Community or Cult?

In recent years there has been a shift, a real movement in the way equitation is approached. Owners are beginning to seek a better way of working with their horses, moving away from what was once deemed as ''traditional' approach of fear and force.

This movement has been fantastic to see and has been so positive for the equine community. It has been made easier to seek support through the use of social media, available at the tough of a button.

When a person has spent years, even decades, applying something in a certain way (whether this was at the time believed to be right, or that it worked) it is a credit to that individual for reaching out to ask for support in changing their approach and seeking help, integrating in to this new-age bubble.

However, over the past 12 months, I have been thoroughly disgusted by the attitudes I have witnessed as the cult within the community brings forth it's ugly head.

When the discussion of how we train horses becomes a topic, the focus can quickly turn to the approach used. This leads to the sciences and application of learning theory, specifically a nod to instrumental learning and the learning quadrant; positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment.

There are two that are relevant here today: Positive Reinforcement and Negative Reinforcement. Positive Reinforcement (R+) is to reinforce a behaviour by adding something positive (e.g. food). Negative reinforcement (R-) is to reinforce a behaviour by taking something away (e.g. pressure/release). These are applied when we wish for the likelihood of a behaviour to increase and are commonly used in horse training.

My own horsemanship is an adaptive, horse-centred approach. I have a learning mindset that allows for new knowledge and expansion - that is an awesome part of the journey! I am familiar with multiple ways of working with equines that allows me to successfully work with the variety that I do that can be effectively applied by each owner. This leaves them feeling empowered and enlightened, whilst improving the welfare of their horse.

In my training, I work with many people from different backgrounds; classical, horsemanship, western and new owners alike. I thoroughly and happily take on board the clients wishes, suggesting a programme and application of which would see the most benefits for the horse and the owner given the many facets of their individual circumstances.

I am an advocate for positive reinforcement, which I apply to every single one of my sessions to enhance the experience (a positive reinforcer does not always have to be food, it can be scratches, companionship or a positive pairing). I am also an advocate for correctly applied negative reinforcement (aside from the terminology, it does not have to create negative feelings for the horse). From my experiences and knowledge, both can be applied correctly, and both can be applied incorrectly.

What I am NOT an advocate for is the trolling and vile treatment from an unfortunately growing number of individuals within certain areas of the community towards those that do not meet their own ideology.

I have met people, clients and seen number of people that have been met with awful comments through social media for sharing images or videos, of their progress on supposedly compassionate groups that have not met the 'standards' of commenting individuals. This has left questions, confidence broken and a hesitation to share or ask for support. I myself have been a target of a few professionals over past months, merely because of the equipment I use, the clothes I wear, or for not approaching each situation with a pouch full of chaff. Essentially, because I don't just sit in one camp.

It is with a heavy heart that with this I refer to certain aspects of the R+ community.

It was once common to associate 'traditional' horsefolk with being inflexible and harshly opinionated. However it is a rising trend of those from this traditional background searching for a better way, to now be trolled and verbally abused when seeking this help. I don't refer to any specific individuals as I write this, it is a general observation that has seeming been a common occurrence of late.

Constructive critique and advice is a tool for growth and we all need it to progress. Those who are further in their own development are in a unique position to guide and support others starting out. Yet the way in which these comments are written, from people sat behind computer screens, are often applied as a result of their own psychological triggers; very few are presented in a way to promote growth. Instead, someone you may have been able to support and empower to a great new aspect of working with horses has been alienated, leaving the R+ community with a bad name.

Because one approaches training using food-based reinforcement does not give one any right to stand on a soapbox with a holier-than-thou attitude to look down on someone, to degrade them, to belittle them. This is not acceptable. Actually, it is not acceptable to pass any judgement without holding all of the facts, something that a snippet on media gives you no access to.

We all want the best for horses, but we need to practise compassion and awareness of deliverance to the people we interact with, as well as the horses. We need to accept that an alternative viewpoint may be just as valid. We need to think before we speak, because fronting it out with ill-founded opinions because one is sat behind a screen of armour, is no longer acceptable.

I take the time to understand people. I am exceptionally empathic which allows me to really see through another's eyes. No person that comes to me with any scenario will ever be made to feel belittled or judged. There is enough of that out there, it can stay safely at the gate.

The application of R+ I am an advocate for, the self-entitlement of an individuals behaviour because they train using R+, I am not.

-

Image credit Dressage Naturally with Karen Rohlf-Training