What is Equine Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Equine Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy focuses on specific PROBLEMS that the horse may have. It is believed that irrational thinking or faulty perceptions cause dysfunctions.  Equine Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works on changing the horse’s thought patterns and is particularly effective for horses with PTSD and Phobias.

Problematic behaviors tend to arise when responsive behaviors occur and become trained through years of reinforcement. For example, a horse who violently throws his head up when a human raises his or her hand towards the face is exhibiting a phobia about having his head or ears touched. This behavior, most likely, was reinforced from being smacked in the face by a human for some reason. Or, a horse that refuses to allow a human on his left side – learned aversive behavior due to feelings of protective self-defense. An Equine Cognitive Behavioral therapist will work to gradually change the horse’s fear by gradually exposing the horse to increasing levels of perceived threats while using reinforcement as the horse learns to accept and, subsequently, enjoy the formerly unaccepted stimuli and the phobia diminishes to a reasonable level or disappears entirely.  

Benefits of Equine Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

The benefits of cognitive and behavioral approaches with horses can be extremely rewarding when working on specific issues.  By utilizing both approaches together (cognitive and behavior), the thinking patterns of the horse are changed along with the accompanying, specific, problematic behavior. Utilizing negative reinforcement clicker work to help the cognitive approach and positive reinforcement for the behavioral training has repeatedly been successful in quelling what might be dangerous behaviors from a horse to those which are safe and comfortable for all involved. This manner of working with horses eliminates the defensive flight/fight response from the horse so he can actively participate both mentally and physically in full learning and healing capacity.

If you have a horse that is exhibiting questionable or even dangerous repetitive behaviors, please contact me at caballus@charter.net. If you are in proximity to Douglas, Massachusetts I can help you hands-on. If you are not in proximity to Douglas, MA, I can help you understand the steps needed to work through your situations and coach/work with you via long distance communications through email or IM Skype.

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