Lara Joseph details how two ring-tailed lemurs landed at her training center for the winter and how working with them has helped fine-tune her training skills

A Change of Perspective

Kathie Gregory explains why clients may not always initially be onboard with the recommendations made by training and behavior professionals, and what can be done to help them adapt to a new perspective

While there are widespread, established methods of equine management and working with horses that have been around for a very long time, we now know that these can create a lot of work and may not even necessarily be in the best interests of the horse. Yet, despite research providing empirical evidence that, in fact, some of the established management solutions are actually detrimental to a horse’s wellbeing, the change to an improved level of welfare is, unfortunately, slow. The same can be said for how we teach horses. Research shows that working in a noninvasive, positive way is enormously effective; yet, as in the world of dog training, punishment and aversive methods that can damage the animal, both physically and emotionally, remain.

Having said that, things are definitely changing, and I am seeing more and more clients seeking out professionals who possess uptodate knowledge of the horse as a species as well as their specific needs, and who promote a high level of welfare and compassion. Nevertheless, whether we are working with clients on a behavior change protocol or their horse is in our care, we need to be able to understand where they are coming from if they struggle to accept our professional opinions. In my article Starting Friendships on the Right Hoof (see BARKS from the Guild, January 2020, pp.47‐49), I briefly talked about how difficult it was for the guardians of 20yearold pony Toffee, who had barely been out of his 10 ft x 12 ft stall for years, to let go of how they thought Toffee should be managed in his environment. It was difficult for them to understand and accept that there are other ways of managing a horse and that, in this particular situation, the alternative was far better for Toffee's welfare than the guardians’ usual and preferred management strategy.

Research shows that positive training methods are enormously effective, yet aversive techniques and equipment still exist in the world of horse training © Can Stock Photo/ AnneMS

Let’s take the example of an elderly horse. A guardian may base all their decisions about him with his age in mind, but there are still other things to consider. When, then, they ask questions such as, “Does the horse need a rug on or not?”, “Should he be brought in at night or not?”, or “What should he be fed?”, the answers should take into account all aspects of the horse and his environment and not just the fact that he is elderly. This would include assessing his body condition, the thickness or thinness of his hair in conjunction with the temperature at the time, and his mobility and ability to manage his own comfort.

One of the reasons people may sometimes find it difficult to accept a contrasting opinion is that they do not always separate how they feel from how the horse feels. As such, they may have a more subjective approach to his comfort, meaning that their own feelings and views influence and inform how they see him. For example, if they feel cold, then the horse must feel cold, or if the temperature drops, the horse must be cold. People feel reassured if their horse is in an enclosed building during the night because they don't like to think of him being outside all night. Now, while I am well aware that there are horses that need to be placed in a locked and enclosed space overnight to keep them safe, there are also those that are fine staying in their outside environment all through the night. Their guardian, however, may feel uncomfortable if they remain outdoors. This empathetic, yet subjective, viewpoint shows that people care about their horses and want to do the best for them. However, a subjective view of what is best for the horse and what is actually best are not always the same. In England, in winter, for example, the landscape is pretty barren and the skies are often dull leading people to think it's so cold that they need to wrap up. Or, on an overcast day, the lack of light can feel oppressive, and people may feel that they want to stay cozy at home, close the curtains and put the lights on. These actions are all emotional responses to how they feel but do not necessarily reflect the physical reality, e.g. objective measurements such as outside temperature and windchill.

How we feel influences how we view our animals and what actions we take on their behalf. When experiencing an emotional response to the weather, for example, we may automatically assume they are cold (or warm) or want to be indoors (or outdoors) without stopping to assess what is objectively appropriate or what they actually need, or prefer. Another situation where people may struggle to accept a differing opinion is when they zone in on a specific issue. Let’s take the example

Resources Gregory, K. (2020, January). Starting Friendships on the Right Hoof BARKS from the Guild (40) 47-49. Available at: bit.ly/2RCJJC9 of an elderly horse. A guardian may base all their decisions about him with his age in mind, but there are still other things to consider. When, then, they ask questions such as, “Does the horse need a rug on or not?”, “Should he be brought in at night or not?”, or “What should he be fed?”, the answers should take into account all aspects of the horse and his environment and not just the fact that he is elderly. This would include assessing his body condition, the thickness or thinness of his hair in conjunction with the temperature at the time, and his mobility and ability to manage his own comfort, physically and physiologically (ie. health status). We should further be asking: Is there shelter available should he wish it? Does the food he is eating adequately cater for his nutritional needs? Does he need any additional support from food? How is his emotional state? How will he feel if one decision is made over another? How does a decision progress his wellbeing to where we want it to be? Or does it hinder progress?

An elderly horse with a very thick winter coat may not need a rug until the weather deteriorates, but his guardian may not assess his coat or how warm he is at that time. Rather, because he is old and must surely be cold, they may feel he must have a rug on. While this is a legitimate concern, there may also be evidence to the contrary which shows he does not need a rug at that particular time. The human mind tends to ignore anything that undermines its perspective because acknowledging conflicting evidence means it has to let go of a belief. This can be difficult to do and is why people are sometimes unable to alter their perspective. This cognitive dissonance is also, in my opinion, the reason why there is so much outdated information out there that is not factual. Core Beliefs As professionals, when we are working with and advising clients, we implement changes gradually and explain what we are doing and why every step of the way. However, the client’s core beliefs have not have changed at that stage and they may revert to old habits, going against what we have put in place. This backslide can be triggered by comments from others or simply a thought that causes them to question the new strategy. It takes time to change perceptions; even seeing that a horse has undergone positive physical and/or psychological changes may not cause an individual to replace their existing beliefs with new ones straight away. Training and behavior professionals can help here by teaching clients to be objective. This means assessing their horse and his needs without being influenced by their own beliefs or feelings. It takes time and patience and the brain needs to become familiar with this new concept before it feels comfortable with it and can accept it. Clients will either come to accept the new strategies you recommend, meaning that their brains have changed perspective, or they will find it too difficult to let go of their existing beliefs and reject the new perspective. While we know we cannot help everyone, and that there are some clients that we cannot reach no matter how hard we try, we can still do everything we can to educate them to help enhance their perspectives and, thus, improve their horses’ welfare, and that of all animals. n

Kathie Gregory is a qualified animal behavior consultant, presenter and author, specializing in advanced cognition and emotional intelligence. Passionate about raising standards and awareness in how we teach and work with animals, she has developed Free Will Teaching TM (facebook.com/freewillteaching), a concept that provides the framework for animals to enjoy life without compromising their own free will. She has authored two books, A tale of two horses: a passion for free will teaching, and A Puppy Called Wolfie: a passion for free will teaching, and her work is currently divided between working with clients, mentoring, and writing.

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