Learning processes : automatic type responses

When a rider is training his horse, he uses a certain number of conditioning situations. For example he teaches the horse to associate striking off to canter with the corresponding aids. When beginning these learning processes the rider should constantly be using « reinfocements ».

The rider can use two types of reinforcement :

• Either « negative reinforcements », where pressure is applied until the horse performs the desired action ;
• Or « positive reinforcements », where a reward is given as soon as the horse responds.

At this early stage of the training, if the rider stops using reinforcements (for example the rider stops rewarding the horse) the horse will stop responding. In fact the horse responds in order to obtain a reward, he is said to have a « mental representation of the consequence of the action ». Progressively, during training, as the exercises are repeated the horse becomes mechanized : he will respond to an order through force of habit, without the need for reinforcement on the rider’s part. The horse no longer has a mental representation of the consequences of his action, he no longer acts just to obtain a reward. This form of mechanization  involves a well-known and well documented process in the field of neurosciences : « automatic » type responses, or « habits ». These processes are also involved in many situations, including for us as human beings. For example a pianist forever practising his scales, a sportsman doing the same exercises over and over, or a driver covering the same itinerary every day, all these situations create automatisms. We know that these responses stemming from habit subtend from a specific part of the brain  known as the dorsolateral striatum.

Awareness of these mechanisms in the equine species is important as it enables us to understand why some horses will anticipate more than others the rider’s requests in a dressage test, why they will always turn at the same place, or finish a show jumping course even without the rider. In a series of studies conducted by the Ifce, we sought to determine what factors could influence these processes (Lansade et al., 2017). These studies are based on conditioning protocols, which involve the ideas of « extinction » and « contingency », ideas which are little known, but important to take into account when training horses

The fact of learning in stressful conditions, or when the horse develops an emotive side to his character, predisposes him to developing automatic responses. This predisposition is sometimes sought after by riders, as this type of horse becomes mechanized and responds to orders more quickly, without necessarily having to use reinforcements. This could be one of the reasons why top riders appreciate riding emotive horses, even if they are more delicate.

On the negative side, this predisposition could also be linked to the appearance of sterotypical behaviour, which could translate as a higher proportion of emotive horses in this category and could also incite to better catering for the emotive horse’s well-being.