Google the term “natural horsemanship” and you’ll encounter numerous definitions, often describing it as a method of working with horses that emphasizes their natural instincts and communication. Proponents frequently position it as a kinder, fairer alternative to “traditional” horsemanship, which they claim relies on force and intimidation. This approach has spawned a network of instructors, trainers, and educational programs aimed at helping individuals advance their horsemanship skills.
My personal journey into natural horsemanship began in 1998 after a hiatus from horses. Upon acquiring a young gelding named Raz, I attended a natural horsemanship clinic. I was captivated by the progress attendees made and the clinician’s insights into equine learning and communication. This sparked an intense interest, leading me to purchase books, DVDs, and specialized equipment like ropes and halters, all purportedly designed to improve communication without fear. I immersed myself in clinics and week-long camps, eventually completing a seven-month apprenticeship with a natural horsemanship trainer. During this time, I developed advanced skills, including riding my horse bareback and bridleless, and achieving remarkable levels of liberty with my horses. I began teaching these methods and assisting owners with “problem horses,” eventually deciding to become an instructor. My eight years of intensive practice, teaching, and advocacy for natural horsemanship were driven by the fact that these methods did help me achieve my training goals. However, I began to question the potential cost.
The Merits of Natural Horsemanship
Natural horsemanship provided valuable lessons that I still integrate today. These include developing “feel” and good timing, effectively using negative reinforcement (pressure and release), maintaining composure under pressure, recognizing the significance of groundwork, and understanding the importance of shaping behavior by breaking down complex goals into manageable steps. Crucially, it set me on a path toward considering the horse’s well-being in training, a departure from previous methods.
Furthermore, my experience within the natural horsemanship community revealed a prevalent characteristic: the majority of individuals attracted to it are genuinely passionate about horses. This aligns with my belief in the inherent goodness of people, and those I encountered in this discipline were no exception. I forged meaningful connections with many wonderful people and horses, some of whom remain friends and mentors. This very aspect, however, makes writing this critical assessment particularly challenging.
Unveiling the Shortcomings
A turning point arrived during my apprenticeship when my veterinarian husband was browsing a textbook catalog. I requested “Equine Behavior,” a textbook by Dr. Paul McGreevy. At that time, I harbored questions about certain training techniques, as explanations within the horsemanship world were often vague, relying on phrases like “that’s just how it’s done.” I hoped the textbook would offer clarity.
As I delved into the book, particularly chapter four, “Learning,” initial seeds of doubt and confusion began to sprout regarding my understanding of equine learning and the methods I employed. Chapter five, “Social Behavior,” fundamentally challenged my previous notions of equine hierarchies and social structures. By chapter fifteen, “Miscellaneous unwanted behaviours, their causes and resolution,” I was seriously re-evaluating my approach to addressing behavioral issues.
It is crucial to emphasize two points: the information I received within natural horsemanship was not intentionally deceptive. Instead, it stemmed from outdated or inaccurate understandings of horse behavior, social dynamics, training consequences, and the actual requirements for achieving desired outcomes.
It is equally important to state that natural horsemanship is not the sole training style susceptible to such issues. The fundamental principles of learning apply universally to all horses, regardless of the training method. The problems I encountered are not unique to natural horsemanship but can manifest across all training approaches. Natural horsemanship’s strength lies in its effective marketing and dissemination of potentially misleading information to a broad audience.
The Core of the Issue: Misinterpreted Language
During my eight years practicing natural horsemanship, I was swayed by positive-sounding terminology that obscured the reality of equine learning and behavior. Terms like “make the wrong thing hard and the right thing easy” were used without objectively explaining the learning process. This phrase, for instance, can be interpreted in vastly different ways. One interpretation might involve setting up training scenarios for success, reinforcing desired responses while ignoring unwanted ones. Another, however, could lead to making the horse’s experience unpleasant until the desired behavior is exhibited.
Objectively, the first interpretation focuses on positive reinforcement, while the second leans towards punishment. Both methods can be effective in achieving results, a fact of learning. However, the latter approach, employing punishment, carries significant risks of unintended consequences that trainers may overlook. The ambiguity of the phrase fails to provide the necessary information for making informed decisions about training.
Understanding How Horses Learn
At their core, all horses learn through a similar process:
- Association: They inadvertently form connections between things and events.
- Consequence: They learn that their responses or behaviors lead to either desired or undesired outcomes.
In the context of training, punishment is often used to decrease the likelihood of an unwanted behavior, such as refusing to load into a trailer. While punishment can be effective, extensive research indicates it can lead to a range of unintended negative consequences. These consequences can occur regardless of whether the trainer is consciously aware of employing punishment. Some of these include:
- Emotional Distress: Punishment can induce fear, pain, or frustration in the animal.
- Impaired Learning: Animals experiencing fear or pain struggle to learn effectively and may simply offer a desired response as a means to escape the aversive stimulus.
- Negative Associations: Training that evokes fear, pain, or frustration can lead the animal to develop negative associations with both the training process and the trainer.
- Suppression of Learning: Punishment can inhibit the learning process.
- Damaged Trust: It can erode the trust between the animal and the trainer.
- Learned Helplessness: In some cases, punishment can contribute to a psychological state known as “learned helplessness.”
- Lack of Guidance: Punishment informs the animal what not to do but offers no guidance on what behavior should be performed instead.
Reflecting on my early experiences, while I could direct horses to perform tasks, I failed to grasp the negative implications of using punishment to achieve these ends. Unknowingly, I employed punishment due to a lack of fundamental understanding of animal learning and training principles. I was unable to make educated decisions about the consequences of my actions because I lacked comprehensive information. Beautifully crafted language, such as “Love, Language, and Leadership,” created the illusion that I was not using punishment, when in reality, it was a significant component of my training.
This represents a serious issue within much of current horse training, including natural horsemanship. Trainers and instructors across all disciplines often lack foundational knowledge of learning and behavior, and horses bear the brunt of this deficiency.
A key aspect of effective training involves understanding the potential benefits and consequences of any given approach. Without an objective and factual understanding of behavior and training, such insight is impossible.
The equestrian community readily accepts new research in areas like exercise physiology, nutrition, and preventative healthcare. However, there remains a strong adherence to outdated beliefs and traditions regarding horse behavior and training, particularly when presented attractively or framed as time-honored practices. While many horse owners can discuss gastric ulcers or dewormer resistance knowledgeably, their attention often wanes when discussions turn to advances in understanding behavior and training.
The science of how horses learn and how we train them is well-established. Yet, many trainers, instructors, and owners continue to describe their methods using appealing language that fails to accurately define the underlying processes. Under the guise of “love, language, and leadership,” adherence to the “training scale,” or upholding classical horsemanship traditions, individuals are being instructed to use punishment, flooding, suppress the root causes of unwanted behaviors, or even induce learned helplessness – all practices with negative consequences, often without the individuals’ awareness.
Moving Forward: Embracing Scientific Understanding
Our comprehension of learning and behavior has significantly evolved over the last century. Other animal training industries have embraced this knowledge, adapting their approaches while still achieving desired outcomes. It is time for the equestrian world to do the same. As a certified equine behavior consultant, I, along with many colleagues, observe serious issues with training methods perceived as kind but which may not be. It is imperative that we, as professionals, voice our concerns about these practices.
In the dog training industry, behavior consultants and trainers are speaking out against similar problems associated with methods promoted by “dog whisperers.” These methods are often marketed as natural or kind, based on outdated pack theory, when in reality they rely on punishment, flooding, and behavior suppression. Organizations like the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior have issued position statements regarding the use of punishment and the flawed concept of dominance hierarchies in explaining animal social structures. The necessary information is readily available; there is no longer an excuse for a lack of education on these matters.
While I remain an optimist, I am also a realist. Transforming the equestrian world’s perspective on training will be a formidable and lengthy undertaking. Deeply ingrained traditions and practices have become core beliefs for many, and shifting this mindset, as I’ve personally experienced, can be emotionally challenging, especially when training philosophies have been built upon incorrect assumptions about equine learning and behavior. Realizing that one may have inadvertently caused harm to a beloved animal is painful.
However, as Maya Angelou wisely stated, “When you know better, you do better.” It is time for the horse world to embrace this principle and strive for better practices.
References:
Personal experience and observation within the natural horsemanship community.
McGreevy, P. (Year of publication). Equine Behaviour. (Specific publisher and location may vary).
Analysis of common training phrases and their underlying scientific basis.
Scientific principles of operant conditioning and reinforcement.
Research on the effects of punishment in animal training, including fear, pain, and learned helplessness.
Observations on the application of training principles in various equestrian disciplines.
Comparison of scientific advancements in equine knowledge with traditional training beliefs.
Statements from equine behavior consultants regarding training methodologies.
Position statements from veterinary behavior organizations on animal training.
