The Horse:Your Guide To Equine Health Care provides monthly equine health care information to horse owners, breeders, veterinarians, barn/farm managers, trainer/riding instructors, and others involved in the hands-on care of the horse.
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YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2017 AAEP CONVENTION A26 TheHorse.com/AAEP2017 AAEP Wrap-Up THE HORSE March 2018 ALEXANDRA BECKSTETT Incorporating Equine Learning Prin- ciples Into Veterinary Practice n recent years, researchers have identi- fied a possible link between veterinar- ians' limited understanding of learning principles and their high incidence of injury. To help practitioners reduce prob- lem behaviors and improve veterinary care, Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, CHBC, of the University of Puget Sound, described behavior modification techniques based on equine learning principles. Incorporating learning principles into equine practice starts with addressing the source of procedural aversions: fear. "These behaviors are often inadvertent- ly reinforced by the release of pressure (called negative reinforcement) and will be repeated," said Foster. For example, if an anxious horse pulls back during a blood draw and delays the procedure, he's going to continue that defensive behavior because it's effective. Techniques that can reduce fear and unwanted behavior include: Reducing arousal Monitor horses' body language for early signs of fear and anxi- ety. "Body language can reveal informa- tion about arousal and emotional state before the horse acts," said Foster. "Watch for facial expressions. These are useful because humans are good at recognizing expressions and because handlers can't always see the horse's whole body." The vet can then create a quiet, relaxing environment in which to perform pro- cedures—a familiar but neutral location (one the horse doesn't associate with neg- ative experiences, such as punishment, or positive ones, such as mealtime) with few distractions. With particularly frightened or fractious horses, the vet might break the exam into multiple visits, postpone procedures, or use sedation. The owner might also place a helper horse—a calm buddy—nearby to promote relaxation. Habituation and systematic acclima- tion "The initial veterinary experience can have a profound and lasting effect on future behavior," said Foster. A syringe, for example, only gains meaning when it causes pain, at which point the horse learns to fear and avoid it. Prevention through habituation and accli- mation is the best medicine, said Foster. To accomplish this, expose horses to new or mildly aversive objects or situa- tions gradually. Habituation is a neuro- logic process, she explained, so if you present a stimulus repeatedly, the horse's response behavior should become weaker. Systematic desensitization This technique—overcoming a horse's learned fear of an otherwise harmless object or situation through gradual, progressive exposure to it—is most commonly used to treat existing fears, said Foster. "The horse should not experience discomfort or pain," she said. "Start with a weak, nonthreatening intensity, and increase it gradually. Meanwhile, train the horse a different response (e.g., dropping, not raising, his head during a procedure)." Counterconditioning This classical conditioning process involves pairing a feared stimulus with a pleasant one, with the goal of replacing a fear-based problem behavior with a relaxed one. "For example, a horse with a learned fear of injections may withdraw from the syringe by becoming tense, raising its head, and stepping backward," said Foster. "During counterconditioning, the syringe would be paired with and predict something pleasant, like a treat placed in a dish on the ground, such that when the syringe is presented, the horse remains calm, drops its head, and takes a step forward for the treat." Scratches and massage can also be ef- fective positive distractions. Overshadowing This technique involves leading or stepping the horse back and forth with determination while present- ing a feared stimulus. "The movement 'overshadows' and prevents the avoidance response," said Foster. This can be effec- tive with horses that are fearful during procedures such as injections or clipping. Avoiding flooding Flooding is "exposing the horse to a high intensity of the feared object or situation until the unwanted response disappears," said Foster. "At the same time, the horse is typically confined or restrained to prevent it from escaping COURTESY LAUREN FRASER Better Horse Handling Stephanie L. Church @TH_StephLChurch Dr. Fitch rarely uses a twitch. He says he never puts a twitch on a scared horse. "I think a twitch is not a good option most of the time." Use habituation to introduce horses to new or mildly aversive objects or situations gradually.