Anyone heard of / seen a review of this book?

Horse Behavior Explained: Origins, Treatment, and Prevention of Problems
Margit H. Zeitler-Feicht

Trafalgar Square Books; ISBN: 1570762627

Contents
Table of contents, Preface, Foreword.

Part A: The horse’s adaptability to the environment. 1. Evolution, 2. Domestication, 3. Ontogenesis, 4. Limitations of behavioural adaptability.

Part B: Inborn behavioural patterns – implications for management and handling. 1. Daily routine of free-roaming horses, 2. Social behaviour, 3. Breeding behaviour, 4. Mare-foal behaviour, 5. Eating behaviour, 6. Drinking behaviour, 7. Resting behaviour, 8. Locomotion behaviour, 9. Excretion and marking behaviour, 10. Comfort behaviour, 11. Playing behaviour, 12. Curiosity and exploration behaviour.

Part C: Causes, diagnosis, therapy and prevention of problem behaviour. 1. Behavioural aberration or unwanted behaviour?, 2. Classification of behavioural abnormalities, 3. Causes and triggers of problem behaviour, 4. Diagnosis of problem behaviour, 5. Basics of handling and learning psychology, 6. Therapy and prevention of problem behaviour.

Part D: Problem behaviour in the stable. 1. Feeding behaviour, 2. Locomotion behaviour, 3. Social behaviour. 4. Comfort behaviour, 5. Resting behaviour.

Part E: Problem behaviour during handling and use. 1. Unwanted behaviour during handling, 2. Unwanted behaviour during use. Glossary, References, Index.

Hi

I've been trying to find reviews of this book also, but its not yet published in the UK, its due out publisher said in December but I think it will be January now before its available.

Hope that helps, when I receive it in the post I'll let you know what I thought

Alexis - You may be mixing up two books:

1) "Horse Behaviour Explained: Behavioural Science for Riders" by Angelika Schmelzer (29 September, 2003) Cadmos Equestrian; ISBN: 3861279096 , and

2) "Equine Handbook of Horse Behaviour: Diagnosis, Treatment and Problem-Solving" by Margit H. Zeitler-feicht (31 December, 2003) Manson Publishing Ltd; ISBN: 1840760370

at least according to Amazon UK's catalogue.

I have a copy of the first one, but haven't read it yet. It seems to be aimed at horse owners. (I sneaked a peek at the bit about dominance and was disappointed by what I saw - which partly explains why the book isn't at the top of the pile.)

Anyway, here is the full table of contents:

1 Behavioural Science 7
The reason why 7
The causes of behaviour 9
What is normal? 10

2 Behind the scenes in the horse family 12
Wild animals in the stable 12
An inventory for the horse family 12
Not without my companion! 13

3 The natural order 15
The social structure 15
The spatial structure 18
The temporal structure 22

4 Communication in horse language 25
Listen up! 26
Let the body talk 26
I look into your eyes, Baby 26
Concert of communication 29

5 Inherited or learned? 32
Two views 33
All horses together 34
Maturing and learning processes 34
How horses learn 36

6 Typical horse!
Functions of equine behaviour 40
Always on the move - movement behaviour 40
Excretion and social behaviour 43
Rest well - resting behaviour 47
Eating and drinking - feeding behaviour 50
In good company - social behaviour 55
Please scratch here - comfort behaviour 58
Sexual behaviour 62

7 Hot topic: the problem horse 68
Something is wrong here:
how to "create" a problem horse 68
A checklist of problem behaviour 72
All the best for your horse 79


As you can see, it's a fairly slim volume - and actually quite a lot of the 80 pages are taken up with not enormously helpful stock photographs.

The book by Zeitler-feicht looks like it might be more scholarly.

Francis

Francis

I'm pretty sure I'm right

It is listed as new in my book club and is on amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570762627/qid%3D1071756397/026-2114819-4257226

with the title

Horse Behavior Explained: Origins, Treatment, and Prevention of Problems
Margit H. Zeitler-Feicht

It is also listed at Blackwells

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/book.asp?ref=1840760370&site=1

which is where I swiped the contents list from! Mind you they list different ISBNs so maybe I am confused ...

Alexis

Hmmm, I see what you mean. Maybe they decided to change the title along the way.

Francis

Happy New Year to all!

Alexis,

The book is on offer in the current issue of The Equestrian Society book club (as "Horse Behaviour Explained" - English spelling). It is described thus:

"This is a general guide to understanding horse behaviour, how the horse learns and how horse handlers can adjust their behaviour to avoid creating anxiety in the horse.

The author begins by providing an overview of the evolution of the horse and the consequences of domestication. She goes on to provide a detailed description of normal equine behaviour and its impact on husbandry and training.

This is followed by the causes of abnormal and undesirable behaviour in the stable, and when being handled or ridden. The author links difficulties arising from the management of horses today with the natural behaviour of the horse and recommends therapeutic, as well as training methods for horses exhibiting behavioural problems.

Manson £24.95
Club Price £18.70"

I have just read "The Truth About Horses: A guide to understanding and training your horse" by Andrew McLean (ISBN 071531808X; also offered by the book club). Very positive impressions. McLean advocates understanding and application of "learning theory" and is strongly anti-anthropomorphic - almost to the extent of dismissing the idea that trust is significant (which I would disagree with). However, despite having a very mechanistic viewpoint, his advice is sound and he clearly has horses' best interests at heart. He also says sensible things about dominance and "leadership" which represents considerable refinement of his position previously expressed in:

http://www.horsemagazine.com/CLINIC/M/MCLEAN_ANDREW/biological_basis.htm

There are some minor gaps in coverage, and, while he acknowledges the worth of positive reinforcement and clicker training, he doesn't go into them in much detail. Overall though, I think it's potentially a very helpful text.

I'd be interested to hear what other people think of the book.

Francis

Francis

Yes it was the book club I saw the Zeitler-Feicht in, anyway I've ordered it pity I didn't get your message before as I could have added that one too ;~}

No such thing as too many books although we may need a second house for my collection at this rate.

Happy New Year

>Yes it was the book club I saw the Zeitler-Feicht in, anyway I've ordered it pity I didn't get your message before as I could have added that one too ;~}

Oh well - you can always get it in the next round.

Francis
(who is also heading inexorably towards "Book Event Horizon")

Francis,

Have not read The Truth about Horses yet, as the a Top Tip quoted is "If the horse tries rearing to aviod loading, keep tapping untill it lands and steps forward" which I admit pushed it down my list. However, I would be intrested to know as the book's blurb says it includes an analysis of "how the horse's brain works" if Andrew truly does combine for instance, his top tip with an explanation of what reinforcements he is using and how such reinforcemts impact on equine learning and behaviour.
Thanks
Emma

Emma, and others who may be following this,

Your message prompted me to look again at the section on loading. I
found the quote you gave as one of many scattered throughout the
book. (Other random examples are: "New Age trainers have had a very
positive impact on horses; they emphasize gentle, nonviolent
training techniques", "Everyone involved in any serious training of
performance horses administers variations in pressure continually",
"Horse training is not a magical process; it is a systematic
science", "When the horse is reliable from day to day with bareback
work, the saddle is introduced", "Good timing makes the horse's
responses sharper and will give it 'brightness' in its action. A
lack of timing renders the horse dull." and "Horses that habitually
rush obstacles are often described as loving to jump or being overly
keen to jump, when they are actually exhibiting the flight response
in relation to jumping".)

The practice of printing selective snippets in large type has become
a trendy way of enhancing the visual impact of book, and no doubt
encourages some bookshop browsers to buy. However, it isn't always
terribly helpful and it risks taking statements out of their context
and giving them undue emphasis. Almost certainly it will be the
publisher's editor who did this, and not the author. I couldn't see
where the quotes were described as 'Top Tips' - are you quoting from
a source other than the book? I couldn't find the quote on the 'net
so assume it's from the book itself.

Having said that, it's maybe worth looking at what McLean wrote in
the section on trailerloading (hope I'm not quoting too much!):

Horses have evolved to be naturally wary of dark, enclosed spaces,
so the trailer (float) can be a highly aversive place. Although
many never have a problem with loading, some develop an aversion
to it very quickly. Because the lead-rope pressure is less
aversive to the horse than the trailer, the horse's response to
the simple lead pressure needs to be deepened so that it chooses
to go into the trailer. This can be done by combining the lead
pressure with repeated tapping on the shoulder with the long whip.
But take care: the horse must be able to lead well and be
habituated to the whip before this is attempted. Remember the
following rules:

o Tap the shoulder with the whip only when you also have the
forward direction pressure on the rein.

o Tap with the whip only when the horse is not going forwards
(_never_ when it is).

o Increase the intensity of the tapping, but not the lead
pressure, when you feel there is no response within a reasonable
amount of time.

o Don't leave a pause of more than one second between taps.

o Soften both lead rein and cease tapping the very second the
horse moves its foot/feet forwards.

o Do not miss any backward steps with your tapping.

When both tapping and mild head pressure are removed, the horse
learns that the pressure of tapping is just another aspect of
lead-rope pressure. This deepens its lead-rope response to the
point where it is strong enough to overcome any resistance to
loading.

It is crucial that the horse is never made uncomfortable when
giving the correct response. It is equally important that the
pressure is never removed when it is giving the wrong response.
It's not a matter of either liking or disliking a trailer; it's
all down to having a clear trained response to lead correctly.

Trailer loading is a gradual process of refinement: Begin by
training the whole routine with the central partition fully open,
then three-quarters open, and so on until the horse offers no
resistance. Many people train their horses to load by putting the
trailer in a gateway, so the horse can't go past it; but barriers,
like gates, are no substitute for training.

To begin the training it is best to have the horse in a thin rope
halter -- with a rearing bit if the horse has a tendency to rear
and spin away -- to maximise control of its head. In a plain
webbing halter it's too easy for the horse to look away from the
trailer and perhaps barge off. Take great care of the horse's
mouth when using a rearing bit. (I use a rubber-coated one as it
is softer.) You should practise stopping the horse with it before
issuing corrections. Corrections for rearing and spinning should
be given with the lowest level of pressure necessary, and only
during the incorrect behaviour.

The horse must have good leading responses, to both forward and
stop cues. If the horse leaps onto the trailer it is using a panic
response, and should immediately be stopped from going forwards,
then the forward cue repeated. Never allow any flight response; it
does not lead to quiet loading.

Lead the horse to the base of the ramp and stand facing its rump.
This is so if it does run backwards the handler can run forwards,
tapping, to set up an irritation the horse will want to avoid.
Many horses run off the ramp in a panic. If this happens, it is
again because the horse doesn't respond to the forward cue of the
lead rope; if it did, it would stop running the moment it felt the
lead pressure at the top of its head. As soon as it begins to run,
however explosively, run with it, and keep up mild head pressure
and quite fast tapping. Run as far as the horse does, and keep
tapping until the horse steps forwards - and it will. Take care
that it doesn't turn away, too.

If the horse tries rearing to avoid loading, keep tapping until it
lands and steps forwards. A couple of repetitions will bring about
a dramatic change. Don't be afraid that it will hit its head on
the roof of the trailer; if your tapping stops when this happens,
the horse will learn that this stops the tapping and then its
flight response as it shoots backwards will reward head tossing.

[I don't think McLean is saying that a horse hitting its head on
the roof is inevitable, necessary, or desirable. Personally I
would strenuously avoid placing a horse in a position where any
blow to the head was a likely outcome. I think his point is that,
if it does happen, it shouldn't be allowed to subvert what the
handler is doing.]

Training the horse to lower its head can help here, and it is
possible to buy padded head protectors for this purpose. At any
rate the horse will quickly learn to lower its head to avoid the
roof. Always remember the fundamental principle of trial-and-error
learning: the behaviour that precedes the release of pressure is
the one that is reinforced. This is the foundation of all basic
training: the horse constantly strives after comfort and freedom
from pressure.

[...]

Many travelling problems are related to the way the horse leads
into the trailer. When people say they have a bad traveller, and I
ask if it leads well, they say "Oh yes, it follows me everywhere."
But following is not leading. Following the handler into the
trailer is fine if the horse leads into it as well, but it can be
disastrous if it doesn't. It is clear that operant conditioning
(trial-and-error learning) must underly classical conditioning.
Operant conditioning works because of its inherent reward: the
release from pressure. Classical conditioning (with no such
reward) is not a sufficient basis for a wary horse to enter a
trailer, and cannot be enforced when things go wrong. At this
point leading responses in the horse have to be retrained.
Conflicts such as pawing, kicking and bucking in the trailer (but
not scrambling, which is a driving/cornering problem) tend to
subside when the horse's leading responses are retrained. Pawing
and kicking, for example, are conflict behaviours that arise
largely because of random, swerving leg movements in the loading
process. These behaviours are alleviated by focusing on
straightness.

It's a good idea to train horses to walk forwards and back all
over the ramp, because often horses will walk a particular track
and not go on one side of the trailer. The side where they have
never set foot becomes a bit of a scary zone. Choose the steps:
two steps forwards, one step back, one step forwards, two steps
back, and so on. Also make sure that the horse will stand
immobile, anywhere, not because it is being held (the lead rope is
loose) but because it's trained and does not move unless a cue has
been applied. Reward it with food or scratching at the base of the
wither when it is inside the trailer. When the horse is able to
load and unload calmly and correctly it is ready to be "cast" in.
This is achieved by leading the horse up the ramp at a constant
speed and rhythm and then stopping yourself but encouraging the
horse to continue into the box with a mild whip tap on the rump,
and tapping faster if the horse tries to back out. This quickly
evolves into a habit of self-loading.

-- end quote --

So McLean's approach to trailer loading is clearly based on -R. We
know there are other paths to the same end which may or may not
overlap his in some places. (I wonder if he has read both parts of
Amy Coffman's essay "Some thoughts on good places".) Nevertheless, I
think the book contains many useful comments and clarifications of
ideas that can become muddled - even if his methods and philosophy
diverge from one's own ideal. I believe he is honest and consistent
in presenting them.

Regarding the blurb:

The author's radical new approach to training begins with an
unsentimental analysis of how the horse's brain functions.

Of course, "radical new approach" is a bit of hype. "Sentimental" is
certainly not a word that can be applied to McLean's analysis. For
example, he writes: "The horse is neither a willing nor an unwilling
partner. It is a social animal that seems content to form bonds with
humans and to form clear habits, even if these are foreign to its
instincts. Real love and respect for the horse can only come from an
honest appreciation of what it is." While I am someone who does
consider the words 'trust' and 'willingness' as valid and useful in
thinking/communicating about horse-human interactions, McLean's
unwillingness to do so wasn't a show-stoppper for me, and I found
the lack of 'pop psychology' (which one sees more in books published
in the USA, for some reason) refreshing.

In this book, "horse's brain function" refers, inevitably, to the
behaviour we see and how that changes rather than about what
actually goes on inside the grey matter.

Sometimes McLean makes startling statements like "In horses, [....
flooding] works well, and it is especially effective while the horse
is immobile, as in the example of the wheat-box experiments...". But
then he goes on to qualify this with "In horse training [gradual
habituation] is preferable (and certainly more ethical) than
flooding." This sort of balancing can be found in several places.

Please don't get me wrong - I'm not claiming "The Truth About Horses"
to be the ultimate in equine training wisdom. However, I do think it's
worth looking at, even if only to see another person's viewpoint.

Francis

Wow Franci! a yes or no would have done but I sincerly appreciate the trouble you went to.
Thank you
E

You're most welcome, Emma. The discipline of constructing an answer to a question often helps to crystallize one's own thoughts on a subject.

Francis

Thankyou
E