well-mannered horse could be produced.

In 1990, I predicted that by the turn of the century this controversial and unorthodox Revolution in Horsemanship would prevail. That prediction has come true. This kind of horsemanship (most popularly known as “Natural Horsemanship,” because it is natural to the horse, utilizing its own communication methods) is now in use all over the world, and its popularity is growing explosively.

One reason for its success at this late date, when the internal combustion engine has virtually displaced the horse as a source of power and transportation and primarily reserved it as a recreational and companion animal, is the information explosion. Television, jet air travel, the Internet, e-mail and an increasingly literate and increasingly female horse ownership have all served to facilitate the spread of this technology.

Concurrently, the popularity of such books as The Man Who Listens to Horses, by Monty Roberts (Random House, c. 1995), The Horse Whisperer, by Nicholas Evans (Delacorte Press, c. 1996), the motion picture, The Horse Whisperer, and several BBC and PBS documentaries have helped to accelerate the acceptance of Natural Horsemanship. No attempt will be made in this presentation to explain the training methods. They are intricate and require considerable study and experience. However, the information is available to all who work with horses, whether professionally or recreationally. What we will do now is show on videotape extraordinary and moving examples of what this kind of horsemanship is capable of producing. You will see a relationship between humans and animals so profound, so humane and so dramatically effective that it can only be regarded as a step upward in civilized behavior.

Imprint Training the Newborn Foal

Imprint training offers a singular opportunity to permanantley mold a horse’s personality. For a short time, the newborn foal is programmed to imprint stimuli. The right procedures at the right time yield dramatic results. There is no time that a horse will learn faster than at this age.

Advantages

Imprint training can help ease handling, enhance later training efforts and reduce injuries. It shapes behavior in the following ways:

- Bonding with the imprint trainer. Immediately post-partum, the foal bonds simultaneously with its dam and with one or more persons handling it. Such foals see humans not as predators, but as fellow horses.

- Submission, but not fear. During imprint training, the foal cannot escape exposure to frightening stimuli (its natural method of survival). As a result, it becomes dependent and submissive in its attitude. The foal sees the trainer as a dominant horse or herd leader. Psychologically, this is the ideal relationship between horse and human. We must have submissiveness in a horse if he is to work for us. But the submissiveness should be created not by fear (a predatory role), but by dependence (a dominant leader role).

- Desensitization to most sensory stimuli (visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory). Most parts of the body, including all body openings, are desensitized. Rapid, repetitious stimuli (flooding) are used until the foal is habituated (i.e. permanently non-responsive) to those stimuli. Loud noises, fluttering objects or being touched anywhere on the body will thereafter be calmly tolerated.

- Sensitization to performance-related stimuli. Specifically, the foal can be taught to respond (rather than habituate) to head and flank pressure. The responsiveness allows control over the fore and hindquarters. The foal will lead where pulled and will move its hind end laterally in response to the touch of a finger in the flank region. This is best taught on the day after birth, after the foal is on its feet.

Some believe that early bonding between the foal and humans will produce

a “pet” foal. They believe that early foal-human bonding will produce a spoiled horse, indifferent to stimuli and lacking the flightiness “necessary” to race or perform well. This is nonsense. Imprint training, properly performed, will enhance a horse’s relationship with humans. It will teach it “good manners” and increase its responsiveness to stimuli, which will later improve its performance.

The only “disadvantage” of imprint training is that since it is best started immediately post-partum, the mare must be brought in for foaling. This is actually desirable, because it allows rapid identification of any obstetrical problems. It also requires that the broodmare be gentle and well-mannered. If this is not the case, the time to change it is before the mare foals, or better, before she is bred. One should not expect to turn out docile, well-mannered foals if one doesn’t have a well-mannered mare. Yet, some people seem to take pride in owning untrained, ill-mannered broodmares. To me, poor manners indicate ownership by an inept horseman.

Imprint training procedures

The initial imprint session takes about an hour. After the umbilical cord has ruptured and the stump has been disinfected, rub the foal dry with a towel. This procedure alone has a habituating effect. When the mare gets up, allow her to smell and lick the foal. The foal will simultaneously bond with the mare and the person handling it.

Desensitization

Start at the poll, gently but rapidly rubbing it until relaxation occurs (as indicated by extension of the head and a sleepy expression). Each desensitization procedure must be repeated until the foal is oblivious to it. If you stop the procedure while the foal is struggling, it will be taught escape

behavior. Persist until after calm recognition occurs. This means that the foal is habituated to the stimulus and will be permanently desensitized to it.

Next, do the external ears and then insert a forefinger into the ear canals and desensitize them. The face is next, followed by the underside of the upper lip, mouth, tongue and both nostrils. All of this takes 10-15 minutes.

You cannot overdo a stimulus, but you can underdo it. Too many is better than too few. Most foals habituate to 30-50 stimuli, but more may be used if necessary. Next should be the eyes, neck and thorax. Rub the saddle area well and do all four legs, including flexing of each joint repetitiously. Tap the bottom of the feet 50-100 times each. Do the rump, the tail and the area between the hind legs. Include the genetalia and the udder region of the filly. Pay special attention to the perineum. Using a glove with lubricant, insert a finger into the anus. You will be able to take a horse’s temperature or perform a palpation in the years ahead without difficulty.

It is a good idea at this time to rub electric clippers over the foal’s body, paying particular attention to the face and ears. Use both large and small clippers since they may become frightened the first time they hear another kind. Next, rub the body with a piece of crackling plastic while taking lots of time. Watch for habituation, as indicated by relaxation, before any stimulus is stopped. If desired, you may also desensitize the newborn foal to gunfire, police whistles, loud music, flapping flags, whirling ropes and hissing sprayers.

The second session is performed while the foal is standing, particularly on the second day. It is imperative that the foal learns not to escape when being worked, so have another person to assist with many of these procedures. Position the foal nose-to-nose with the dam to allay apprehension in both. Quietly test all of the areas done previously. You should be able to pick up the feet and tap on them, inset a finger into the nostril or ear. If an area is not adequately desensitized, repeat the process. Encircle the girth area with your arms and rhythmically squeeze the chest until habituation occurs. This prevents “cold backed” or “cinch-bound” horses. These sessions with the foal on its feet should not exceed 15 minutes or the foal will become fatigued. So, several short sessions may be necessary on this second day. The stimuli to which a foal can be desensitized are unlimited. I desensitize them to flapping blankets, a stream of water from a garden hose and being led through belly deep running water. I will also begin loading them in a trailer with the mare at 4-5 days of age and take them for a ride. The foal is also exposed to livestock and dogs.

Sensitization

Having desensitized or habituated the foal to all of these frightening stimuli, I now sensitize certain responses. The objective is to establish a conditioned response, so avoid repeating a stimulus once you have obtained the desired response.

Holding the standing foal by yourself, poke a finger into its opposite flank. In order to escape the pressure, the foal will eventually move slightly toward you and away from the pressure of the finger in its flank. Immediately reward the foal by relieving the pressure of your finger. Step backward to allow the foal room to move its hind end laterally, towards you, but away from the pressure. Pause for 20-30 seconds and repeat the procedure once more, while immediately rewarding even when the slightest lateral movement is made in order to stop the pressure. Most horses will learn this within three to five experiences. In a few moments the foal will have learned to move laterally whenever it feels flank pressure. Do not ask for more than one step at a time, but do remember to do both sides. In a day, after the response is consistent, you may pause and ask for a second step and then a third, while gradually shortening the interval between the steps. This process is know as successive approximation and takes patience and perceptivity on the part of the trainer and is the secret to horse training. It is how the sliding stops of the reining

horse, the dynamic footwork of a cutting horse and the intricate maneuvers of a dressage horse are produced.

Next, put a well-fitted halter on the foal, being sure to remove it after the training session to avoid accidents. Working with an assistant in a well-bedded stall, gently pull the halter to one side. The assistant prevents movement of the foal forward, backward or to the opposite side. Eventually, in order to maintain balance, the foal will move slightly in the direction its head is being drawn. Immediately reward the foal by relieving pressure. In this manner, the forequarters can be trained to move laterally. Eventually, using successive approximation, the foal can be circled. Gradually, the circle is expanded until the foal is leading in a circle. After several sessions, the foal will be leading. If desired, a loop of rope behind the foal’s rump can be used to stimulate forward movement. It also helps if the foal is encouraged to lead towards its dam. By one week of age, if the mare can be ridden, lead the foal from the mare in a small pen or corral.

An Enhanced Relationship

I have no illusions that the training of newborn foals is a new idea. In fact, there is no doubt that human beings have done this for thousands of years. All I have done is ritualized the procedure, given it a name, attempted to scientifically explain why it is effective and publicly promote and encourage its use. It enhances the relationship between horse and human, and from a veterinarian’s standpoint, greatly facilitates the practitioner’s job.

The Rationale Behind Imprint Training & Fallacies Concerning It

The newborn young of predatory species are usually ALTRICIAL. That is, they are quite helpless, neurologically immature and have limited learning ability. Examples include the young of the dog, cat and bear families. Similarly, predatory birds such as eagles, hawks and owls have helpless young known as “Nidifugous nestlings.” The human being is also an altricial species.

The newborn young of most of our familiar PREY species, on the other hand, are PRECOCIAL. Examples include the sheep, deer, goat, bovine and equine families, as well as such birds as ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys and pheasant. Very soon after birth or hatching these young can fend for themselves, follow their mother and their group, and thereby escape danger. Their senses are fully developed and they are neurologically mature.

In altricial species, some learning is possible in the newborn, but the CRITICAL LEARNING PERIODS are largely delayed during which socialization, species identification and imprinting (both maternal and infant) occurs. In precocial species, these critical learning periods occur immediately after birth. The horse (a precocial prey species in which growth and maturity develop at remarkable speed) therefore has all of its critical learning periods compressed into its first days and weeks of life following parturition.

Learning in any species can occur at any age; however learning is swiftest, most persistent and most profoundly effectual toward the attitudes and personality later in life if acquired during the formative critical learning periods. The earlier training begins in the horse, the more effective it will be, providing it is done properly. If done improperly, more harm than good may be done, since the learning at this tender age is so fast and so lasting. It is important to understand that the newborn foal’s senses are completely functional and its brain capable of absorbing information not only as fast as it will later in life, but even faster. This is in contrast to such altricial species as puppies and human babies, wherein learning capacity is limited in the newborn and gradually expands with growth and maturity. Moreover, by exposing the brain of the newborn foal stimuli immediately post partum, it is not necessary to override or displace previously learned information. The newborn foal’s behavior is genetically predetermined. Environmental learning has not yet been

introduced, and by initiating it as soon as the foal is born we can dramatically shape the foal’s future behavior and its reactions.

Although this method is now in use all over the world and in all aspects of the horse industry, there are frequent concerns expressed about the method, and many breeders are deterred by these concerns:

1. It isn’t “natural”

Domestication isn’t “natural,” but as long as we domesticate animals, we should use whatever methods are most efficacious, as long as they are humane.

2. It will interfere with the bonding between mare and foal

This is a complete fallacy. I have never seen my method interfere in any way between mare and foal and, in fact, most cases of foal rejection by the mare can be prevented by my method.

3. Imprint trained foals are dull and unresponsive

False! They are gentle and trusting, and if the training is done properly, they are more responsive. Such foals are winning on the racetrack, in the show arena and in all disciplines.

4. Imprint foals are spoiled and disrespectful

Again, false! If the method is done properly, these foals are completely respectful. Although, admittedly, many people do not use the method correctly and they do spoil some foals.

5. The mare will resent the human working with the foal and become aggressive

In the four decades that I have used this method, I have never seen a mare become aggressive toward humans afterward, a rather common phenomenon in mare post partum. In fact, I believe that handling the foal as soon as it is born (even before the mare arises) can prevent such aggressiveness. Moreover, there is strong evidence that mares which were themselves subjected to imprint training at birth remember it and are quite unconcerned and accepting of the method when, years later, it is used on their own foals.

6. The method induces learned helplessness and is therefore inhumane

This is completely false. Learned helplessness produces individuals which are inactive in the presence of frightening stimuli and with subsequent impaired learning ability. My foals are very responsive to stimuli, eager learners and perform exceptionally well in competition. In my presentation I will not concentrate on teaching the method, but rather show with the use of videotape the dramatic results, which can be attained by using this method of very early training.

If you are involved with horses, professionally or recreationally, I urge you to become familiar with as many of the fine horsemen that practice this method. After 6,000 years of domestication, these people are advancing the art of horsemanship so rapidly that most of the traditional methods of the past have become obsolete. This list is by no means complete. There are other progressive horsemen and horsewomen, but it is my policy to only recommend those who I have personally seen work with horses and students and are using scientifically correct training methods rather than various traditional techniques.

1. Alfonso Aguilar, APDO, Postal 20-6, Morelia, Mich., C.P. 58193, Mexico

2. Clinton Anderson, 24232 Lincoln Rd., Sterling, IL 61081, telephone (815) 625-8995

3. Buck Brannaman, 642 Hwy. 14, Sheridan, WY 82801, telephone (307) 672-5876

4. Steve Edwards, Queen Valley Mule Ranch, 1855 W. Running Deer Dr., Queen Valley, AZ 85219, telephone (602) 999-MULE

5. Ray Hunt, Rocky Bar Stage, Mountain Home, ID 83647, telephone (208) 587-4192

6. Mel Hyland, Box 609, Brooks, Alberta TIRIBY, Canada, telephone (403) 362-8220

7. Chris Irwin, Box 1875, Swift current, SK, Canada S9H 4M6, telephone (877) 394-6773

8. Bryan Neubert, Box 1005, Alturas, CA 96116, telephone (916) 233-3582

9. Pat Parelli, P.O. Box 5950, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147, telephone (970) 731-9400 or (800) 642-3335

10. Curt Pate, 5783 Lincoln Rd., West Helena, MT 59602, telephone (406) 443-7680

11. Mark Rashid, P.O. Box 3241, Estes Park, CO 80517, telephone (970) 586-8677

12. Dennis Reis, 411 Highland Ave., Penngrove, CA 94951, telephone (800) 732-8220 or (707) 792-0629

13. Monty Roberts, P.O. Box 86, Solvang, CA 93464, telephone (805) 688-4382

14. Richard Shrake, P.O. Box 4490, Sunriver, OR 97707, telephone (800) 635-8861

15. Bill Smith, P.O. Box 642, Thermopolis, WY 82443, telephone (307) 864-5671

16. Harry Whitney, 3047 Neosho Rd., Ottawa, KS 66067, telephone (800) 267-4729

17. Richard Winters, HC 78, Box 29, Termo, CA 96132, telephone (530) 251-6028

18. Joe Wolter, P.O. Box 173, Guthrie, TX 79236, telephone (806) 596-4010

keywords: horsemanship, behavior, training methods, . posted: 2/4/2004. Last updated: 2/4/2004.

Castration: Creation of a gelding from a colt or stallion

by Larry R. Bramlage, DVM, MS, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Ky

          Castration is normally performed on colts to make them more tractable and easier to handle. When the horse has minimal breeding value, the procedure normally takes place once the horse is skeletally mature. In horses with potential breeding value, the decision to castrate is delayed to determine if the horse has enough athletic ability to make it attractive as a future sire. If the horse is not a potential sire, castration increases the longevity of its race career by making the horse easier to train. The mature, intact male horse becomes progressively more difficult to train and more aggressive as it gets older.

In some horses, the timing of the castration procedure is accelerated because they will have one testicle or sometimes both testicles partially undescended, which leaves the testicle in the flank of the horse between the leg and the abdomen. Sometimes this causes discomfort during training. If the horse has one testicle normally descended and one retained or undescended, the proper medical term is “cryptorchid” or the horseman’s term is “ridgling.” Non-descended testicles have much-reduced fertility or are sterile, as their retention in the inguinal canal makes them ineffective at producing sperm because of the increased temperature exposure of being adjacent to the body wall. In horses with high breeding potential, the non-descended testicle may be removed and the normal testicle will be left in place. This horse is called a “monorchid.” Monorchids can be fertile stallions.

In horses whose pedigree does not indicate that they are likely to be a stallion, a unilateral cryptorchid is often castrated on both sides, normal and abnormal, during the same surgical procedure to facilitate the horse’s race career.

The castration of a horse, once it is decided that it will not be a stallion, makes them much more tractable in training and a much more effective athlete. Many of the famous geldings of the past were totally ineffective racehorses as intact males and became stars once gelded.

keywords: gelding, castration, cryptorchid . posted: 6/12/2003. Last updated: 6/12/2003.

Difficult Horses: Where Do They Come From?

by Lydia Miller, DVM

         

Lydia Miller, DVM

Does your horse commit any of these unsocial behaviors?

Rubs against you with its head Steps, pushes or leans on you Pulls on the lead rope to eat or won’t keep up with you Is hard to load or catch

Won’t tie Is head or ear shy

According to Dr. Glenn Anderson, an equine veterinarian near Tulsa, Oklahoma, your relationship with your horse doesn’t have to be that way. There is definitely something you can do (or not do) about equine misbehaviors. By taking the time to learn a new way to work with your horse, you’ll soon enjoy a companion, show horse or working partner that is safer and more pleasant for you as well as others to be around. In addition, your veterinarian will appreciate a patient that remains calm during an examination or treatment.

Dr. Anderson remembers the day he decided there must be a better way to work with horses. He usually got along fine with most of equine clients and patients. The few that caused trouble were either muscled into submission, restrained with devices or sedated. But it wasn’t one of his clients’ horses that ultimately changed his life—it was his own, hard-to-catch mare that led him to seek out one of the master horse communicators, Ray Hunt. Applying Hunt’s low resistance methods developed from a keen understanding of what makes horses react the way they do, Dr. Anderson learned to think more along the lines of “how to teach your horse to catch you.” He was so impressed with the turnaround in his mare that he began to incorporate this philosophy and its training techniques into his equine practice.

Dr. Anderson feels that many of his clients, like himself, inadvertently teach their horses to misbehave by rewarding disobedience. Inconsistent signals on the part of the handler are another factor that can lead to equine misbehavior. When time, the type of procedure or an owner who’s not interested in fixing their horse’s behavior problems are involved, he uses chemical restraint to get the job done and move on to the next appointment. But when Dr. Anderson senses that an owner is willing to learn and improve themselves and their horse, he takes the time to show the horse and owner a better, easier way.

“Many times, I’m able to perform somewhat painful or frightening procedures with no tranquilizer at all, just by getting the horse to trust and listen to me,” he says. He advises owners to start a conversation with their veterinarian.

“Let them know you’ve ‘had enough’ and are willing to objectively listen then put into practice their advice on handling your horse,” says Dr. Anderson. He suggests that if your veterinarian is not comfortable addressing the topic, ask him or her to refer you to another local professional who is more of an expert in the area. Sometimes this referral may take the form of a video or audiotape or even hands-on clinic. But be cautious: all horseman are not alike. Also keep in mind that, while rare, some horses are truly aggressive and dangerous. Pinning ears, charging humans and trying to bite or strike without provocation indicate the need for a professional.

However you decide to gain information and skills to improve the behavior of your horse, you’ll appreciate a better relationship with your equine friend. And when it comes time for the spring check-up and vaccinations, hopefully it goes a little smoother than last year.

Article Posted: February, 2000

Copyright © 1996-2000 American Association of Equine Practitioners. All rights reserved. American Association of Equine Practitioners

4075 Iron Works Parkway   •   Lexington, KY 40511 Phone: 859-233-0147   •    Fax: 859-233-1968

posted: 6/15/2002. Last updated: 10/1/2004.

Trailer Loading Made Easy (Horseman's Day)

by Dr. Andy Anderson

          As presented at Horseman’s Day 2001, San Diego, CA

Introduction

Horses who refuse or are difficult to load can cause a lot of frustration to their owners. In addition, they can be a danger to themselves and their handlers. Veterinarians are often asked to become involved because many people believe that tranquilization or sedation will help them load their horse safely. This is usually not a workable option for several reasons.

First, horses traveling to shows or races may be in violation of medication rules if they are drugged for loading. Second, sedated or tranquilized horses may be more likely to have an injury from falling as they may become unsteady. Third, drugged horses do not really learn how to load well for future trips.

The method to be described is a safe and effective way of teaching horses to load and stand quietly in the trailer without resorting to drugs or force. Plus, the principles and concepts used here can be applied to many other areas of human-horse interactions. They also can apply to such equine unsocial behaviors as a horse rubbing against you with its head; stepping, pushing or leaning on you; pulling on the lead rope to eat; not keeping up with you; being hard to catch; not tying and being head or ear shy.

Materials and Methods

Required materials include a halter and soft lead rope (a chain shank should be available but is used infrequently), a horse trailer in good repair, a stiff fishing rod 6 to 7 feet in length with a plastic bag taped to the end, and, most importantly, a positive, patient attitude.

The methods used encourage the horse to make positive choices to load and discourage his attempt to escape or evade loading. This is done by convincing the horse that he really wants to be in the trailer. Make him think it is his idea to get into the trailer. The rod with the plastic bag is used to aggravate or annoy (i.e. shaking the rod and bag behind the horse ’s head or gently tapping the rod and bag at the horse’s hind quarters or on the legs) the horse when he tries to avoid the trailer. The rod should never be used to inflict pain. The aggravation should be stopped the instant the horse tries to load. With some horses, just looking toward rather than away from the trailer is a positive try. Pointing ears into the trailer and lowering the head are also positive

choices that are always awarded. Most horses will explore all of their options before deciding that the best place to be is in the trailer.

The handler must be prepared to deal with each evasive action as it occurs. For example, if the horse wants to back away from the trailer, back him up much farther than he intended, and he will quickly learn that backing is not a good choice. If he turns sideways at the rear of the trailer, continue to aggravate him until he makes some attempt to straighten up with the trailer. Do not lead him away from the trailer as this rewards his turning sideways and reinforces the behavior we do not want.

After he begins to choose the correct options, reward him by rubbing his head or neck and by stopping the aggravation. Do not be concerned if he starts to load then backs out. Aggravate the horse as he is backing out and stop when he steps forward. Remember, many of these horses have legitimate reasons to fear the trailer because of their previous experiences with unsuccessful attempts to force them into the trailer.

Never pull or push on a horse because this teaches him that he can win every tug of war or pushing contest. When he does enter the trailer, do not trap him with the back door or butt bar, and let him back out if he wishes. Then reload him until he is content to load and stand quietly and until asked to back out.

I prefer to teach a horse to unload on two cues, a tug on his tail and the verbal “back”, rather than by getting in front of him and backing him out with the lead shank. However, a second person is sometimes needed in front to teach the horse these cues. When you tug on the tail and ask him to “back”, the assistant uses the shank to back him out of the trailer.

The handler must train him or herself to recognize the smallest try on the part of the horse. Many people actually teach the horse not to load by inadvertently punishing his small tries and rewarding his attempts to escape or evade loading. Inconsistent signals on the part of the handler are another factor that can lead to equine misbehavior. Remember, recognize and reward positive behavior and recognize and discourage negative behavior. The goal is to give the horse clear-cut choices that result in him entering the trailer because he wants to, not because he was forced to.

Conclusion

This trailer loading method and overall philosophy of working with horses has been developed over a 30-year period of dealing with horses. After seeing too many people and horses injured, I realized that there had to be a better way to deal with horses and trailer loading.

Actually, it wasn’t one of my friend’s or client’s horses that changed my life, it was one of my own horses that was hard to catch. This led me to seek out one of the master horse communicators, Ray Hunt. Applying Hunt’s low resistance methods (developed from a keen understanding of what makes horses react the way they do) I learned to think more along the lines of “how to teach your horse to catch you.” It is the same kind of thing that should be applied to trailer loading.

I have loaded hundreds of horses without a single injury to horses or people. This method may require more time the first few times a horse is loaded, but it will save a lot of time over a lifetime. Many hard to load horses can be retrained in less than an hour, but some require longer. Most remain trouble-free afterwards, so the experience is a wise investment. As with most preventive medicine programs, this approach works best when applied before the disease (non-loading) becomes deeply seated. These methods can be used for confirmed bad loaders, but the results will come more slowly. The bottom line is that there is definitely something you can do about this particular equine behavior. Whether you choose to attempt retraining yourself or enlist the help of

a competent professional, your horse will soon be safer and more pleasant for you to load and handle in general.

About the author:

Dr. Andy Anderson is a private practitioner and owner of Equine VeterinaryAssociates in Broken Arrow, OK, and horseman.

posted by Roseposted: 6/15/2002. Last updated: 6/15/2002.

Enjoying Veterinary Visits

by Sue M. McDonnell

          In our referral equine behavior practice, we frequently rehabilitate horses perceived to be uncooperative with one or more veterinary procedures such as injections, nasogastric tubing, genital examination, etc. We have found that straightforward behavior modification techniques--adapted to the horse--are highly effective in regaining and maintaining cooperation, even in once dangerously resistant animals. In fact, clients and veterinarians describe the animals as now "enjoying" veterinary visits and appearing to solicit procedures. The methods we use rely mostly on positive reinforcement, avoid excessive restraint, and include no punishment.

Method In order to rehabilitate your horse, you will need the following: * A lead shank with a 28-40-inch chain lead; * Sweet feed or other tasty food treat; * Safety vest, helmet, and sturdy shoes to provide you greater confidence; * Items for the veterinary procedure (such as a needle and syringe, alcohol, etc.); * A large outdoor paddock or other large enclosure with good footing and ample head room; * A team of two people who work well together and are not afraid of the veterinary procedure themselves.  

Behavior modification is just another opportunity for the horse to learn that it can "work" for a positive outcome (here the "work" is tolerating a mildly uncomfortable experience). The focus is on establishing a new, positive behavior pattern instead of eliminating a negative one. Horses aren't born resistant to veterinary procedures; the same ability to learn by association that resulted in avoidance behavior will now help them learn to be cooperative. Although each horse and situation is unique, the horse must always simultaneously learn three concepts: The procedure is not too painful. The horse must experience the procedure one or more times with little pain, stress, or commotion. Make the procedure as painless as possible--for injection shyness, this means a small-gauge needle (26-gauge for training); a quick, gentle, single stick; relaxed body posture and calm manner; little restraint; and no commotion or accidents associated with the procedure. The procedure is followed by a reward. The horse must experience the procedure one or more times followed immediately with positive reinforcement (sweet feed from a bucket paired with "good boy/girl"). When the horse begins to anticipate an uncomfortable procedure, back up to perform and reward for steps before this point. You might need to go through the first steps of the procedure several times, positively reinforcing each step, without actually performing the procedure. Then the steps can be gradually linked into the proper sequence, rewarding each step in the sequence. Eventually the horse should be weaned off continuous primary reinforcement (sweet feed) . Intermittent primary reinforcement (sweet feed occasionally) and continuous secondary reinforcement ("good boy/girl" every time) is the goal. Ordinary resistance or reaction will not stop the procedure or direct the handler's behavior. The handler must anticipate the horse's resistance and calmly stay with the horse as much as is safely possible. Calmly "riding it out" rather than pausing or punishing (or even flinching) teaches the horse that simple movement or mild resistance will not stop the procedure. Dangerous resistance (rearing or lunging, for example) will require different behavioral modification techniques and the assistance of an expert. Results These methods have been remarkably successful with horses (and people) of all ages and backgrounds. Timing and consistency of reinforcement are the major skills for people to master. These techniques can also help prevent problems and get horses to accept other activities like clipping, applying fly spray, and grooming the mane and tail. An investment in learning basic behavior modification skills is well worthwhile. By using proper behavior modification techniques patiently and consistently, you can teach your horse to enjoy, not dread, a visit from the veterinarian. Sue M. McDonnell, PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, is the founding head of the Equine Behavior program at the New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Lydia F. Miller, DVM, is a consultant for AAEP's Owner Education Program.

posted by Roseposted: 6/15/2002. Last updated: 6/15/2002.