b'YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2017 AAEP CONVENTIONcan have a profound and lasting effect on future behavior, said Foster.A syringe, for example, only gains meaning when it causes pain, at which point the horse learns to fear and avoid it. Prevention through habituation and accli-mation is the best medicine, said Foster.To accomplish this, expose horses to new or mildly aversive objects or situa-tions gradually. Habituation is a neuro-logic process, she explained, so if you present a stimulus repeatedly, the horses Systematic desensitization This techniqueovercoming a horses learnedBetter Horseresponse behavior should become weaker.situation through gradual, progressive exposure to itis most commonly used Handling fear of an otherwise harmless object or to treat existing fears, said Foster.The horse should not experience Use habituation to introducediscomfort or pain, she said. Start with horses to new or mildly aversivea weak, nonthreatening intensity, and objects or situations gradually. increase it gradually. Meanwhile, train the COURTESY LAUREN FRASER horse a different response (e.g., dropping, not raising, his head during a procedure).ALEXANDRA BECKSTETT for facial expressions. These are usefulCounterconditioning This classical because humans are good at recognizingconditioning process involves pairing a Incorporating Equine Learning Prin- expressions and because handlers cantfeared stimulus with a pleasant one, with ciples Into Veterinary Practice always see the horses whole body. the goal of replacing a fear-based problem n recent years, researchers have identi- The vet can then create a quiet, relaxingbehavior with a relaxed one.fied a possible link between veterinar- environment in which to perform pro- For example, a horse with a learned ians limited understanding of learningceduresa familiar but neutral locationfear of injections may withdraw from principles and their high incidence of(one the horse doesnt associate with neg- the syringe by becoming tense, raising injury. To help practitioners reduce prob- ative experiences, such as punishment, orits head, and stepping backward, said lem behaviors and improve veterinarypositive ones, such as mealtime) with fewFoster. During counterconditioning, the care, Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, CHBC, ofdistractions. With particularly frightenedsyringe would be paired with and predict the University of Puget Sound, describedor fractious horses, the vet might breaksomething pleasant, like a treat placed in behavior modification techniques basedthe exam into multiple visits, postponea dish on the ground, such that when the on equine learning principles.procedures, or use sedation. The ownersyringe is presented, the horse remains Incorporating learning principles intomight also place a helper horsea calmcalm, drops its head, and takes a step equine practice starts with addressing thebuddynearby to promoterelaxation. forward for the treat.source of procedural aversions: fear. Habituation and systematic acclima- Scratches and massage can also be ef-These behaviors are often inadvertent- tion The initial veterinary experiencefective positive distractions. ly reinforced by the release of pressureOvershadowing This technique involves (called negative reinforcement) and willleading or stepping the horse back and be repeated, said Foster. forth with determination while present-For example, if an anxious horse pullsing a feared stimulus. The movement back during a blood draw and delays theovershadows and prevents the avoidance procedure, hes going to continue thatresponse, said Foster. This can be effec-defensive behavior because its effective.Stephanie L. Church tive with horses that are fearful during Techniques that can reduce fear and@TH_StephLChurchprocedures such as injections or clipping.unwanted behavior include: Dr. Fitch rarely uses aAvoiding flooding Flooding is exposing Reducing arousal Monitor horses bodytwitch. He says he neverthe horse to a high intensity of the feared language for early signs of fear and anxi- puts a twitch on a scaredobject or situation until the unwanted ety. Body language can reveal informa- horse. I think a twitch isresponse disappears, said Foster. At the tion about arousal and emotional statenot a good option most ofsame time, the horse is typically confined before the horse acts, said Foster. Watchthe time.or restrained to prevent it from escaping A26 TheHorse.com/AAEP2017 AAEP Wrap-Up THE HORSEMarch 2018'