The debate over training methods and their impact on horses remains heated, highlighting the ongoing need for education

Passionate social media users often voice concerns about protecting horses from training methods portrayed in photos and videos. But despite those good intentions, the information shared—and sometimes aggressively promoted—online isn’t always backed by scientific evidence, experts warn.

We’re tackling the tricky task of addressing some of the most criticized and misunderstood training methods in hopes of shedding some important light on what’s really going on from a scientific perspective.

While there are endless horse training tactics up for debate in our modern equestrian era, here we’ll cover what our sources consider the top four that deserve clarification.

Negative vs. Positive Reinforcement Horse Training Methods

Negative reinforcement and positive reinforcement don’t get their names from being bad or good. Rather, these are mathematical ways of describing a reward, says Angelo Telatin, PhD, professor at Delaware Valley University’s Equine Science and Management Department, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. If the reward is getting rid of something you don’t want, that’s subtraction—hence, negative. If the reward comes from getting something you do want, that’s addition—hence, positive.

Proper negative reinforcement works by releasing the pressure of a light touch or tug, he says. Horses are sensitive to this painless contact—somewhat like an insistent tap on our shoulders—so they’re motivated to find a way to make it stop. Through operant conditioning they then learn to respond to hand or voice signals first, avoiding pressure.

In positive reinforcement, trainers give a treat (or wither scratch or other reward) when the horse volunteers the desired response. Horses become highly motivated to find associations between hand/voice cues and their own behaviors that lead to rewards, says Marco Pagliai, a science-focused horse trainer based in Tuscany, Italy.

Timing Is Everything

While each method has its scientific and welfare merits, critics argue negative reinforcement is blackmail and positive reinforcement turns trainers into vending machines, Pagliai says. But the biggest issue by far with both approaches is the trainer’s lack of knowledge and skill, he adds.

Telatin agrees. Regardless of the method, people must master shaping—rewarding the smallest steps of progress—and highly precise timing, he says. Mistakes can tip training into punishment, whether it’s ongoing added pressure (positive punishment, PP), or ongoing withholding of a treat or other reward (negative punishment, NP)