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When It Comes To Training Horses, ‘You Get The Behavior You Reinforce, Not The One You Want’

Much has been written through the centuries about the process of training horses, much of it specific to the type of work a horse is meant to do. In a recent webinar hosted by the British organization World Horse Welfare however, experts reminded horse owners that it's critical to take into account the way horses learn and process information when setting up a training program for them, regardless of the job they're intended to do.

Dr. Gemma Pearson, veterinarian and equine behaviorist, said that horses do not learn the way we do. As a species, they have what Pearson called “limited mental capacity” which isn't to say they aren't intelligent, simply that they learn best when complex tasks or situations are broken down into very simple steps where it's clear what they're being asked. Pearson used complex dressage movements as an example. Many of them start with a horse learning two different cues from a rider's leg — speed up, or lengthen stride. It helps horses to feel the rider use different part of the leg for each request, so it's clear what's being asked. The same is true for rein cues, which can be broken down into different but related questions. As a horse's training advances, a rider can combine these clear, well-learned instructions for more complicated results.

“If we teach each response independently, and make it very obvious to the horse what it is that we want, we can then start to put different aspects of that together,” she said.

Horses benefit from clarity, where the correct answer is easy for them to get, and that often means breaking a task or problem down into small pieces, remaining patient, and rewarding the horse immediately for a correct response or even an attempt at a correct response.

From there, trainers must reinforce desired behavior properly, but it's important to think about what reinforcement actually is. Learning theory incorporates several types of reinforcement, but the two most effective with horses are positive and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is the addition of something pleasant, like a treat. Negative reinforcement is the removal of something undesired as a reward, like the removal of pressure from a rider's leg after the horse begins to move forward.

Pearson pointed out that what we consider “positive” may not always be positive to the horse. Food rewards are shown to work quite well, and scratches on a typically itchy area like the withers mimic the bonding grooming that horses practice with each other. Patting a horse however, is probably slightly confusing to the horse, as it doesn't resemble any kind of communication between horses and if anything is more like a person tapping them as a signal to move. Pearson also expressed doubt that vocal praise is necessarily intuitive for horses either, as horses may pick up on tone of voice but not the specific meaning of a phrase. Negative reinforcement could include the removal of pressure from a leg or a hand, but it could also include a short break in a training session.

Horses are also very susceptible to classical conditioning, the well-known premise illustrated by Pavlov's dog. The dogs in Russian Physiologist Ivan Pavlov's experiment learned that the ringing of a bell meant food was coming, an association they drew so clearly that they began salivating when he rang the bell even when there was no food on hand. Pearson pointed out that horses can also learn to anticipate very well, and that ability comes out in all kinds of ways. Under saddle, it means a horse can gradually become more sensitive to shifts in a rider's position as they prepare to ask for a movement or transition, and will soon react to those shifts without needing the actual cue.

Of course, this level of sensitivity has its drawbacks.

“You get the behavior you reinforce, not the behavior you want,” Pearson pointed out.

Sometimes, it's not immediately clear to the person involved that they are reinforcing an undesired behavior. Pearson used the example of a horse that stretches its head up to avoid taking medication from an oral dosing syringe. The horse has created his own negative reinforcement there — raise head, syringe disappears. The training goal in that situation shouldn't be to prevent the head raise, but to make the horse want to keep the head low and tolerate the presence of the syringe. Pearson suggested a combination of positive and negative reinforcement there, by providing a treat when the horse kept his head low and remained calm, and also by placing the syringe near the horse's mouth and removing it when the horse remained still and calm.

Pearson has consulted on a number of cases of problematic behavior or training challenges through the years and finds that they usually come down to a few core problems. The most common one is undiagnosed pain, which Pearson estimated impacted 80% to 90% of the cases she has seen, and is easily missed if it's not pain resulting in a clear, asymmetrical limp. Other factors can include situational stress or mental stress in a horse's living situation that makes it difficult for the horse to focus on the training session.

“There are no bad horses,” Pearson said. “There are lots of horses where pain is causing problems, there are lots in not-great environments, and there are certainly lots of badly-trained horses.”

Watch a full replay of the webinar below.

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Challenges Backing Off A Trailer? Top Event Rider Demonstrates A Few Exercises To Help

Some horses express resistance or skepticism when asked to back off a trailer or down a ramp, even if they're previously loaded onto the trailer with no problem. Top eventer Cathy Wieschhoff recently encountered a horse with this problem and coached followers of her One Minute With Cathy videos through a few ground exercises to help.

The strategies Wieschhoff used were aimed at helping the horse gain confidence about detecting and navigating objects with his hind feet, as well as teaching him more about the various cues she may use to ask a horse to back up when not mounted.

Wieschhoff has competed at the four-star level of eventing at both Kentucky and Badminton, is an ICP certified Level IV instructor and holds an r course design license. She owns a boarding and training facility in Lexington, Ky.

Watch below.

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Retired Racehorse Project: 480 Trainers Accepted For 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) welcomes 484 accepted applications, representing 480 unique trainers and teams, to the 2021 class of the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The Thoroughbred Makeover is the world's largest and most lucrative retraining competition for ex-racehorses, and the 2021 class combined with 322 trainers from the postponed 2020 competition year will make this the biggest Makeover yet.

The Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition open to professionals, junior, amateurs and teams, competing side-by-side. Ten disciplines of competition are offered, including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, polo, ranch work, show hunter, show jumper, and freestyle (a free-form discipline to demonstrate skills of the trainer's choice). Horses can compete in one or two of those disciplines.

Horses from each competition year will compete in separate preliminary rounds, and the five top-placed horses in each discipline after preliminary competition will return for the Finale where they will compete once more to determine final placings. New for this year (intended to be part of the 2020 Makeover), a panel consisting of all the judges from the ten disciplines will determine the overall Thoroughbred Makeover Champion in each competition year, selecting the best-trained horse from the ten discipline winners. A popular vote placed by spectators watching both in-person and online via live stream will determine a People's Choice winner in each competition year, who wins the right to direct a donation to an equine charity of their choosing.

“After the pandemic forced the cancelation of the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover, it was important to us to preserve the opportunity for our 2020 class to compete, and thanks to so many loyal sponsors and donors from the racing, breeding and sport horse worlds, we are going to be putting on the largest retraining competition in history,” said RRP executive director Jen Roytz.

Accepted trainers are encouraged to register their horses at TBMakeover.org as soon as they acquire them. Horse registration closes on July 31, but registration upon acquisition allows the RRP to better gather data on horses undergoing the Makeover process.

The application process for the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover required trainers to demonstrate their skills and expertise through competition results, videos and references, as well as a letter from a vet stating that that the applicant has the necessary skills and knowledge to appropriately care for a horse transitioning off the track. The RRP's selection committee took into consideration both candidates' ability to effectively retrain an off-track Thoroughbred and candidates' commitment to the RRP's mission of promoting off-track Thoroughbreds in second careers.

“We're always humbled by the interest we receive from applicants each year, but with hundreds of 2020 entries still in play and known logistical challenges — move-in, daylight hours, running two Finales, and more — the application committee had the tough task of narrowing down the 2021 entry pool to meet our schedule capacity,” said RRP managing director Kirsten Green. “The primary goal of the Makeover is to showcase Thoroughbreds at their very best, so this means we're looking for trainers whose application demonstrates that they're equipped to meet that goal on the timeline provided.”

The Makeover has historically attracted a broad cross-section of the horse industry, represented by junior, amateur and professional equestrians, as well as teams. The great equalizer at the Makeover are the horses: eligible Thoroughbreds competing in 2021 will all come from similar backgrounds, with no more than 10 months of retraining for a second career and all having raced or trained to race within the past two years.

This format allows trainers in all categories to compete side-by-side on equal footing. Juniors and amateurs routinely enjoy great success at the Makeover and have earned many top-five finishes; the 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion Old Tavern was trained by junior Charlie Caldwell.

“Driving demand for Thoroughbreds after racing is a critical aspect of aftercare, and the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover is central to that mission,” says Erin Crady, executive director of TCA. “We believe in the importance of that mission and are thrilled to support the RRP as it prepares for the biggest Makeover in its history.”

Accepted trainers for 2021 include Becky Huestis, assistant rider and manager for John Madden Sales; Darby Mazzarisi, champion hunter trainer; and Natalie (Voss) Nevills, two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf writer for Paulick Report. They join a diverse class of trainers hailing from 46 states and four Canadian provinces. Trainers range in age from 11 (will be 12 at the time of the Makeover as per rules) to 74.

Trainers for the 2021 class have signed up to bring a total of 521 horses. Combined with the declared horses from the 2020 competition year, a total of 953 horses will participate in the Makeover process this year. The full list of trainers accepted for the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover can be found at the event website.

With the uncertainty of training green horses, the length of time between acceptance of trainers and Final Entry, and the fact that some horses sell before the Makeover, the RRP is once again offering a wait list. Individuals who missed the initial round of applications are welcome to apply to the wait list and can do so by contacting secretary@tbmakeover.org. The wait list does not guarantee final entry into the competition, but does widen the impact of the Makeover and helps more horses transition to second careers.

For riders seeking a well-started off-track Thoroughbred for competition or pleasure, the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace will return in 2021, offering buyers the unique opportunity to watch a horse compete, trial-ride, and complete a pre-purchase exam all in one location. Over 100 horses are expected to be entered in the Marketplace from both competition years.

In addition to a weekend of Thoroughbred competition and celebration of what makes the off-track Thoroughbred great, the Makeover also offers ample opportunity for education for both trainers and the public: educational seminars and panel discussion will take place on Friday, October 15, as well as the Makeover Master Class, a retraining clinic for recently-retired racehorses. Structured similarly to popular colt-starting competitions but without the competitive aspect, the Makeover Master Class offers spectators the opportunity to watch experienced off-track Thoroughbred trainers assess a prospect's conformation and movement, as well as demonstrate their process for initial training and first rides. A vendor fair provides plenty of shopping opportunities as well!

The Thoroughbred Makeover is the flagship event for the RRP, a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to increasing the demand for and value of Thoroughbreds in their careers after racing. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover.

Thoroughbred Makeover fast facts:

▪ The 2021 competition is open to any Thoroughbred that raced or had a published work after July 1, 2019 and did not start retraining for a second career before December 1, 2020
▪ Trainers indicate a primary (and optional secondary) discipline on their applications, but are free to change disciplines as the competition approaches and they learn their horses' strengths. A horse can compete in up to two disciplines, and a trainer can compete a maximum of two horses in a single competition year.
▪ Trainers do not need to have obtained the horse they intend to compete at the time of their application. Some trainers have already obtained their Thoroughbred Makeover mounts, but many are still searching. Trainers may begin registering their horses today, but have through July 31 to complete horse registration
▪ Participation in the Thoroughbred Makeover Marketplace sale is entirely voluntary, but many trainers take advantage of the extra exposure to market their prospects. All sales are private contracts between individual trainers and buyers; the RRP is not involved and receives no commissions

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Love At First Ride: Retired OTTB Tizno Makes The Leap Into A New Life

It wasn't quite love at first sight for Tizno and his owner, Bernadette Graham.

In October 2019, the 34-year-old Graham, who manages a medical office in Norfolk, Conn.,, was visiting friends and window shopping for a new ride at Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue in Pawling, N.Y., when she passed by the then 7-year-old gelding's stall and he rebuffed her friendly overtures.

“He tried to bite me,” said Graham with a laugh. “He's a bit of a grouch in his stall.”

Fast forward a few weeks later to the Equine Affaire in Massachusetts – an exposition and gathering for the equine community – and Tizno had his second chance to make a first impression when Graham was offered a trial ride in a busy schooling ring.

“Tizno was certainly a love-at-first-ride horse for me. I knew by the second lap at the trot that this was my horse,” Graham said. “Tizno has a lot of presence. He's a big horse that moves quite well and is super athletic. When I sat on him, I could tell he had a great mind and enjoys working and learning.”

Sired by 2008 Grade 1 Travers-winner Colonel John, the 17-hands tall Tizno is out of the multiple stakes-winning New York-bred mare No Reason, who in 2006 won the NYSSS Park Avenue at Aqueduct, the NYSSS Cupecoy's Joy and Iroquois Handicap at Belmont Park and the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes.

Tizno competed at all three New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) tracks in a brief four-race career for trainer Randi Persaud. Unfortunately, his impressive breeding didn't translate to racing success, with his best result a fifth, via disqualification, in his final start on Sept. 22, 2017 at Belmont Park.

When it came time to transition Tizno off the track, the sizable bay was assessed by Rick Schosberg, a veteran NYRA trainer who oversees the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association's TAKE THE LEAD (TTL) program.

The TTL program provides preliminary vet exams and treatment, as well as costs related to transportation and rehabilitation or retraining. With the help of Schosberg, TTL was able to place Tizno at Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue in October 2017.

“We try and get horses from a situation where they're not competitive and not happy into a place like Akindale where they can find a life that's more amenable to their needs,” said Schosberg. “For him to find a forever home with a new rider and a new vocation for what really is the longer part of his life to enjoy is great. More than 75 percent of their lifespan is in a second career. So, when I hear a cool story like this it gives me a good feeling about the program.”

Tizno flourished on arrival at Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue, a Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited [TAA] program whose motto is “reinventing racehorses.” The NYRA and its horsemen are committed supporters of the TAA, which accredits, inspects, and awards grants to approved aftercare organizations using industry-wide funding.

Every owner competing at NYRA racetracks donates $10 per start to the TAA, which funds the aftercare organizations that provide homes for retired racehorses. New York's horsemen also donate 1.5 percent of the purchase price of every horse claimed at a NYRA track to TTL and the TAA.

Monique Coston, who works as a trainer at Akindale Thoroughbred Rescue overseeing the rehabilitation of the 120 retirees in the facility's care, said downtime is the first step to a new life for retired thoroughbreds.

“All horses who enter our program are given 60 days of rest and have some let-down time before they enter our retraining program,” said Coston. “This gives them enough time to get acclimated to life outside the track and time for me to get to know them a bit better.”

Coston said Tizno quickly demonstrated a desire to pick up a new trade.

“Mentally, he really thrived when I put him back into work. I think he was bored before,” Coston said. “Once he was into work and had a solid routine, he became much more focused on what you wanted from him and deﬁnitely matured.

“Physically, he was always a big boy who was ﬁlled out,” continued Coston. “He looked like a million bucks, but when he went back into work you could tell he didn't really know how to use his legs. He had to ﬁgure out what to do with all of the power and that took some time.”

Once adjusted to his new routine, Coston said Tizno made it clear that he was destined to be a show jumper.

“From the very ﬁrst cross rail I took him over, he made it very well known that he was meant to jump,” said Coston. “He was super willing to the jumps from an early stage and was very careful from day one. He probably was a bit too careful to be an eventer, and a bit too exuberant to be a great hunter. Show jumping was 100 percent his calling.”

“It took a good nine months for us to really click over fences and figure each other out,” Bernadette Graham said of Tizno

With his training going well, all that was left for Coston was to help Tizno find a forever home that suited his talents and would allow him to grow and thrive. And then along came Graham, a lifelong equestrian with a wealth of experience and a goal of riding competitively in the amateur jumping ranks.

Coston said Tizno and Graham were a perfect match and the adoption came to fruition in November 2019.

“I always tell people to choose the horse that is best for you today, not tomorrow,” said Coston. “You don't need a reason to fall in love with a particular horse, but you need to love that horse from Day One. When Bernadette fell in love with Tizno, she was already looking at another horse of mine and when she saw Tizno, for whatever reason, that was the horse that made everything click.

“Sometimes you just have to go with your instincts,” continued Coston. “Along with Bernadette being a great rider already, I knew that she would listen to my advice and take her time producing him and the results are the proof. He isn't the easiest horse to ride and she's done a great job with him.”

Relationships are hard work. It took Graham and Tizno time to develop the trust and understanding required to be successful.

“Tizno is a very talented jumper but when I first got him he could kind of scare himself with it,” recalled Graham, who lives in Norfolk with her husband, Jim, and their two dogs. “He'd jump straight up and down, which was impressive because we knew he could jump the big jump, but he'd always try and overjump the fences.”

Graham has been riding horses since she was 5-years-old and has tried everything from eventing to hunter-jumpers and even spent time at Yellowstone Park taking people on wagon and trail rides. Graham had most recently worked with a hunter-type horse and she said learning how to communicate with Tizno became a big part of their development.

“It took a good nine months for us to really click over fences and figure each other out,” said Graham. “He worked hard for me and we kept things really small for a long time, working on his flat work and getting his confidence up. He's the type of horse you could rush because he has a big jump but then he might have backed off and not be so bold as he is now. He had to figure it out in his own time and figure out his legs.”

Graham said she has helped develop Tizno's style in the ring from that of a robust athlete to a more artistic approach.

“At first, going to the jump he'd tense up – not super quick – but tense and then jump straight up and down instead of in a big arc over it like he does now,” said Graham. “He'd jump so high he'd land and kinda scoot away from the fence, but he's improving. Sometimes now we'll celebrate with a little bucking after when he feels like he did a good job.”

Graham, who stands 5'2”, said she adjusted her riding style due to Tizno's tall build.

“I'm really short,” said Graham. “I was not looking for a horse that big but I'm a pretty brave rider and compatibly wise he needed someone who could keep up with that big jump of his and I'm pretty sticky.

“In fact, the saddle fitter is coming out today, so I can get more of a forward flap in the saddle which will help me when we're jumping bigger fences,” she added. “My legs don't come down very far. When you look at the pictures, I've got a good couple inches where the bottom of his belly is.”

Perhaps it's a case of opposites attract, but Graham said the little and large combo is working for them.

“I ride pretty short because he jumps so hard and I have to really put some weight in my stirrups,” said Graham. “He's short backed so he's not a long horse from front to end and that makes it easier for someone my height.”

And just like in human relationships, communication is key.

“I figured out the ride he needed and he figured out what I was asking and now we have a good rapport,” said Graham. “I find he takes me to fences a little more now. He's a little happier about it. He's just more keen on the job and he'll flick his ears as we go around and I don't have to pull or kick as hard or use my leg as much. It just comes together as we go around the course.”

Graham and Tizno, currently jumping at a 0.8 meter level, have their eye on reaching new heights in 2021.

“My ultimate goal would be to compete in the 1.10 m jumpers and go to The Marshall and Sterling finals,” said Graham, referring to an annual showcase held in Saugerties, N.Y. “I would also like to compete Tizno in the Take2 thoroughbred jumper classes.”

The TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program, which is sponsored by NYTHA and co-founder New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc., as well as supporters from the racing and breeding industries, funds prize money in hunter and jumper divisions restricted to thoroughbreds that are eligible to be registered with The Jockey Club. The program includes $10,000 in year-end high-score awards and the $20,000 TAKE2 Hunter & Jumper Finals.

A show jumping course is vastly different to what Tizno experienced as a racehorse.

“Typically there's eight to 12 fences in a course,” explained Graham. “Each class is a little different. Some are set up to see who can get around clear the fastest, while some are one round and then a jump off. Typically, in those competitions there's more fences and a regular timed round.”

While speed still matters in the show jumping world, Graham explains that being able to clear the jumps efficiently is key – and that's a talent Tizno has demonstrated in spades.

“There are penalties if we knock a jump down or if he refuses at one,” said Graham “We don't get judged on how we look. It's just get around and leave the jumps up.”

Completing a course takes about one minute and Graham said it's quite the ride.

“As I go through the corners, I use my legs to steer him quite a bit and help push him into and then out of the corners,” said Graham. “As we come to a jump I have to consider the distance to the fence – if it's short I put in more contact with the reins and leave leg contact on so he collects his stride more and he gets there at a better distance. At a longer distance, I'd leg him up to it and not quite as much hand.”

It sounds like a lot of work – and it is – but Graham said she loves the experience and the shared communication with Tizno.

“I'll tell him he's a good boy if we jump well or if I make a mistake and he carries me through it,” said Graham. “It's mostly leg commands, setting your body up correctly and using your core. We'll do four rounds at each show and by the end of it I know he's not as tired I am.”

And even though he didn't have his picture taken at the track, Graham is happy to report Tizno is already a winner in the show jumping world.

“He got his first tri-color ribbons this summer and he won a couple of divisions,” said Graham. “It's not always about the ribbon but it's nice when we get them. What I really like is a course that feels good and when every jump you land feels great.”

Graham said Tizno has proven to her that retired racehorses will readily adapt to a new life off the track.

“I think thoroughbreds can do any job after the track. They just have to find their niche,” said Graham. “They're very good jumpers and they have a lot of heart and they're sure a lot of fun to jump around.”

When not in training, Tizno gets to enjoy being a horse and hanging out in the paddock with Ben, an appendix quarter horse, and his stall neighbor Dixie, a warmblood who has warmed up to the former racehorse.

“He loves to roll and he loves his turnout time,” said Graham, who spoils Tizno with carrots and German Horse Muffins. “He's lucky to have a giant stall which is 12 X 14. He's got it pretty made.”

And as much as he enjoys having his own space, Tizno is even learning to enjoy the love and attention he receives from Graham.

“In the stall he's a bit of a grouch. I don't think that will leave him. That's his space and it's who he is,” Graham said. “But when I get him out of the stall he's sweet and cuddly, even if he makes faces when I sing to him and hug him.”

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