Equiosity

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Episode 272 Svenja Sawinski Teaching Relaxation Pt 1 Finding Stillness Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

We all know there are many forms of standing still. There’s standing at full attention like a soldier on parade. There’s standing at ease watching the world drift by. There’s standing still ready to spring into action like a sprinter at the starting line. Often people get to four on the floor with their animals and stop at that point. As long as the feet are still, they consider they have taught stillness. But what happens if that horse or that dog is quivering with expectation, trying to figure out what to do to get you to click? You may have four on the floor, but you’re a long way from a relaxed learner. We’re starting a four part series in which we explore standing not just with four on the floor, but standing in stillness so your learner is truly relaxed. This doesn’t happen by chance. It is the result of a systematic training process. Svenja Sawinski is our guide in this series as she shares what her Arab/barb cross has been teaching her about stillness. In this episode Svenja introduces us to Daryan and explains why getting to this “Grand Prix” level of relaxation was so important for this horse. She shares her early attempts at teaching stillness, and the lesson that finally made a difference for Daryan.

Episode 271 Resets Pt 3 Merry Go Rounds And Railway Tracks Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

This is Part 3 of a conversation that was sparked by the on-line coaching session that I host once a month for people in my on-line clinics. In Part 1 we talked about resets - what they are and how they can be used to help horses rebalance so they are more in sync with their handlers. In Part 2 this led to a discussion of shaping on a point of contact, the WWYLM lesson and visualizing your horse as a marching band. In part 3 explore some useful metaphors that help in understanding lateral work. We’ll begin with Merry-Go-Rounds and then move on to railroad tracks. Dominique has been discovering how useful these images to help her understand lateral work. At the very end of the podcast I talk about the connection between the horse training and my children’s books. Everything is connected to everything else. I hope you listen all the way to the end to understand the connections. Clicker training really is Modern Horse Training. It represents a shift in attitude towards horses. When I’m thinking about Modern Horse training I’m thinking about the contrast between today and that time when horses were beasts of burden. Our relationship with horses is different today. The reason why we have horses has changed. Our horses are our companions and our friends. They aren’t pit ponies down in the coal mines forced to haul coal out of the mines. They aren’t the London cab horses that were written about in Black Beauty. Thankfully, those days are behind us. We have the luxury to really examine our training and to update it to make sure that it really does work in the best interest of our horses. When I’m sharing clicker training, I want to touch more than the lead rope you hold in your hands. I want to touch your heart because that’s how we truly, deeply connect to one another and change forever how people train horses. The children’s books for me are part of that. So thank you for indulging me as I continue to talk about the Kenyon Bear Books. I encourage you to order them to see what they are about. Everything is connected to everything else. Train well and have fun with clicker training.

Episode 270 Resets And Lateral Work Pt 2 - The Why Would You Leave Me? Lesson Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

This is Part 2 of a three part conversation that was sparked by the on-line coaching sessions that I host once a month for people in my on-line clinics. We were talking about balance, which is no surprise. We’re always talking about balance. Embedded in that conversation was a discussion of resets. In part 1 we defined resets, discussed their importance, described how they are taught and used. In this episode we begin with the “Why Would You Leave Me?” Lesson. I describe what this lesson is, how it is taught and the relation to resets. We discuss how to help horses that tend to overflex and horses that are very crooked. I use the metaphor of a marching band to help visualize the process of teaching horses how to become better balanced.

Episode 269 Resets And Lateral Work - Do Overs Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

This is Part 1 of a three part conversation that was inspired by the coaching sessions that are part of my on-line clinics. We are talking about resets and lateral work. Resets give you do-overs so they are a key element of teaching good balance. If your horse starts to step forward out of balance, instead of letting him continue on so the balance issue just continues and becomes more and more of a mess, you reset him back to the beginning so he can try again. Resets can become corrections. If the only time you ask for a reset is when things are going wrong, the focus will be on behavior you want to stop. A better way to think of resets is they are part of the dance. You cha cha forward and then you cha cha back. You teach resets so your horse is familiar with the dance steps and has been reinforced well for all the elements of the dance. When resets become dance steps, they become a useful tool for building great balance.

Episode 268 Trick Training Pt 2 - Sneaky Training Jan 25, 2024

Show notes

This is part 2 of a conversation Dominique and I recorded on December 28 2023. We were in a year end mood which meant we began our conversation by looking back over a year of podcasts. We had just finished up several head spinning topics with conversations with Anita Schnee about Feldenkrais work, with Joe Layng on public and private events, and then with Michaela Hempen on assessing animal welfare. We were both feeling the need for a topic about more practical training applications. Dominique chose the trick training chapter from my book “Modern Horse Training” as a good focus for a lively conversation. In part 1 we began with a discussion of the many benefits of trick training. We talked about why even “serious” trainers should consider trick training. I would say I fall into this category. I don’t teach tricks to amuse other people. I teach them to amuse my horses, so I tend to think of trick training as part of an overall enrichment program. In this episode we talk about a sneaky way to introduce a wide variety of tricks that easily morph into very practical husbandry training.

Episode 267 Trick Training Pt 1 A Modern Horse Training Perspective Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

We’ve just finished a series of head spinning topics, so we’re changing gears to talk about trick training. Our discussion is based on the trick training chapter from my book, “Modern Horse Training”. We begin by talking about the many benefits of trick training. If you’re a “serious” trainer and you don’t think tricks are for you, change the name to enrichment and you may see many uses for teaching tricks. What makes one behavior a trick and another serious training? When you teach your horse to paint is that trick training, enrichment, a useful step towards teaching a horse to accept a dose syringe or all of the above? Horses learn a lot from trick training and so do handlers. Tricks are easy to teach. What isn’t so easy is bringing the trick into balance so it doesn’t turn into a nuisance behavior. Learning about stimulus control is one of the many benefits of good trick training.

Episode 266 Dr Michaela Hempen What Is The “Mind”? Pt 3 Welfare Assessments Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

This is Part 3 of a conversation with Dr Michaela Hempen in which we consider the question: What is consciousness? What is the mind? Each person’s answer will very much effect their level of concern over animal welfare. Positive animal welfare assessments seek to provide animals not only with the conditions that they need to survive, but also with what they need to thrive and to enjoy their lives. The more you move towards positive animal welfare the more complicated the assessment becomes. How do you measure such abstract qualities contained in the phrase: enjoy a good life? How do you assess this? In Part 3 Michaela reviews the current welfare assessments and asks what are they actually measuring? It’s often not what is intended. We begin with the question: how do you assess emotions? In the five freedoms model how do you assess if animals are free from fear and stress? In the positive welfare model how do you assess if an animal is happy?

Episode 265 Dr Michaela Hempen -What Is "The Mind" Pt 2 The Great Divide Jan 02, 2024

Show notes

This is Part 2 of a conversation with Dr Michaela Hempen in which we consider the question: What is consciousness? What is the mind? And how do our answers effect how we assess animal welfare, or even should we bother to consider welfare issues for the animals under human care? In this episode Michaela continues a discussion of different ways in which to categorize or define consciousness. “Phenomenal consciousness” along with sentience is defined. This form of consciousness is most relevant to a discussion of the ethics of animal care. Self consciousness, while interesting, is less so. We discuss various tests which appeared to demonstrate self awareness or insight, but experiments done by behavior analysts showed that there were other explanations. That brings us again to the great divide between the cognitive ethologists and the behaviorists. The question again is: “What is the mind?”. These two schools of thought bring us to very different answers. Michaela argues that the discussions about animal consciousness are not relevant in the assessment of animal welfare. What you need to ask is: can they suffer? Can they enjoy? You only need to establish that which is contained in the term “sentience” to have a moral obligation of treating animals well. So included in this episode is a discussion of the five freedoms model. But it is freedom from: freedom from hunger, etc. so this is all about avoiding unpleasant consequences. Welfare assessments are moving towards a more positive model. We want to provide animals not only with the conditions that they need to survive, but we also want them to thrive and enjoy their lives. Which is, of course, why all this discussion of “what is the mind?” is relevant because what does that mean and how do you assess it? This is the very complex topic that Michaela is helping us to understand better. In this episode we begin with a discussion of sentience and animal welfare assessments. For a list of the references discussed visit equiosity.com for the full show notes for this episode.

Episode 264 Dr Michaela Hempen -What Is "The Mind" Pt 1 A Historical Perspective Dec 26, 2023

Show notes

We’re beginning a three part series with Dr Michaela Hempen. The overall topic explores the question: What is the “Mind?” And how is that relevant to assessing animal welfare? This conversation grew out of our previous discussion with Dr Joe Layng on public and private events. I suggest you listen to those episodes as an introduction to this discussion. Why are these philosophical discussions relevant to horse training? Michaela begins with a historical perspective. What are the cultural influences that have shaped our attitude towards animals? Why do we have this cultural bias that has created a hierarchy of animals? Primates are high on the evolutionary scale, other animals are lower, and non-vertebrates are lower still. How does this influence our training and management choices? Michaela is a scientific officer at the European Food Safety Authority. Part of her work focuses on animal welfare. She’s part of a team that is preparing reports for the European Commission, which, hopefully, will be the basis for updating the European animal welfare regulations. To prepare for this project Michaela did considerable background reading. She wanted to understand the “great divide”. This refers to a philosophical split between behaviorism and cognitive ethology. So join us as Michaela guides us through a historical look back on the evolution of these very different ways of viewing behavior. For a list of references visit Equiosity.com and refer to the show notes for this episode.

Episode 263 Dr Joe Layng Private Events Pt 3 Do Animals Have Consciousness? Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

This is Part 3 of a Three part series on public and private events with our guest Dr Joe Layng. In part 1 Joe talked about Helen Keller who became blind and deaf after an illness when she was 19 months old. Without language she had no sense of self. It is through language Joe argues that we become aware that we are aware. Without language animals lack consciousness. In Part 2 Joe began by holding up his coffee mug and describing it for us. “It’s a black cup. It's got a handle. I can tell you a whole bunch of stuff about it,” No one listening to the podcast can see the mug. You have to imagine it. We can’t see what you’re seeing as you imagine Joe’s mug. But we couldn’t see what you’re seeing it even if the mug was sitting in front of you. I assume that you’re seeing the same mug I’m seeing, but even something as simple as color is something we assume but can’t determine. Joe asks: “What makes one a public event and the other one private? For answer he says: "There is no difference, except in how that seeing comes to be . . . The seeing isn't in the stimulus, it's in the relation of the organism to its environment.” At the end of Part 2 Dominique brought us back to the statement Joe made in Part 1 that animals do not have consciousness. She asks again: what is consciousness? That’s where the conversation picks up as we begin Part 3.

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