Frequently Asked Questions

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If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
What is "behavioral modification"?
A behaviorist uses the academic principles of animal learning to inform how to best change a behavior, usually by manipulating the consequences in a process called "Operant Conditioning". Behavioral science has shown that positive reinforcement (reward training) and negative reinforcement (pressure-release training) are the most effective, and those techniques are what use the most at Misty Step. Veterinarians can look at a behavior in the context of the whole horse, and assess other factors, like nutrition, underlying diseases, and lameness issues. When needed, a veterinarian can also prescribe medications to increase their quality of life, or to facilitate the training. We have many options for medications in horses that we can use that vary greatly in strength and effect.
What are the benefits to using these principles?
Using the principles of learning and behavior allows for clear communication with our equine partners, which can only lead to better training, positive experiences and lower stress. And this type of training is great for building trust, understanding, and ground manners. From a veterinary standpoint, having a horse that loads onto a trailer or is able to take oral medicine can be very important in an emergency situation like a colic. Furthermore, horses that are less anxious for our procedures require less sedation and restraint, which is beneficial for the horse and the vet!
Is treat training safe?
Treats are very effective for training horses, but there is a misconception in the horse world that hand feeding treats will cause your horse to be dominant over you or bite you. In the past few years there has been more research that questions some of this old wisdom on owner dominance, and some that has shown that hand feeding treats is generally quite safe. Hand feeding treats was correlated with increased searching behaviors with the muzzle or lips, but not increased biting or aggressive expressions/acts. For most horse/owner combinations, some pocket or clothes searching behavior is not dangerous, but it can be irritating and some horses need to be around delicate or smaller humans. The treat training protocols that we recommend are designed to teach the horse impulse control and good behaviors around people with treats, which eliminates these "pushiness" problems in most horses. We have designed a hands-on seminar on safely treat training your horse, but there are also some nice online videos available (see other good sources for info below).
How can I learn more about this topic?
Like most topics on the internet, there are good and bad sources of information! Be careful using google to search for advice, as there is lots of misguided and simply incorrect information out there. Here are some good science based sources to look at:
  • The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) website.
  • Shawna Karrasch with On Target Training website.
  • Via Nova Training website.
  • Dr. Sue McDonnell. She is a PhD and equine behaviorist at New Bolton center. Link to some of her articles.
  • Dr. Gemma Pearson. She is a british veterinarian and equine behaviorist. Link to some of her youtube videos.
  • Dr. Andrew McLean is an Australian equine behavior expert and equine cognition PhD. Link to some of his videos and papers.
Also check out our educational opportunities page for our live, online, and hands on opportunities!
I tried positive reinforcement training with my horse and it didn't work. Now what?
Like any training method, there is a steep learning curve for reinforcement training, and you may struggle to make progress until you've mastered the timing and technique. If reinforcement training didn't work for you, it's possible that your horse didn't clearly understand the relationship between the behavior and the reinforcer (which can be frustrating!), that they didn't want the reinforcer that you chose, or that they were too anxious to process and learn, among other things! Mastering the nuances of reinforcement training is a lifelong process, and can be surprisingly difficult for adults who have ridden with traditional training methods for years. We believe taking the time and patience to learn this method is worth it to improve your riding, the relationship with your horse, and how you interact with other people and animals in your life.
What behaviors can you train?
Some common performance behaviors we train are responsiveness to leg aids, transitions, backing up, lead changes, etc, but we keep these principles in mind when training any behavior under saddle! For veterinary behaviors we also train taking oral medications, eye medications, loading onto a trailer, needle tolerance, thermometer tolerance, clipping and lunging. For more information check out our Behavior Services page. Almost any behavior can be trained with this methodology and we are always willing to try something new!
What should I expect from a behavioral assessment appointment?
You and our trainer will discuss details about the behaviors you're interested in changing, the history of the behavior and the horse and the environment. We will also do a brief physical exam, and we may ask you to demonstrate the behavior, if it makes sense and is safe to do so. Next we will chat about possible solution strategies, and if owner and trainer agree to progress to training sessions, those can be started on the same day. We usually budget 30-45 minutes for the behavioral assessment. Training sessions are comprised of multiple smaller sessions, with breaks in between and we budget an hour for the whole training appointment. After the session we will discuss follow up, and you will likely get homework for you and your horse. Click here for more information, including our fees.
What can I do to prepare for my appointment?
Feed and turn out your horse as usual. At the time of your appointment, please haveyour horse haltered and readily available. The owner (or main handler) of the horse willneed to be present at the appointment.
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