The Basic Behaviors Profile: An Objective Way to Assess Program Horses
By Christie Schulte Kappert
Program Director, The Right Horse Initiative, a program of the ASPCA
PATH Intl. Equine Welfare Committee Member
Bringing a new horse into your program is an exciting time—a time that can also be stressful, uncertain or disappointing. You have high expectations for your horses, and so do your participants. No matter how well you know a horse, they’re still individuals and can all react differently to the demands of their new job.
Have you ever had a conversation with another horse person who tried to describe a horse that’s “well-trained” or “broke”? Or, had someone assure you—with the best of intentions—that a horse is good to handle and then try to carry out a simple task like picking up a hind leg, loading in a trailer, or catching in a pasture, and come to a different conclusion about that assurance?
One way to objectively and consistently evaluate potential new program horses, whether from a purchase, donation, adoption, or other source, is by using the Basic Behaviors Profile, developed by The Right Horse Initiative.
The Basic Behaviors Profile (BBP) is a tool for adoption organizations, trainers and horse owners that describes 14 common interactions between horses and humans on the ground. These are typical skills that owners expect a horse to have such as catching, haltering, leading and tying. It was developed by behaviorists, veterinarians and trainers and tested for reliability and validity. While the BBP was originally created with equine adoption centers in mind, it has powerful applications for PATH Intl. centers and instructors. It provides objectivity and consistency when different instructors, equine managers or volunteers may be involved in horse selection, training and management.
What does it do?
- The BBP provides a clear picture of a horse’s training level at 14 basic ground handling skills.
- It helps standardize and streamline the search and match process for programs, adopters and adoption organizations.
- When adoption organizations or horse sellers provide it to potential new owners, it inspires trust and transparency in the process.
- It provides trainers a starting point from which to develop a training program for each horse assessed.
What does it NOT do?
- It is not a pass/fail assessment. Horses who don’t complete many items may still be the Right Horse for an experienced adopter.
- It does not assess under saddle skills, or specific skills in therapeutic riding or other equine-assisted therapies.
- The BBP does not prescribe training techniques. There are many humane and compassionate training styles that can successfully teach the assessed skills and behaviors.
- It does not predict a horse’s future ability or trainability; or what activities it is suited for.
- It is not a complete description of a horse. It is simply one piece of the evaluation and matching process.
How does it work?
- The BBP is a simple assessment that can be carried out by anyone with basic horse handling knowledge. It will take two to three people about 15 minutes to complete.
- An observer will instruct a horse handler through the 14 items, marking “complete” or “incomplete” for each.
Once complete, the results can help inform your decision on whether this is the right horse for your program.
In addition to assessing horses you’re considering adding to your program, there are several ways the BBP could come in handy. Try it out on horses who exhibit behavioral changes, perhaps acting up for volunteers where there previously weren’t issues. Keep a dated copy of the BBP results in each horse’s file and re-assess them at regular time intervals to note any changes in behavior, determine if they need refresher training, or simply a break to prevent burnout. Retiring a horse out of the program? Sharing the horse’s BBP results with potential new homes shows transparency and inspires confidence that he’s a good citizen to have around. I’ve even assessed my own personal horses and found a few holes that I didn’t expect—skills that I’d want to be sure they have if they ever go to a new home!
I had the privilege of being part of the 2019 PATH International Conference and leading a pre-conference workshop at the Harmony Equine Center in Franktown, Colorado. The Harmony trainers and I carried out the BBP assessment on two adoptable horses and had a robust discussion with attendees about how they responded. The feedback I heard from conference attendees showed me how important behavior and training is to make sure you get the right horses in your barn, and that they’re happy in their jobs.
If you’re interested in trying the BBP out for yourself, visit https://therighthorse.org/basic-behaviors-profile/ for the download and instructional videos. And be sure to check out www.myrighthorse.org to view adoptable horses and their Basic Behaviors Profile results, like handsome, adoptable Cowboy.
Horse-Human Interactions and Equine Welfare in EAAT: Aligning Our Practices With Our Goals
PATH Intl. Equine Welfare Committee Guest Tip from Emily Kieson, PhD candidate at Oklahoma State University
The world of equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) is saturated with activities and horse-human interactions based almost exclusively on the historical use of horses for work and equitation. The same routines of haltering, grooming, riding, leading and lungeing that have been used for years in equitation have been adapted by the EAAT world to serve new purposes, and professionals in EAAT consider the horse a partner. These interactions, useful for training and schooling our horses for use in work and pleasure, may not, however, be in line with the goals of therapy. (Editor’s note: PATH Intl. Certified Professionals do not practice therapy but rather equine-assisted activities. Those participants in need of therapy are served by licensed physical and occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists and mental health professionals.) Researchers are learning more about how domestic horses communicate with each other and us, which can lead to improvements in equine welfare through better understanding of equine-human interactions and what it means for the psychological welfare of the horse. This means that, if we want to improve client-horse relationships and model good horse-human relationships for our participants, we may need to make different choices with regards to how we handle or interact with our equine partners.
As humans, we explore the world through our hands and express emotional connection through touch [1], [2], words and sharing of food [3]–[5], whereas emerging research shows that horses create bonds through proximity [6], time and mutual engagement rather than touch or pressure. Based on recent (unpublished) studies, horses engage in social connection with other horses through close proximity and a sharing of quiet space repeatedly over time. Instead, they stand quietly near their favorite partner and share mutual space while resting or grazing. Perhaps even more importantly, the relationships they build with one another are based not only on predictably safe interactions, but also mutual exploration and partnership in problem solving. Once a safe space has been established between two horses, they will begin moving and exploring together. Everything is mutual with no single leader or follower and even touch is always simultaneously reciprocated. One may demonstrate more confidence than the other, but there is no pushing or pulling to force engagement of the partner, just an invitation to join in curiosity and exploration. The joint involvement in uncertain environments is what makes horses build better relationships.
The same is true for humans, too. We build safe environments with each other over time in order to build trust and, once that trust is established, a relationship is strengthened by small challenges and uncertainties that are explored as a team [7]–[10] . These concepts have been supported by scientists who study marriage, families, friendships and work partnerships and have been studied in a wide range of species. It appears these same concepts apply to horses as well.
So how do we incorporate this into EAAT and what does this mean for welfare? Traditional equitation relies almost exclusively upon negative reinforcement (pressure and release) [11]–[13] which, when properly used, can adequately train a horse to engage in a behavior of our choosing. This use of small aversive tactics, however, does not align with how either species builds relationships. If we are hoping to work with horses in a way that both encourages and models balanced partnerships, perhaps we need to incorporate other types of interactions into our EAAT programs. This may mean, then, that we do not always ride or halter a horse and that the horse may have a choice to not engage with the participant. This may require us to set different expectations for participants and parents and help them understand why we are encouraging at-liberty work and what that means for building mutual communication and engagement for both horse and human. Horses have amazing memories and build unique relationships with each individual human that can build and develop over time. If we give our horses the choice of engaging with clients in a way that better aligns with their natural behavior, perhaps we can improve the welfare of our equine partners while simultaneously finding even better ways to build confidence, communication and emotional strength in our clients.
[1] R. I. M. Dunbar, “The social role of touch in humans and primates: Behavioural function and neurobiological mechanisms,” Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev., vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 260–268, 2010.
[2] A. V. Jaeggi, E. De Groot, J. M. G. Stevens, and C. P. Van Schaik, “Mechanisms of reciprocity in primates: Testing for short-term contingency of grooming and food sharing in bonobos and chimpanzees,” Evol. Hum. Behav., 2013.
[3] J. Koh and P. Pliner, “The effects of degree of acquaintance, plate size, and sharing food intake,” Appetite, no. 52, pp. 595–602, 2009.
[4] A. N. Crittenden and D. A. Zes, “Food Sharing among Hadza Hunter-Gatherer Children,” PLoS One, vol. 10, no. 7, 2015.
[5] J. M. Koster and G. Leckie, “Food sharing networks in lowland Nicaragua: An application of the social relations model to count data,” Soc. Networks, 2014.
[6] M. C. Van Dierendonck, H. Sigurjónsdóttir, B. Colenbrander, and a. G. Thorhallsdóttir, “Differences in social behaviour between late pregnant, post-partum and barren mares in a herd of Icelandic horses,” Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., vol. 89, pp. 283–297, 2004.
[7] J. K. Rempel, J. G. Holmes, and M. P. Zanna, “Trust in Close Relationships,” J. Pers. Soc. Psychol., vol. 49, no. 1, pp. 95–112, 1985.
[8] B. Vollan, “The difference between kinship and friendship: (Field-) experimental evidence on trust and punishment,” J. Socio. Econ., vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 14–25, 2011.
[9] R. J. Lewicki and B. B. Bunker, “Developing and Maintaining Trust in Work Relationships,” Trust Organ. Front. Theory Res., no. October, pp. 114–139, 2015.
[10] R. J. Lewicki and R. J. Bies, “Trust and Distrust : New Relationships and Realities,” vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 438–458, 2018.
[11] J. Murphy and S. Arkins, “Equine learning behaviour.,” Behav. Processes, vol. 76, no. 1, pp. 1–13, Sep. 2007.
[12] P. D. McGreevy and A. N. McLean, “Punishment in horse-training and the concept of ethical equitation,” J. Vet. Behav. Clin. Appl. Res., vol. 4, no. 5, pp. 193–197, Sep. 2009.
[13] A. N. McLean and J. W. Christensen, “The application of learning theory in horse training,” Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., vol. 190, 2017.
Additional Resources:
J.M. Gottman, The Science of Trust: Emotional Attunement for Couples. New York City: W. W. Norton & Company. 2011
Feltman, The Thin Book of Trust. Bend, OR: Thin Book Publishing, 2008.
Rees, Horses in Company. London: J A Allen & Co Ltd. 2017
McGreevy, Equine Behavior: A Guide for Veterinarians and Equine Specialists 2nd Ed. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2012.
McGreevy, A. McLean, Equitation Science. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010
About the author: Emily Kieson is a PhD candidate at Oklahoma State University in comparative psychology studying equine behavioral psychology and equine-human interactions. She has a M.S. in Psychology, a graduate degree in Equine Science, is certified and practices as an Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning through PATH, and is certified as an Equine Specialist in a number of other EAP models. She has spent the last 20 years working full time in the horse industry and has focused the last 10 years on equine-assisted therapies. Emily, along with her colleagues at MiMer Centre, a Swedish non-profit, are helping to develop a research and education center at OSU with a focus on animal-human interactions and animal welfare.