Steps to Deciding when to Decrease Choice/Increase Force

We all want to choose the kindest training options we can for our horses. We also want to be safe and effective, and sometimes life goes faster than we anticipate. How do we decide when and how it's appropriate to increase force/decrease choice in training?

When all is well we want to go into our training with choosing kind-moderate training tools. So we'll use positive reinforcement to train new skills and differential reinforcement of incompatible behaviors to help reduce and redirect unwanted behaviors. (This is where you train a behavior you prefer to see to redirect unwanted behaviors to an appropriate alternative). Most of our intentional, planned training sessions should live within this realm.

Now if a horse comes to us with trauma, stress, fear issues, or is just the type of personality that needs a bit more of a sense of control, or even if maybe our ability to read our horse isn't up to par, we could actually increase our training in a KINDER direction. We can use more choice/consent techniques that help the horse develop confidence and clear communication and work through some tricky situations.

But what about when things aren't going well? When do we dial up the force/control? Well, the first thing we need to do is address WHY the behavior is happening (or not happening). So look to the physical, nutritional, dental, emotional and so on. Discuss with a vet, body worker, dentist, nutritionist, hoof care professional, and so on to see what might be causing the unusual behavior response.

What about if we have a behavioral goal but it's just not happening? We need to look at WHY we're training this and HOW FAST it needs to be trained.

I think our first step is to determine, why are we training this? Is it for us/for fun/for competition/for cosmetic or ego reasons? If this doesn't have to be trained and the horse is giving a clear "no", is it really fair to push to more coercive, forceful, less-choice training methods? If you can't train it kindly, and it's not for the horse's benefit, why push it?

If it's something for the horse and there is a reason you need to push, have you discussed it with other trainers? R+ especially is new in the horse world. We all have different experiences and approaches, there may be a technique or way of addressing things that someone else may see from the outside (even if you've been training way longer than them! they may just see something differently). So discuss your tricky spots with other trainers.

Then if something DOES need to happen, the horse NEEDS to know this, for their own good, for everyone's safety, we do need to teach it! But if there's no rush, we can teach it kindly and constructively.

The trouble really comes when we have a rush, when training needs to happen faster than we have time to be kind about it. If there is something that needs to be achieved, for you or the horse's safety and wellbeing, you need to slide down this chart however far is necessary depending on the speed and intensity it needs to be achieved by.

I think it's important we consider this chart and maybe even make our own version to match our ethics and think about "in these types of situations I wouldn't go past here" or "for this I'd go up to here". If I'm in a rush, but this is just for me, I'd personally only stay in the R+ bubble of thing, maybe slightly more pressing R+ techniques to see if we could get over a bump and find joy in it, but if it never becomes fun for them, why am I pushing for it? I wouldn't be comfortable using more coercive tools just to get something I want from my horse, that doesn't strongly benefit them. However, for my horse's health and wellness or my safety, I'd go as far as I have to, if there is a rush or medical need, I'd do whatever I need to make us safe. But I'd do my best to prepare my horses kindly for the hard things that may come up in our future.