The Willing Equine

Remember my social media post where I asked you all what *couldn't* be trained with R+? Thank you to everyone who commented, sharing their take on behaviors they believed would not lend themselves well to an R+-based approach. I decided to go through the comments on my podcast, diving into some myth-busting and explaining how I might teach the behaviors mentioned with R+. The answers might surprise you!

In this episode (part four of this series), I dive into how whether or not R+ can be used in the following situations:

If you missed parts 1, 2 & 3 be sure to head over and give them a listen!

Remember my social media post where I asked you all what *couldn't* be trained with R+? Thank you to everyone who commented, sharing their take on behaviors that they believed would not lend themselves well to an R+ based approach. I decided to go through the comments on my podcast, diving into some myth busting and explaining how I might go about teaching the behaviors mentioned with R+. The answers might surprise you!

In this episode (part three of this series), I dive into how whether or not R+ can be used in the situations of:

Be sure to stay tuned for part 4 of this series! And if you missed parts 2 & 3 be sure to head over and give them a listen.

Part One

Part Two

Remember my social media post where I asked you all what *couldn't* be trained with R+? Thank you to everyone who commented, sharing their take on behaviors that they believed would not lend themselves well to an R+ based approach. I decided to go through the comments on my podcast, diving into some myth busting and explaining how I might go about teaching the behaviors mentioned with R+. The answers might surprise you!

In this episode (part two of this series), I dive into how you can safely implement R+ with:

And more!

Be sure to stay tuned for part 3 of this series! And if you missed part 1, be sure to head over and give it a listen here.

Welcome to season 5 of TWE podcast! After a long break from recording episodes in 2023, I'm so excited to be back.

We kick off the first episode of season 5 by sharing some BIG life updates on the TWE herd, including moving homes, herd changes, and more!

I also share my personal and business related goals for 2024.

Then we dive into some myth busting! A while back I posted a photo on social media, asking commenters to share behaviors that they believed COULDN'T be trained with R+. In this episode and the one that follows, I'll be sharing my take, which is that R+ works for ALL behaviors! I'll discuss how you can go about teaching your horse that specific behavior using R+, and share some tips and tricks along the way. In this episode, we evaluate 3 behaviors.

- Long duration ridden behaviors (dressage tests, jump courses, trail rides, etc.)

- High school dressage movements

- Tactile cues (Cues that look like traditional R- cues)

So tune in to see just how you can teach these behaviors with R+!

Season 4 of The Willing Equine Podcast has been filled with so many wonderful discussions and interviews. I'm so grateful for everyone who joined me as a guest on the podcast, and for the thoughtful conversations that we shared. And of course, thanks to my listeners for following along!

In this episode, we're taking a ride through some of this season's most popular episodes. We hope you enjoy!

Show Notes:

4:45 - From Episode 55 // Mistakes As Learning Opportunities

15:59 - From Episode 57 // A New Outlook on Equine Assisted Therapy with Julia Alexander, LCSW

24:22 -  From Episode 59 // The Hoof's Impact on Behavior : A Conversation with Alicia Harlov

35:00 -  From Episode 60 // Behavioral Medication for Equines with Janna Dewey

43:05 - From Episode 63 // Bringing New Horses Home

Podcast Transcript:

https://www.thewillingequine.com/post/ep-70-best-of-2022

Have you ever wondered if R+ trained horses are safe around kids? Maybe you're concerned that if you give your horse a choice, they'll become dangerous around children! In this episode, I address these concerns, and discuss how R+ trained horses are actually safer around children!

I share some personal anecdotes from my own experiences with horses and children, talk about some of the reasons why traditionally trained horses may be more prone to explosive and dangerous behavior, and share my process for helping horses be comfortable, confident, and safe around kids.

Podcast Transcript:

https://www.thewillingequine.com/post/episode-69----kids-and-horses

In this episode, I answer a listener's question about introducing a horse that has poor social skills to a herd

I talk about the importance of being proactive with our weaning practices and foal management, addressing gut health and physical discomfort, how to set up your pastures to minimize resource guarding, and so much more

In this episode, I dive into operant and classical conditioning, and explain how positive reinforcement itself is not actually a 'method.'

I talk about the importance of being flexible in our training styles, how every horse and human is an individual with a unique learning history, and how different training styles work for different learners.

Podcast Transcript:

https://www.thewillingequine.com/post/ep-67-r-is-not-a-method

In this episode, I share some tips on how to sift through all the media and marketing that we consume.

I talk about how social media can't share the whole story, the importance of being educated on the latest research, and how to spot red flags in marketing.

Episode Transcript:

This episode is dedicated to my gelding Cash, who passed away recently. I share his story and how he was a shining example of just how valuable a non-ridden horse can be.