Here you will find my musings as I (and my students) pursue better relationships with our horses through dressage, horsemanship and clicker training. If you are interested in joining me on this journey consider subscribing to my blog and you will get daily updates in your e-mailbox. See the Subscribe box right there on the right…. >>>
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 JP Giacomini, from the Equus Academy site Jean Philippe (JP) Giacomini is an internationally recognized teacher, training, author and coach. His latest project is Equus Academy, an educational subscription website dedicated to teaching the classic principles of horsemanship. Among his many training accomplishments, JP is also an innovator. He developed a method for cultivating improved relaxation and movement through a percussive massage technique called “Endotapping”. I experimented a bit, about 10 years ago, with JPs endotapping technique. At the time I found it “interesting” but put it on a back burner for lack of real certainty about what to do with it. I’ve talked here about my experiences with the Masterson Method of Equine Massage. With these experiences under my belt I think I have a better sense of how and why something like Endotapping could work to facilitate a relaxation response from the horse. So, I’m going to bring the idea back to a front burner as I bring my mares back to work this spring. Anyway, the Equus Academy website is currently available to anyone on a FREE 3-day trial. The regular subscription rate is $24.95/mth or $249.00/year. There are numerous videos in a variety of categories from beginning Endotapping in a stall to work in hand and under saddle. Additionally, there are several articles on a variety of topics related to classical horsemanship and riding. JP plans to add (a very ambitious) TWO new hours of video to the site each WEEK. It will interesting to see if that comes to pass. If so it could be worth the $24.95 a month. I don’t love everything I see from JP but someone with all of his experience can surely teach me a thing or two! And, I have learned things. I especially appreciated his take on positioning for half pass. So, I appreciate his willingness to share his knowledge. Plus, I know how much work goes into a site such as he’s created. I would certainly encourage folks to do the free trial and make your own decisions about whether the full subscription investment is right for you. Anybody remember the old Dressage & CT magazine? It’s been defunct for years–a fact that is very unfortunate. It was a magazine that marched to its own drummer and included articles about such controversial topics as French lightness and how to train the Spanish Walk. I miss that magazine, I learned so much from it. Making a good effort to fill the gap in support of classical dressage is an online magazine called “Horses for Life”. The recent Blue Tongue controversy gave the magazine a platform to show their stuff. They launched a campaign to support Dr. Gerd Heuschmann by giving him a petition signed by 41,000 people to take to the special meeting with the FEI to discuss Rollkur. In light of the rollkur controversy the publisher of Horses for Life has made their special “Enough is Enough” edition free. If you have any interest in subscribing to the magazine this is a great way to get a feel for it.
The video isn’t really a how-to program. Instead, a variety of topics on how to inspire horses in the most effective manner are discussed and illustrated with him as well as his pupils working a wide variety of horses in hand and under saddle. The video consists of the following sections:
I’m not going to try to describe every section. I’ll just share some of the points I jotted down. I’ll start with his final point of the video, that the film should be used to inspire creative thinking. I like that! He says this as a Friesian stallion is ridden bridleless on screen. One thing that is evident throughout is that he’s not opposed to hand-feeding treats including from the saddle. Although the specific option of using food as a reward is only mentioned once, he quite obviously uses food as a reward. He also uses ‘brav’ or ‘good’ as a verbal marker. He states that a trusting relationship begins in the stall. I noticed that he entered the stall quietly and waited for the horse to acknowledge him and says hello with a treat (and some scritches) when the horse comes over. And so it begins. He mentions frequently the importance of a “positive working atmosphere” for both horses and riders. Keeping it achievable and calm is crucial for learning. “Prompt praise escalates the learning process.” Having a plan is crucial. “A clear mental picture is particularly important when things get difficult. The trainer must not lose sight of the mental picture which is the exact image of what he wants to obtain and is more important than riding technique.” He believes that clear instruction, kindness, and consistency on the part of the trainer will deliver the highest level of cooperation. This point is made as an Arab mare is worked at liberty in the piaffe and Spanish walk. He then goes on to show a variety of animals doing their own versions of Spanish walk including dogs, goats, and cats. It’s a hoot. I love this guy’s humor. I found myself really wishing I could meet him. Relaxation is a crucial element to success. He advocates training the horse to lower his head and stretch forward out and down. He prefer this over just riding the horse till he is tired for multiple reasons. But he believes by training the horse to seek that relaxed position he not only develops more relaxation but the rider can then use the trained response as a means to calming the horse when needed. He likes to put the ‘head down’ behavior on the cue of a touch to the wither area which is a natural place to put the hands anyway. He also will teach the horse a verbal cue as well, such as “nose down”. [I like to use the verbal cue of "relax".] He talks about being in a good mood a lot. He says, “Anyone in a good mood and creative can transfer this good humor to their horse.” He is clearly not a breed or saddle elitist. The horses shown in the video represent a variety of breeds. In the Praise section he highlights a rider on a smaller pony type breed with the horse wearing what looks to be an Australian Stock saddle. The horse is shown learning tempi changes and the rider after a successful attempt the rider rewards with a verbal marker and the horse stops and wickers as he waits for the treat he knows is coming. Later the horse is shown in piaffe while the announcer says, “Anyone mocking this successful communication between rider and horse as ‘poodle’ dressage might well ask themselves if they too could work in such a low wear and tear fashion and present a horse which truly positively reflects its rider.” When working with the advanced horse, meaning a trained horse, the motivational emphasis is on ensuring that the horse trusts that the work will not be over taxing so he uses stretching and breaks frequently, he also uses transitions to capture the horse’s attention and bending to help maintain calm and develop collection. Regarding the work with the advanced horse he says, “Anyone failing to convey clear instruction [to the horse] and constantly criticizes it and penalizes it should not be surprised if the very shortest of time the horse gains the upper hand forcing the rider into a reactive situation.” Another good reason to keep work sessions short and emphasizing positive reinforcement to ensure that the horse wants to respond to the lightest of aids. I would love to have a link here to my Amazon store to buy this DVD. Unfortunately Amazon apparently doesn’t carry it. I rented it from Giddyupflix. However you come by it, I would call it worthwhile. Here is a video clip from YouTube which does not come close to doing the whole thing justice. Plus it is in German. The video I watched is overdubbed in English. Much of my appreciation for classical dressage training comes from my lessons with Karl Mikolka. One of the (many) things I remember him saying (probably while my horse was having a fit) was, “the horse is allowed to say NO!” I’m not saying that fits are desirable! Of course, what we’d prefer is a resounding YES. But if you want to be more than ‘just’ a rider you need to be willing to listen to the horse and if he says No then you need to accept responsibility for that feedback. Then you need to ask yourself, What’s it gonna take to get a Yes? What got me thinking about this topic today was reading Mary Hunter’s blog post about her encounter with Steve Martin (the bird trainer!) at the 2010 Art and Science of Animal Training Conference. I love hearing about how people are successfully using positive reinforcement with all manner of species. Especially species that can just fly away so you’d better be right on the money with your training philosophy. It is a real inspiration to learn that good training practices are Universal. So it wasn’t much of a surprise (more of a validation) to read that Steve had made the very same point as Karl did:
It is up to US to take ownership of the situation, to make the right things easy and obvious and convince the horse that he can say — even better wants to say — Yes. Why do No’s happen? Even if we’re trying hard not to, we’ll sometimes frustrate or block the horse in some way to cause the horse to put up that red flag. But, as Steve points out these little failings don’t need to be a deal breaker if you have built up sufficient reinforcement history. He calls it the Trust Account. Each time the horse needs to say No you are withdrawing from that Trust Account. Hopefully, your training strategy is based on keeping a very large cushion of trust so that those occasions don’t break the bank, as it were. Check out Mary’s blog where she also has several write-ups from her experiences at both the 2009 and 2010 Art and Science of Animal Training Conferences. All worthwhile reading. Then ask yourself, what is my horse saying about your training relationship? I had occasion to revisit one of my favorite books, Xenophon’s Art of Horsemanship. Xenophon was a Greek general who lived 2500 years ago. This is the first book on horsemanship that has survived the ages. What I love about this book is the chance to take a glimpse into another time. We experience a little of the day-to-days with horses as they were then. And, really, they have not changed at all. This first passage is a perfect example:
Sounds like horses are still horses and have always BEEN horses. They will get dirty no matter what you do! This next quote made me smile. It is awe inspiring to me to see how old such tiny everyday things are. What is more interesting though is it is clear that he understood that it is not the method per se but the consistent application that is important.
This next quote demonstrates that even 2500 years ago it was understood that the smart and obvious way to train horses is to reward the behavior you want.
These next passages also illustrate that he understood how important the Release is as a Reward for the horse. Also interesting is the reference to raising the neck.
And, now he talks about the horse’s joy in movement and that in order to be supple in his movement he cannot be restrained.
Here he talks about how important it is to retain the horse’s natural willingness to move freely forward and to nurture it for it is crucial to all desirable outcomes.
The book is not long but it is packed with amazing wisdom that can guide us even today. I recommend it highly! If you don’t already own this book you can buy it in my Amazon bookstore. In my Secret Weapon post I talked about how important it is to remain focused on what we want and rewarding that and only that. Read it here if you want to be reminded about it or missed it the first time. In her article in Psychology Today titled, Trainers with Jackhammers Need Not Apply, Susan Friedman, Ph.D. talks about this very issue from a slightly different point of view. And, hearing the same thing said differently is always a useful learning strategy. She brings up two key points to consider when training (any animal, horses included):
The first point is pretty straight forward and I’ve talked about it a gazillion times before. The second one is important too but maybe doesn’t get as much play as it could. Behaviors don’t just happen. They happen for a reason… the Behavior somehow works for the “Behave-EE”. By works I mean on some level the behavior is getting reinforced. And the reinforcement may not have anything to do with YOU. Horses (as we all do) are driven by needs that need to be fulfilled. Safety, food, water, sex… Safety is always high on the list and if often the source of problem behaviors with horses. If they believe that their safety is at risk horses will do what they believe they must to feel safe again. This is just one example but when ever stuff is happening, and it keeps happening, you have to accept that something is reinforcing it. If it weren’t being reinforced it would stop. What behaviors do you see in your horses that make you wonder, “What is reinforcing this behavior?” Lots of rain and mud means I’ve only managed to say hello to my girls at feeding time. On nicer days I’ll visit, groom and massage. Actual riding is a distant memory. Ha! So posts have been thin at best as I await the inspiration of spring and more riding exploits! Something interesting did come up recently in conversation, though, that I thought I would share. The topic was what I call my “secret weapon”. Do you want to know the secret to getting along with pretty much every horse? It isn’t a very secret secret since it is available to anyone for the asking. But, still, few horsefolk seem to know about it. Now, while I did come upon this secret weapon by way of clicker training it isn’t about ‘clicker training’ per se. There are non-clicker trainers out there who apparently know the secret. People like Harry Whitney and Mark Rashid come to mind. But these are, it would appear, rare souls who somehow just get it. The rest of us, mortal folk, need more help. Enter clicker training to open the door to the secret weapon. It sounds a little ‘new agey’ to say it. But, it is true that you get more of what you focus on. So, here’s Part A of the secret: Always, always, always reward the behavior you want. Part B is to reward the teeniest, tiniest particle of that behavior the instant it occurs and then nurture it from there. Part C is, while all that is going on you Ignore what you don’t want. Perhaps you are thinking, what? Should I just let the horse walk over me? If that is what you were thinking, that’s not what ignoring means. And therein lies the trouble with understanding this secret weapon! I will try to explain. It isn’t about letting bad things happen. Ignoring means not allowing a behavior to get reinforced. It is about staying focused on what you want, even as you deal with the other stuff. And, sometimes you are going to have to deal with unwanted stuff. It is about not getting drawn into the drama of the negative. So, yes, you will position yourself to redirect those things that are unwanted, but, always toward the very clear picture in your mind of what you do want. This is the reason why having that clear picture and focus are so important. When you are focused on what you want to happen, you will see those things starting to happen and your timing of reinforcements will be optimal. If you are busy with the drama you miss opportunities. You’re late! A good horseman is never late because he sees the thing that happens before the thing that happens happens! Training is a bit like weaving a tapestry and at any moment you need to be able to see (in your mind’s eye) where any given thread (good or bad) is leading. One always must start with that clear picture or else the result will just be a mess. I am talking about horses here–although it would be true of tapestries as well! To be most successful with this principle you need to recognize when what you want is starting to happen (possibly at a cellular or energy level) so that you can help it flourish with guidance and support. Read that (guidance and support) as some kind of reinforcement which doesn’t have to be food. Sometimes the most powerful reinforcer for a horse is you to go with him.
In order to take advantage of a certain shift of weight or a glance that might lead somewhere positive one must be watching for said shifts or glances. This takes “eye training.” Most of us start out not realizing how small a tiny thing actually counts. Quite frequently the problem with our horse training is that we miss the first signs. If we miss the first signs then the horse is left certain that this human isn’t listening and either acts out or shuts down. Which one do you have? Once you start to observe and correlate tiny changes to bigger changes down the road you can select out certain ones and shape them up into the longer term behavior that you want. It wasn’t until I started clicker training that I began to see how this might apply to everything I do with horses. Before clicker training I could only be in awe of someone like Harry who’s ability seemed mysterious and unknowable. Now, I can now see that he always sets the horse up for success, always stays focused on what he wants and ensures that only the things he wants get reinforced. All the stuff that clicker training taught me. Hey, how cool is that? Katherine Blocksdorf, the Horses Guide on About.com has written a nice review of my book and given it five stars! You can read it here. If you have read my book, too, you can add your own review to hers. If you haven’t read it (what??) you can get it on Amazon (among others). Thanks Katherine! Here’s the thing about using clicker training for stuff that the horse is afraid of (demonstrated by some escape behavior), like using electric clippers on whiskers, if you try to click ‘for’ letting you approach with the buzzing thing you are invariably going to get the timing wrong. They are already thinking of leaving long before you click and if you click when they are thinking of leaving then you will only make matters worse. So, what I would do, is pretty much the same as what I said last time about mounting. Prior to attempting to work near the horse with the trimmers on, I would do a lot of heavily reinforced ‘rope work’. Meaning, following a feel on the line to look at me, follow me, turn, and so forth. Make all that stuff something the horse feels good about. Then what I’d do is find out how far away the clippers need to be before the horse becomes concerned about the buzzing noise. Let’s say it 20 feet away. Turn on the clippers and set them down 20 feet away. Then proceed with basic ropework. I like to use a simple change of hand (figure eight) done in front of me. That requires that the horse be able to follow the feel forward and through turns in both directions. A handy test of the horse’s attention, lightness and softness. The presence of the clipper noise will cause a WEE bit of distraction. You’ll be asking the horse to pay attention only to your feel irregardless of the noise in the background. That attention is rewarded with c/t. Again and again till the horse cares not about the noise. Then move the horse closer to the clippers and repeat the process. Continue this process until the horse couldn’t care less about the clipper noise. When the horse doesn’t seem to care about the noise, I will then hold the clippers in my hand. Hopefully you have the cordless type. Maybe you could even put the clippers in your pocket and let it buzz away there. If this causes a concern then just repeat the rope work till he’s more focused on the rope work and the click than the buzz in your pocket. When the clippers can be on you and he’s unconcerned then hold the lead rope in one hand and the clippers in the other. Approach the horse with the clippers. Note the distance between your hand and the horse when (if) the horse moves. Move slowly so that you don’t over face. Let him move as needed but if your approach is calm and you’ve done all the prework then he shouldn’t RUN away, he might just step away. The hand on the rope is just there to provide a soft barrier to leaving and an encouragement to look at you. Move WITH the horse so that your clipper hand stays the same distance away from the horse that it was when he moved. When he stops, you stop and simultaneously drop the clipper hand. You could also click (slip the buzzing clippers back in your pocket) and then feed. Then repeat. The idea is that the horse learns that he gets a reward (the clippers go away AND maybe even a treat) when stands with the clippers in close proximity. Repeat this as often as necessary till the horse chooses to stand still as the clippers approach. When (and this involves a judgment call) I think the horse isn’t going to totally flip out when I gently touch him with the clippers I will do so. Still holding the lead rope and guiding and supporting there. With the clippers on the body I will let him move but be gently encouraging him to stay with me via the feel on the rope. If all the work prior has been good he will quickly discover that when he stops moving his feet and checks in with you the clippers go away and other good things happen. When he is OK to stand still with the buzzing clippers touching his body you will repeat this process with the clippers approaching closer and closer to the head and eventually the muzzle. Since the horse will need to be OK with me restraining his head a bit I will put one hand on the halter and do all of the above as I approach the muzzle. The idea is that the horse learns that when he relaxes and stays softly with your feel, irrespective of what might be in the other hand, THAT is the behavior that results in rewards (not the least of which at this point may be the clippers retreating.) It is very important, IMO, to understand the proper use of Negative Reinforcement in this context. This would be an example. The REWARD is the clippers going away. The behavior we are rewarding is “feet that are moving stop and the horse relaxes”. It is also important IMO to recognize that feet WILL move. It is natural for the horse to choose to leave with this feet when he is uncertain. How FAR he goes will depend on how good all the previous work was. So I’d rather let him move and then just wait patiently for the horse to choose let that worry go. I don’t have a video showing this process with clippers. But I do have video of working with a horse who was not okay with haltering. You can see here (the first video on the page) the process of staying with the horse when she leaves till she chooses to stop and then getting clicked. Very quickly it proceeds from there to her letting me halter her. The same principles would apply if I were holding the clippers as well. Those who have hung around me for some time will know that I’m very fond of saying, “If the horse knew what I wanted and believed he was able to do it, he’d BE doing it.” I used to say “…and was able to do it…” but people would just say that they knew a horse who knew very well thank you very much what they wanted and simply didn’t WANT to comply. So, I adjusted the phrase to include the word “believe” because it is my opinion that those horses who “don’t want to” usually have something else on their mind, something that is preventing them from going along with our ideas. In that state of distraction they really don’t believe that they are able to do …whatever. The truth is, it doesn’t really matter how we word it, if we approach each horse assuming “they would if they could” (rather than looking for ways to make excuses) well, things have a way of working out for the better. Recently, on the Classical Dressage group on Yahoo, someone posted this quote by Colonel Carde–Ecuyer en Chef (Chief Rider), National Equitation School, Saumur, France: “If I knew where I wanted to go,and was clear and precise in my requests, with my aids, that I would achieve everything I wanted.” This, to me, is basically the same sentiment as mine only expressed from the rider’s point of view. It is our clear and precise requests that convinces the horse to believe he can do what we ask. |
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He is a decidedly open minded man which I so appreciate.