I’ve been wracking my brains trying to come up with an explanation for this that makes the most sense to ‘normal’ riders and trainers.

I think the closest analogy I can think of is spurs, or maybe a whip or a strong bit. If you’re fairly experienced as a rider and have watched a lot of riders and trainers, you will know that not every horse is comfortable being ridden by a rider carrying a whip. Some horses will get quite ‘sharp’/ reactive if the rider carries a whip. If the rider is quiet and experienced, with a good balanced seat and quiet hands, they might be able to manage, but a less experienced rider might find that the horse quickly becomes too much for them. A lot of damage can be done by carrying or using a whip with a horse that is already nervous/ fearful. The sight of the whip can be quite threatening for a horse, depending on their nature, personality and history. A young horse should be taught with care and patience that the whip is not something to be scared of.

Spurs also carry similar risks. However it is even more important with spurs that the rider has enough skill, a good seat and balance and a secure leg position so that they don’t ever use the spurs by accident, or more strongly than intended. The potential to cause pain/ discomfort to the horse is much higher than with the whip.

This has been increasingly recognised as an issue by, for example, The Pony Club, who have introduced stricter rules around whip and spur use.

For me, as a behaviourist/ psychologist, I welcome these rule changes, but of course, having studied behaviour and welfare in depth, my personal choice is not to use either spurs or whip when riding.

It is essential, whether during riding or groundwork, when training we pay close attention to how the horse is feeling. We do best by the horse when we focus on promoting positive well being and take steps to minimise our use of aversive stimuli (for example whips or spurs), focusing less on negative reinforcement, ensuring that when we do it is mild and that we minimise stress, and make the best use of apetitive stimuli such as food or scratches to positively reinforce the behaviour we want.

So if we are using aversive stimuli (and this includes strong bits,  which also need handled with finesse and in conjunction with a secure balanced seat and a light hand) we need to very carefully assess the suitability of both horse and rider, and take remedial or preparatory steps as required to make sure that the horse’s welfare isn’t compromised, and that both horse and rider are safe.

The key is recognising the potential for stress, observing the horse for signs of tension, recognising and working within the ability of the rider, and taking steps to set both horse and rider up for success.

So how does this relate to using food in training?

Believe it or not, just as careless use of whip, spurs or bit can cause behaviour problems, safety issues and potentially impact on welfare,  the same can be true of careless use of food.

I’ve seen a number of behaviour problems develop or be exacerbated by inappropriate use of food.

Just like with whips or spurs, any underlying stress needs recognised and addressed, whether this is through management changes, handling changes or re-training.

So it is really important to assess how the horse feels about food, how they respond when food isn’t available. And the rider/ trainer needs to have excellent timing and observation skills so that they are careful about what they are reinforcing.

At the end of the day, training of any kind needs skill. And the horse and the handler need careful assessment to see what skills they need to develop, where there might be issues and how to best set everyone up for successful, safe and happy interactions.

When I’m called out either to help with behavioural issues or to support a client with training issues, I’m always focused on  building solid foundations, getting the horse and handler in a good place emotionally. We can then build the training from there, at a pace and in a way that best suits those individuals.

I’m running a series of workshops this year looking at the use of positive reinforcement in training, each one with a different theme. We’ve are very lucky to have a great venue sponsored by Equine-X 

as part of their ‘Keeping it Real’ ethos, for horse wellbeing and performance.

• About Equine-X
  • A registered feed company and BETA Trade member based in Northern Ireland.
  • Home of CONNEXION®, a premium nutraceutical for tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage, and other equine connective tissues.

Premium Horse Supplement – Equine-X Connexion | Science-Driven Formula | equine-x

We’ve already looked at the basics of how horses learn, body language and behaviour. This coming weekend we are doing a morning workshop looking at how to introduce the use of reward into your regular training. We will be looking at how to assess the horse, what reinforcer works best for them and for the handler, and how to get started with building that solid foundation. If you think this might be of interest, there are a few spaces left. Just pop along to

Spence Horse Sense Events 2025

Or here is the info here:

Saturday 17th May 10am to 1pm

Near Portadown, Northern Ireland.

Half Day Practical workshop with opportunity to bring own horse. £25 per person, plus £10 extra if bringing horse.

Learn how to safely and calmly make more effective use of rewards in training, whether groundwork or ridden. We will look at how you establish safe boundaries and politeness around treats, along side the use of a marker signal. Learn how to assess your horse and plan training sessions to best suit their needs.
Click here to book:

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