20240807_Alice_Morrison_coopcare

Vet Gabriel Lencioni

7 Aug 202408:34

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses a delightful training session with horses, highlighting the use of the 'one two, three' pattern game for cooperative care. It emphasizes the importance of predictable treat delivery to reduce anxiety in horses, especially regarding pinned ears during training. The script suggests starting with a high rate of reinforcement and gradually building duration to keep anxiety at bay. It also touches on the idea of distant food protocols to further calm horses, offering insights into effective training techniques and the value of clear end-of-session signals for relaxation.

Takeaways

🎥 The video was appreciated for its lovely training session and the pleasant surprise of Alice's daughter working in the animal behavior field.
🤝 The speaker suggests that combining knowledge can be beneficial for training horses.
🔢 The use of the 'one two, three' pattern games with horses is highlighted as an effective method for cooperative care, despite being less commonly seen.
🍎 The training aims to make Dauntless understand that treats are given predictably without needing to perform any specific behavior.
👂 The importance of not punishing behaviors and instead adding them gradually is emphasized for a positive training environment.
👂🏼 The trainer mentions the need to be cautious with the horse's ears, which can indicate anxiety, and the approach to lower anxiety levels from the start.
📉 The script discusses the varying opinions among trainers about dealing with years and anxiety, with a preference for a conservative approach to address issues early on.
📝 The trainer recommends starting with a high rate of reinforcement and gradually building up to more complex behaviors.
🍽️ The idea of treating the horse like a waiter delivering food is introduced, emphasizing the importance of not rewarding the horse when it reaches for the food.
🛎️ The end of the training session is marked with a clear signal, which is beneficial for the horse's understanding and relaxation.
🌱 The suggestion of using distant food protocols and protected contact to reduce anxiety and improve the horse's comfort with training is made.

Q & A

What was the general feedback on the video training session?
-The video training session was described as lovely and really nice, with a positive note on the use of the one-two-three pattern games with horses.
What is the significance of the one-two-three pattern games in horse training?
-The one-two-three pattern games are used to build duration and keep anxiety out of the picture, making the training process more predictable and less stressful for the horse.
Why is it important to make treat delivery predictable in horse training?
-Making treat delivery predictable helps the horse understand that treats will come without needing to perform any specific behavior, reducing the reliance on the horse's behavior for rewards.
How does the trainer address the issue of pinned ears in horse training?
-The trainer aims to lower all levels of anxiety and remove pinned ears from the training context from the start, although it's not always possible, especially if the horse doesn't show pinned ears while training with food.
What is the approach to handling behaviors that dauntless may use to request treats or speed them up?
-The trainer may need to pause and re-evaluate if dauntless uses behaviors to request treats or speed them up, ensuring not to punish the horse but to maintain a high rate of reinforcement.
Why is it recommended to reward the horse only with the 'tree' in the one-two-three pattern games initially?
-Rewarding only with the 'tree' initially helps to establish the pattern and is similar to charging a clicker, creating a strong association between the signal and the treat.
How can the trainer experiment with treat delivery to make it more like a waiter's service?
-The trainer can experiment by delivering treats almost like a waiter serves food, ideally placing treats on the ground or in a bucket for the horse, avoiding the need for the horse to take the bowl or plate directly from the trainer.
What is the purpose of giving a signal for the end of the training session?
-The end of session signal helps the horse understand when the training is over and can be associated with giving food on the ground or in a bucket, helping the horse to relax and lower their energy.
Why is it suggested to try training in protected contact or on the other side of a fence?
-Training in protected contact or on the other side of a fence can help lower the horse's anxiety, as the trainer and food are a bit further away, creating a more relaxed environment for the horse.
What are distant food protocols and how can they help in horse training?
-Distant food protocols involve not having the food on the trainer's body, which can make the horse calmer by reaching for food that is on the other side of the fence or in a bucket, reducing the immediate pressure on the horse.
What is the importance of high rate of reinforcement in horse training?
-A high rate of reinforcement is important as it helps to keep the horse relaxed and focused during training, rewarding them frequently for standing still and being calm, which aids in building a positive association with training.

Outlines

00:00

🐎 Positive Feedback on Training Session

The speaker expresses appreciation for Alice's training video, noting the pleasant surprise of Alice's daughter's involvement in animal behavior. They commend the use of the 'one two, three' pattern game for training horses, which is seen as a helpful technique for cooperative care. The speaker addresses the issue of years in horse training, advocating for a conservative approach to reduce anxiety and avoid pinned ears during training. They suggest starting with a predictable treat delivery method and gradually building up to more complex behaviors without punishing the horse for reaching for treats.

05:02

🌱 Reinforcement Techniques and Session Ending Signals

The speaker discusses the importance of maintaining a high rate of reinforcement to prevent the horse from reaching for food and the significance of signaling the end of a training session. They recommend associating the end of a session with giving the horse food on the ground or in a bucket to encourage relaxation and a change in behavior. The speaker also suggests trying protected contact and distant food protocols to reduce anxiety, sharing personal experiences with these methods. They express excitement for future training videos and congratulate the trainer on their progress.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Training session

A 'training session' refers to a period of time dedicated to learning or practicing a skill, often under the guidance of an expert. In the video script, the training session is described as 'lovely,' indicating a positive and effective learning experience. The session is focused on horse training, particularly using techniques that involve timing and reward.

💡Animal behavior field

The 'animal behavior field' is an area of study that examines how animals act and interact with their environment and each other. The script mentions that Alice's daughter works in this field, suggesting a professional interest in understanding and possibly applying knowledge of animal behavior to the training process.

💡Cooperative care

Cooperative care in the context of the script refers to the practice of training animals to willingly participate in their own care, such as medical treatments or grooming, through positive reinforcement and trust-building. The script mentions using 'one two, three' pattern games for cooperative care, indicating a method to encourage horses to cooperate during training.

💡Predictable treats

'Predictable treats' is a concept in animal training where rewards are given in a consistent and expected manner, teaching the animal that certain behaviors or conditions will reliably lead to a treat. The script discusses the importance of making treat delivery predictable to help the horse, Dauntless, understand that treats are not contingent on specific behaviors.

💡Anxiety

In the script, 'anxiety' is used to describe a state of unease or nervousness that a horse may exhibit, particularly in response to training or new situations. The trainers aim to 'lower all levels of anxiety' to create a more relaxed and effective training environment, suggesting that reducing anxiety is key to successful training.

💡Pinned ears

'Pinned ears' is a term used to describe a horse's behavior where the ears are laid back flat against the head, often indicating discomfort, fear, or aggression. The script mentions that Dauntless does not exhibit this behavior during food-related training, which is a positive sign, but also suggests that efforts should be made to prevent it from becoming a habit.

💡High rate of reinforcement

A 'high rate of reinforcement' means providing rewards frequently to encourage and reinforce desired behaviors. The script suggests using this technique to keep the horse relaxed and to prevent unwanted behaviors, such as reaching for food, by rewarding the horse often for standing still and being calm.

💡End of session signal

An 'end of session signal' is a cue that indicates to the animal that the training or work period has concluded. In the script, it is mentioned as a positive practice to associate this signal with giving the horse food, allowing it to relax and signaling a transition to a less structured environment.

💡Protected contact

'Protected contact' refers to a training method where the trainer maintains a physical barrier between themselves and the animal, such as a fence, to create a safer and less intimidating space for the animal. The script suggests using this method to help reduce the horse's anxiety during training.

💡Distant food protocols

Distant food protocols involve placing food at a distance from the trainer, forcing the animal to approach and interact with the food without the trainer's direct involvement. The script mentions this as a technique to potentially calm the horse by reducing the immediacy of the trainer's presence during food-related training.

Highlights

The video was a lovely training session and Alice's daughter also works in the animal behavior field.

Using the one two, three pattern games with horses is a helpful method for cooperative care.

The exercise aims to make Dauntless understand treats flow predictably without needing to do anything.

Some trainers don't focus on years and just continue training, hoping it gets better later.

Trudy and Alice are more conservative, trying to lower anxiety levels and remove pinned ears from training contexts as much as possible.

Dauntless does not show pinned ears while training with food, which is not the worst case scenario.

It may be worth trying to improve the situation from the start to make it easier to eliminate unwanted behaviors in the future.

Horses commonly show conflicted behaviors when dealing with food, wanting to get near it but not being pushy.

Pausing and re-evaluating may be necessary if Dauntless uses behaviors to request treats or speed them up.

Making treat delivery predictable by counting out loud 1 2 three before delivering helps prevent unwanted behaviors.

Not punishing behaviors and adding them gradually when training standing still and relaxed is important.

Starting by rewarding only with the tree (3 treats) helps build duration gradually and keep anxiety low.

Experimenting with treat delivery like a waiter serves food helps prevent the horse from reaching for it.

High rate of reinforcement is key to preventing the horse from reaching for food.

Giving an end of session signal and leaving food on the ground helps the horse relax and lower energy.

Using distant food protocols by placing it on the other side of a fence or in a bucket can make the horse calmer.

Alice's daughter has been studying and applying these protocols for a long time.

Alice looks forward to seeing more of the training in future videos.