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It doesn’t take long to connect the point that horses perform certain tasks or behave in certain ways and get rewarded for it. Many horse owners indiscriminately offer treats to their horses, but petting or verbal praise should be considered as a reward for certain desirable behaviors. EQUUS magazine reports that there is.
Rewards, whether edible or not, are the most effective way to create positive associations with your horse. The reward is desirable, even a kind word, such as a pat on the neck or a treat. When it comes to long-term learning in horses, behavioral rewards are often superior to food rewards. These can be used to teach everything from ground manners to under the saddle expectations.
To properly reward a horse, the handler must have precise timing and reward the horse within 10 seconds of completing the behavior or action. This allows the horse to associate behavior with reward.
There is a fine line between encouragement and excessive encouragement, with horses becoming dull or immune to the positive aspects of rewards. The more common it is, the less affected it will be. Unexpected rewards garner the greatest release of dopamine, the feel-good chemical, from the brain.
Rewards go beyond petting, complimenting, and cookies. Horses also value rest, being with friends, routines, and more. The better the reward, the more memorable the association. Horse owners and handlers can change rewards to adjust the enhancement value.
Treats should be used sparingly, as horses, by nature, always want more, so they quickly become associated with behaviors, good or bad. A gentle touch can quickly escalate to tooth demands.
Read more about associations and enhancements in the EQUUS magazine.
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