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The modern world is changing how people live and work with horses. No longer beasts of burden integral to our survival, owning horses has transformed into a pleasant pastime and way of life. Now equestrians across the globe can explore new, more relaxing, and rewarding ways to interact with their equine companions.
Over the past several decades R+ training has been making its way into the mainstream horse scene. Despite a rich and lengthy history of being used to train zoo animals, many trainers and horseback riders do not understand the practice or how to leverage R+ training for lasting success with their horses.
What is R+ Horse Training
R+ training is a method that encourages desirable behaviors by providing a reward for each correct response. That's the definition but, odds are, you still don't know what R+ training (also called positive reinforcement) really is. To understand R+ horse training, you must understand what each part means: 1. Positive and 2. Reinforcement.
Reinforcement vs. Punishment
When aiming to control behavior, trainers can use either punishment or reinforcement. Punishment is any action that is taken to decrease an unwanted behavior, while reinforcement serves to increase a desirable behavior. For instance, a sharp tug on the lead rope when your horse goes for grass is punishment as it stops the behavior (eating grass). Reinforcement, on the other hand, is used to encourage a behavior, like a pat on the neck after a superb trot transition.
Positive vs. Negative
Positive and negative refer to whether a stimulus is being added or subtracted to reinforce a behavior. Positive and negative can refer to both reinforcement and punishment, but for the sake of understanding R+, we will look at positive and negative through the lens of reinforcement.
Traditional methods of horsemanship (such as natural horsemanship) rely on the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to teach a desired behavior. This often looks like pulling on a rope or tapping with a whip until the horse does what they are supposed to and then releasing the pressure to tell them they did a good job. This is negative reinforcement because it involves a removal (or subtraction) of a stimulus to encourage a behavior.
On the other hand, positive reinforcement encourages a behavior by adding a pleasant stimulus. Depending on the horse, this can be a treat, scratch, or even another movement (after extensive training) that is given directly following a correct response. Most R+ horse trainers use a marker signal (like a clicker) to pinpoint an exact moment as correct. This way trainers can experience precise communication between themselves and their trainees.
What Does R+ Horse Training Look Like?
R+ training can be as simple as giving your horse a scratch on the neck when they do something correctly, however, true success and an ability to reap all the benefits of R+ training come from a detailed, scientifically accurate plan. The majority of R+ horse trainers use clicker training to teach and shape complex behaviors in their horses. The clicker (which can be any consistent sound) is given at the precise moment a horse performs a correct response. Then the real reward (usually food) can be given up to a few seconds later.
Many trainers then use R+ to teach their horses how to follow a target so they have a non-forceful way to position and move their horses. Once the horse is used to it, trainers can use a target to encourage several actions such as different postures, leading into a scary place, jumping, lateral movements, etc. Some trainers even use voice commands to be able to lunge their horse in a reverse round pen without a whip!
Lots of trainers get hooked on R+ training because it allows them to work with their horses willingly. Horses trained with R+ interact with their owners because they find joy in their work. Anyone who has ever had their horse run away from them can appreciate how rewarding it is when your horse chooses to work with you!
Using R+ Under Saddle
Many worry that once they switch to R+ training they won't be able to ride or their horse might choose not to ride ever again. Riders can bring R+ training into the saddle using the same principles and techniques they practiced on the ground. Start slow, use your marker signal, reward often and you can have your horse riding with R+ in no time.
How to Use R+ Training with Horses?
As a theory, R+ is relatively straightforward, however, once you get out into the arena it is easy to feel like you don't know where to start. With time, learning, and practice, you will gain mastery over R+ and be able to integrate it seamlessly into your riding and training routine. Before getting started, here is a glimpse into the basis of most horses' R+ training journey.
Selecting the right reinforcement
Positive reinforcement relies on asking your horse to perform for desirable rewards. Selecting the right reward is essential to keep your horse engaged and motivated in their work. Choosing the right reinforcement is highly individual. Food rewards are always a good go-to as most horses enjoy getting treats.
However, depending on the weight or medical conditions the type of treat you choose is important. Alfalfa or Timothy pellets with an occasional horse cookie is a good bet for most horses. For some horses, scratches can also be a reward.
Teaching manners
Many people balk at R+ training because they worry using treats in training will make their horses aggressive around food. Proper training eliminates that possibility. When starting R+ training, always instill good manners by only giving your horse a treat when they are standing calmly with their head away from you (called a neutral default). Never provide a reinforcement when your horse is invading your space or mugging you for food.
Setting the foundations
With R+ training, going slow and setting the proper foundations is essential for lasting success. If you are using a market signal, you have to start by loading the clicker, so your horse understands what the sound means. Afterward, instilling good manners and training a good stop with the head held out straight gives your horse a good position to revert to in quiet moments during a session.
Shaping complex behaviors
With R+ the sky is the limit. Once you have a solid set of basic skills instilled, you can start shaping complex behaviors. Shaping involves breaking complex skills into small steps that can be taught in succession. Mastery over shaping is a skill that takes years to perfect but will unlock endless training possibilities for you and your horse.