Ethical Training Steps
Usually, I try to focus on science, because science is concrete, measurable, definitive. Ethics is harder, they’re personal, there is obvious extremes, but there is a whole lots of blurry gray area. When considering the ethics of modifying an animals behavior (training them) and what methods we use, everyone has different standards.
I’m not here to judge anyone else’s standards. I’m just sharing mine. Before I try to influence my horse’s behavior I want to ensure they are able to do (or not do) what I want, physically and emotionally. If they are unwell, I can’t ask them to smother that problem.
Then I consider, am I trying to make a behavior happen or make a behavior not happen? I will only go down to the next step down if I need.
If I want a specific behavior I will train it with R+, easy as that. I have a huge tool bag full of ways to train things I want with all R+. I’ll use everything I know to help use R+ to help my horse do what I want. I’ll train all sorts of things I want just for fun with R+, because its fun for both of us. But if there is a problem and I’ve done everything i know of with R+ and my horse won’t do the behavior I want, I will ask my R+ training friends for help. What’s going on, what am i missing? If R+ just can’t get the horse to do the thing I want, how badly does it need to happen? If it’s for fun, or my entertainment, I will probably accept that my horse doesn’t want to do this, I’m not going to push the issue. But if it’s for my horse’s wellbeing and I have really tried what I can or I just don’t have time to do it kindly with R+, because it’s a rush for THEIR wellness, then I will use R-.
If I want them to stop doing a behavior, I will train an incompatible behavior with R+. I’ll let the unwanted behavior extinguish with time as the better alternative takes its place. I’ll also make sure that nothing is unintentionally reinforcing that unwanted behavior. If it continues because I can’t fix the situation, its self-reinforcing (it feels good to do), I have to decide how far I’m willing to go. How big of a deal is this behavior? Or is it dangerous or harmful? Can I get more creative? Have I asked for help from my peers? Before I punish, what else can I do?