Anything You Can Do…

Everything that can be accomplished with traditional training can be accomplished equally effectively with positive reinforcement. Some things might look a little different, but get the same results. We are kind of approaching the same answer from the opposite direction, with the horse seeking rather than avoiding.

With R+ we use things that the horse works to earn, moves towards, seeks out, rather than traditionally moving away from, yielding, or restraints. This is like stationing on a target/mat instead of standing tied (though they can have a rope tied while they do it). Moving around a reverse round pen or series of cones instead of lunging where they're moving away from the pressure of the whip. Rather than kicking t make them move, we send them to a generalized forward from sending to obstacles/targets.

Rather than escalating the aversiveness of our tools, we escalate the appetitiveness!

There are no goals we can't reach with R+, within the limits of compassion to the horse's identity, physical and emotional needs.