84. Q&A: Ethics in Training Traumatized Horses

EquiTheory

Hi All🌞🌎

This week's episode answers Patron McKenna's questions. Here's an idea of all the topics we covered:

• What are your thoughts on how & when one should use sedation (Ace, Dormosedan, etc.)?
• Is it possible for the clicker/R+ way of training to be too slow for a horse’s well-being?
• When should a professional clicker trainer get involved in person?
• Could a horse be “too far gone” to train?
  • Do you think it is ethical to try & “fix” a horse in a state of post-trauma recovery & continue to try to reintegrate the horse into a normalized way of functioning, or should we instead try to find a way to comfortably retire them (permanently or temporarily) & cease the majority of reintegration training as a way to respect them in their present situation?
• Could you please clarify how “combined reinforcement” works?
  • Is it possible in the clicker training world to use both +R & -R together ethically?
• What are your thoughts on the idea that humans decide on a training method based on their past traumatic experiences? Has that been true for you in choosing R+? What are your thoughts on using “energy” pressure when training horses?
• Is it advisable and/or ethical to train a horse when in a conflicted/irritated/angry mindset?
  • Therefore, is it advisable & /or ethical to train a horse while suffering from a mental disorder flare-up when it causes a conflicted/angry/etc. mindset?
• Do you know of any sources that describe how to best transition a horse from daily “feedings” to 24/7 forage access?
• What are your thoughts (in general) on the Extreme Mustang Makeover & The Road to the Horse competitions?
  • Do you know if there is any data concerning these competitions specifically that would suggest that these horses are more likely to have bolting/bucking/"problem horse" issues or even health problems post-adoption/sale?
  • Do you think it's possible to compete in short-term training competitions like these with clicker training?
  • Of the clicker trainers I know of, very few actually compete on a regular basis in the hopes of refraining from putting too much pressure on their horses.
  • Do you think that clicker-trainers will ever be willing to participate in these kinds of competitions?
  • What do you think it will take to get people to do so?

Thank you guys for checking it out! And thank you to Patron McKenna for asking such thought-provoking questions!

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