Mythbuster Monday: Desensitizing Horses to Training Aids Makes the Aids Ineffective
On Mythbuster Monday, we tackle a variety of equestrian myths to either bust or confirm. Today’s discussion: Does desensitizing your horse to training aids make the aids ineffective?
It’s Mythbuster Monday, where Horse Nation dives into different equestrian myths and provides research-based evidence to either bust or confirm those myths. Today’s topic: Does desensitizing your horse to training aids make the aids ineffective? Does the horse become numb to the aid? Is there a sweet spot to how much desensitizing you do with training aids? Read more to find out!
Myth: Desensitizing a horse to training aids makes them ineffective
Myth or Fact: Fact
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
Desensitization of a horse is the introduction of frightening or reactive stimuli repeatedly over time and using positive or negative reinforcement to create confidence and boldness towards the stimuli. The goal is to decrease fear and increase safety while handling or riding the horse. Horses can be desensitized to many different items such as umbrellas, whips, plastic bags, saddle, garbage cans, and almost any other object to which a horse may have a strong reaction.
But, does desensitization to training aids — such as lunge whips, halters, and tack pieces — make the aids ineffective?
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
According to Equestrian Spirit, those who use desensitization to remove any reaction to stimuli push horses into shutdown with enough repetition, ultimately making the training aid ineffective. This is because the training process of desensitization doesn’t teach the horse not to be afraid of the item — it teaches the horse to submit to the handler despite their want to react to the object. The article urges equestrians to move away from the training technique of introducing scary items to the horse until no response is elicited and instead allows the horse to remain curious and approach the items with confidence when ready.
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
Bridging Hearts and Hooves writes that desensitizing to training aids to the point the horse ignores the stimuli leads to a horse that communicates dishonestly. Desensitization to training tools suppresses the sensitivity of the horse to the aid. The goal should not be to desensitize the horse to the aid but rather help the horse engage with the tool in a way that allows the horse to make choices. The horse does not need to be desensitized to the object. To successfully use it in training, the horse needs to be guided to assess the aid, stay present, and make the decision that it’s just part of the world around him.
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
The Willing Equine also weighs in on a horse being desensitized to training aids. They state that horses can become so desensitized to the training aid that it becomes ineffective, so there are some measures to put in place to decrease the probability of that happening. First, the horse should be willing and in a learning state of mind. Second, the horse should never become overstimulated or above its threshold when being introduced to the aid. Continuing to push a horse’s mental state past its threshold decreases a horse’s trust in the handler, making it harder to control situations where insecurities arise. The goal is not to suppress the horses fight or flight response, but to change it from complete terror to curiosity. A horse that has become a “lifeless robot,” has most likely been desensitized so extensively he’s too afraid to even respond, potentially creating internal health issues down the line.
Photo by Marcella Gruchalak
After diving into the research, extensive desensitization to training aids can make them ineffective. The horse become numb to the stimuli or is more afraid to react than they are of the object. Ideally, horses should be able to approach the items with curiosity instead of being placed in a fearful situation repeatedly to decrease the response to the training object.
Do you have an equine myth you’d like us to tackle? If so, send it our way! Email your suggestions to deann@horsenation.com. Put Mythbuster Monday in your subject line.
