The 10 training guidelines of ISES
The 10 training guidelines The ISES training guidelines are NOT a method but in context they describe the practical guidelines based on scientific knowledge that underlies the essential basic needs and learning by horses. Every horse lover and professional should have knowledge of these guidelines. This knowledge enables the horse lover and professional to assess whether practices and training methods that are applied within a certain movement or (sports) discipline contribute to the well-being of horses during work, sport and recreation.
1. Account for all aspects of human and horse safety.
Take into account the size of the horse, its strength and flight reactions. (H)recognize flight behavior, fighting behavior and/or strike behavior (stiffening, stick-stiff standing still 'freezing') at an early stage. Minimize the risk of causing pain, illness, and injury. Make sure that man and horse 'match' mentally and physically.
2. Account for the natural, species-specific needs of the horse.
By meeting the natural (essential) basic needs of a horse such as foraging, free movement and species-specific companionship. By respecting the social needs of the horse and taking into account the fact that human actions and sudden movements can appear threatening to the horse. By refraining from using dominant expressions during interactions.
3. Account for the mental and sensory abilities of horses.
By recognizing that horses think, see and hear differently compared to humans. Do not overestimate or underestimate the mental abilities of the horse. When interpreting the horse's behavior, avoid describing how you think the horse feels (happy, bored, lazy, mischievous, misunderstood).
4. Account for the horse's emotional state.
By recognizing and understanding that horses are sentient beings capable of suffering. Therefore, encourage positive emotional moods. Recognize the fact that acting consistently makes the horse optimistic about the outcome of subsequent training results. By preventing pain, discomfort and/or evoking confusion or fear.
5. Make correct use of desensitization methods.
By learning how to perform desensitization techniques correctly: systematic desensitization, over-shadowing, re-conditioning and selective reinforcement. By preventing the use of "flooding".
6. Make Proper Use of Operant Conditioning
By understanding that horses repeat behavior when it gives them something: so if 'doing something or not doing something' works, then they do it more often. By removing pressure when the desired behavior starts. For example, by giving a feed or voice reward at the moment the behavior starts. By minimizing the time that elapses between the start of the desired behavior and the giving of the reward (the reinforcement).
7. Make proper use of classical conditioning (associative learning, making connections).
By combining (when appropriate) different rewards for the same desired behavior. By recognizing that horses easily make connections between stimuli
8. Make proper use of the step-by-step approach, shaping.
By breaking down the training of the desired behavior into the smallest possible (intermediate) steps that are very feasible for the horse and confirming each (intermediate) step (by repetition) before you go a step further. Gradually shape the desired behavior. By adjusting only one element in the context (trainer, location, signal). By planning the training in such a way that the next steps are logical and easy for the horse. By ensuring that the horse can clearly notice the difference between one signal and another signal.
9. Make correct (consistent) use of signals, cues, aids.
By ensuring that one signal has only one meaning.
By giving the timing of the signals in the rhythm of the movement phases of the legs.
By preventing conflicting signals (braking and driving at the same time) from being given.
10. Train 'self-behaving' – walking on your own two feet
By teaching the horse to maintain the desired head, neck and body postures.
By avoiding forcing a certain posture under pressure or maintaining the posture through incessant repetition of the helpers.