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|  Dr. Robert Miller: Discusses Imprint Training
 Since foaling season has just begun and there might be some new forum members as well as visitor's dropping by who are looking for more information on Imprint Training The Foal...I thought I would share the following: Quote: Revolution in Horsemanship
by Robert Miller, DVM (Presented during Horseman's Day 2003, New Orleans, La.)
During the eighth decade of the twentieth century, a change in
horsemanship began in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Several horseman in Northern California, Idaho and adjacent states began to do public “clinics,” demonstrating and advocating a style of horsemanship that depends primarily upon persuasive, gentle methods of manipulating and shaping equine behavior, rather than the forceful, coercive and often inhumane methods that have prevailed in all horse cultures throughout history.
I retired from veterinary practice in 1987 and decided to devote my remaining active years to supporting the efforts of these trainers and their protégés by lecturing and writing about what has become a “Revolution in Horsemanship.”
My personal contribution to this movement was a system of training newborn foals, developed over a period of 40 years, wherein by shaping the behavior of the neonatal foal during its critical learning times and imprinting period, a permanently gentle and well-mannered horse could be produced.
In 1990, I predicted that by the turn of the century this controversial and unorthodox Revolution in Horsemanship would prevail. That prediction has come true. This kind of horsemanship (most popularly known as “Natural Horsemanship,” because it is natural to the horse, utilizing its own communication methods) is now in use all over the world, and its popularity is growing explosively.
One reason for its success at this late date, when the internal combustion engine has virtually displaced the horse as a source of power and transportation and primarily reserved it as a recreational and companion animal, is the information explosion. Television, jet air travel, the Internet, e-mail and an increasingly literate and increasingly female horse ownership have all served to facilitate the spread of this technology.
Concurrently, the popularity of such books as The Man Who Listens to Horses, by Monty Roberts (Random House, c. 1995), The Horse Whisperer, by Nicholas Evans (Delacorte Press, c. 1996), the motion picture, The Horse Whisperer, and several BBC and PBS documentaries have helped to accelerate the acceptance of Natural Horsemanship. No attempt will be made in this presentation to explain the training methods. They are intricate and require considerable study and experience. However, the information is available to all who work with horses, whether professionally or recreationally. What we will do now is show on videotape extraordinary and moving examples of what this kind of horsemanship is capable of producing. You will see a relationship between humans and animals so profound, so humane and so dramatically effective that it can only be regarded as a step upward in civilized behavior.
Imprint Training the Newborn Foal
Imprint training offers a singular opportunity to permanantley mold a horse’s personality. For a short time, the newborn foal is programmed to imprint stimuli. The right procedures at the right time yield dramatic results. There is no time that a horse will learn faster than at this age.
Advantages:
Imprint training can help ease handling, enhance later training efforts and reduce injuries. It shapes behavior in the following ways:
- Bonding with the imprint trainer.
Immediately post-partum, the foal bonds simultaneously with its dam and with one or more persons handling it. Such foals see humans not as predators, but as fellow horses.
- Submission, but not fear.
During imprint training, the foal cannot escape exposure to frightening stimuli (its natural method of survival). As a result, it becomes dependent and submissive in its attitude. The foal sees the trainer as a dominant horse or herd leader. Psychologically, this is the ideal relationship between horse and human. We must have submissiveness in a horse if he is to work for us. But the submissiveness should be created not by fear (a predatory role), but by dependence (a dominant leader role).
- Desensitization to most sensory stimuli
(visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory).
Most parts of the body, including all body openings, are desensitized. Rapid, repetitious stimuli (flooding) are used until the foal is habituated (i.e. permanently non-responsive) to those stimuli. Loud noises, fluttering objects or being touched anywhere on the body will thereafter be calmly tolerated.
- Sensitization to performance-related stimuli.
Specifically, the foal can be taught to respond (rather than habituate) to head and flank pressure. The responsiveness allows control over the fore and hindquarters. The foal will lead where pulled and will move its hind end laterally in response to the touch of a finger in the flank region. This is best taught on the day after birth, after the foal is on its feet.
Some believe that early bonding between the foal and humans will produce a “pet” foal. They believe that early foal-human bonding will produce a spoiled horse, indifferent to stimuli and lacking the flightiness “necessary” to race or perform well. This is nonsense. Imprint training, properly performed, will enhance a horse’s relationship with humans. It will teach it “good manners” and increase its responsiveness to stimuli, which will later improve its performance.
The only “disadvantage” of imprint training is that since it is best started immediately post-partum, the mare must be brought in for foaling. This is actually desirable, because it allows rapid identification of any obstetrical problems. It also requires that the broodmare be gentle and well-mannered. If this is not the case, the time to change it is before the mare foals, or better, before she is bred. One should not expect to turn out docile, well-mannered
foals if one doesn’t have a well-mannered mare. Yet, some people seem to take pride in owning untrained, ill-mannered broodmares. To me, poor manners indicate ownership by an inept horseman.
Imprint Training Procedures
The initial imprint session takes about an hour. After the umbilical cord has ruptured and the stump has been disinfected, rub the foal dry with a towel. This procedure alone has a habituating effect. When the mare gets up, allow her to smell and lick the foal. The foal will simultaneously bond with the mare and the person handling it.
Desensitization
Start at the poll, gently but rapidly rubbing it until relaxation occurs (as indicated by extension of the head and a sleepy expression). Each desensitization procedure must be repeated until the foal is oblivious to it. If you stop the procedure while the foal is struggling, it will be taught escape behavior. Persist until after calm recognition occurs. This means that the foal is habituated to the stimulus and will be permanently desensitized to it.
Next, do the external ears and then insert a forefinger into the ear canals and desensitize them. The face is next, followed by the underside of the upper lip, mouth, tongue and both nostrils. All of this takes 10-15 minutes. You cannot overdo a stimulus, but you can underdo it. Too many is better than too few. Most foals habituate to 30-50 stimuli, but more may be used if necessary. Next should be the eyes, neck and thorax. Rub the saddle area well and do all four legs, including flexing of each joint repetitiously. Tap the bottom of the feet 50-100 times each. Do the rump, the tail and the area between the hind legs. Include the genetalia and the udder region of the filly. Pay special attention to the perineum. Using a glove with lubricant, insert a finger into the anus. You will be able to take a horse’s temperature or perform a palpation in the years ahead without difficulty. It is a good idea at this time to rub electric clippers over the foal’s body, paying particular attention to the face and ears. Use both large and small clippers since they may become frightened the first time they hear another kind.
Next, rub the body with a piece of crackling plastic while taking lots of time. Watch for habituation, as indicated by relaxation, before any stimulus is stopped. If desired, you may also desensitize the newborn foal to gunfire, police whistles, loud music, flapping flags, whirling ropes and hissing sprayers.
The second session is performed while the foal is standing, particularly on the second day. It is imperative that the foal learns not to escape when being worked, so have another person to assist with many of these procedures. Position the foal nose-to-nose with the dam to allay apprehension in both.
Quietly test all of the areas done previously. You should be able to pick up the feet and tap on them, inset a finger into the nostril or ear. If an area is not adequately desensitized, repeat the process. Encircle the girth area with your arms and rhythmically squeeze the chest until habituation occurs. This prevents “cold backed” or “cinch-bound” horses. These sessions with the foal on its feet should not exceed 15 minutes or the foal will become fatigued. So, several short sessions may be necessary on this second day. The stimuli to which a foal can be desensitized are unlimited. I desensitize them to flapping blankets, a stream of water from a garden hose and being led through belly deep running water. I will also begin loading them in a trailer with the mare at 4-5 days of age and take them for a ride. The foal is also exposed to livestock and dogs.
Sensitization
Having desensitized or habituated the foal to all of these frightening stimuli, I now sensitize certain responses. The objective is to establish a conditioned response, so avoid repeating a stimulus once you have obtained the desired response.
Holding the standing foal by yourself, poke a finger into its opposite flank. In order to escape the pressure, the foal will eventually move slightly toward you and away from the pressure of the finger in its flank. Immediately reward the foal by relieving the pressure of your finger. Step backward to allow the foal room to move its hind end laterally, towards you, but away from the pressure. Pause for 20-30 seconds and repeat the procedure once more, while immediately rewarding even when the slightest lateral movement is made in order to stop the pressure.
Most horses will learn this within three to five experiences. In a few moments the foal will have learned to move laterally whenever it feels flank pressure. Do not ask for more than one step at a time, but do remember to do both sides. In a day, after the response is consistent, you may pause and ask for a second step and then a third, while gradually shortening the interval between the steps. This process is know as successive approximation and takes patience and perceptivity on the part of the trainer and is the secret to horse training. It is how the sliding stops of the reining horse, the dynamic footwork of a cutting horse and the intricate maneuvers of a dressage horse are produced.
Next, put a well-fitted halter on the foal, being sure to remove it after the training session to avoid accidents. Working with an assistant in a well-bedded stall, gently pull the halter to one side. The assistant prevents movement of the foal forward, backward or to the opposite side. Eventually, in order to maintain balance, the foal will move slightly in the direction its head is being drawn. Immediately reward the foal by relieving pressure. In this manner, the forequarters can be trained to move laterally. Eventually, using successive approximation, the foal can be circled. Gradually, the circle is expanded until the foal is leading in a circle. After several sessions, the foal will be leading. If desired, a loop of rope behind the foal’s rump can be used to stimulate forward movement. It also helps if the foal is encouraged to lead
towards its dam. By one week of age, if the mare can be ridden, lead the foal from the mare in a small pen or corral.
An Enhanced Relationship
I have no illusions that the training of newborn foals is a new idea. In fact, there is no doubt that human beings have done this for thousands of years. All I have done is ritualized the procedure, given it a name, attempted to scientifically explain why it is effective and publicly promote and encourage its use. It enhances the relationship between horse and human, and from a veterinarian’s standpoint, greatly facilitates the practitioner’s job.
The Rationale Behind Imprint Training & Fallacies Concerning It
The newborn young of predatory species are usually ALTRICIAL. That is, they are quite helpless, neurologically immature and have limited learning ability.
Examples include the young of the dog, cat and bear families. Similarly, predatory birds such as eagles, hawks and owls have helpless young known as “Nidifugous nestlings.” The human being is also an altricial species. The newborn young of most of our familiar PREY species, on the other hand, are PRECOCIAL. Examples include the sheep, deer, goat, bovine and equine families, as well as such birds as ducks, geese, chickens, turkeys and pheasant. Very soon after birth or hatching these young can fend for themselves, follow their mother and their group, and thereby escape danger. Their senses are fully developed and they are neurologically mature.
In altricial species, some learning is possible in the newborn, but the CRITICAL LEARNING PERIODS are largely delayed during which socialization, species identification and imprinting (both maternal and infant) occurs. In precocial species, these critical learning periods occur immediately after birth. The horse (a precocial prey species in which growth and maturity develop at remarkable speed) therefore has all of its critical learning periods compressed
into its first days and weeks of life following parturition.
Learning in any species can occur at any age; however learning is swiftest, most persistent and most profoundly effectual toward the attitudes and personality later in life if acquired during the formative critical learning periods. The earlier training begins in the horse, the more effective it will be, providing it is done properly. If done improperly, more harm than good may be done, since the learning at this tender age is so fast and so lasting. It is important to understand that the newborn foal’s senses are completely functional and its brain capable of absorbing information not only as fast as it will later in life, but even faster. This is in contrast to such altricial species as puppies and human babies, wherein learning capacity is limited in the newborn and gradually expands with growth and maturity. Moreover, by exposing the brain of the newborn foal stimuli immediately post partum, it is not necessary to override or displace previously learned information. The newborn foal’s behavior is genetically predetermined. Environmental learning has not yet been introduced, and by initiating it as soon as the foal is born we can dramatically shape the foal’s future behavior and its reactions.
Although this method is now in use all over the world and in all aspects of the horse industry, there are frequent concerns expressed about the method, and many breeders are deterred by these concerns:
1. It isn’t “natural”Domestication isn’t “natural,” but as long as we domesticate animals, we should use whatever methods are most efficacious, as long as they are humane.
2. It will interfere with the bonding between mare and foal
This is a complete fallacy. I have never seen my method interfere in any way between mare and foal and, in fact, most cases of foal rejection by the mare can be prevented by my method.
3. Imprint trained foals are dull and unresponsive False!
They are gentle and trusting, and if the training is done properly, they are more responsive. Such foals are winning on the racetrack, in the show arena and in all disciplines.
4. Imprint foals are spoiled and disrespectful Again, false!
If the method is done properly, these foals are completely respectful. Although, admittedly, many people do not use the method correctly and they do spoil some foals.
5. The mare will resent the human working with the foal and become aggressive. In the four decades that I have used this method, I have never seen a mare become aggressive toward humans afterward, a rather common phenomenon in mare post partum. In fact, I believe that handling the foal as soon as it is born (even before the mare arises) can prevent such aggressiveness. Moreover, there is strong evidence that mares which were themselves subjected to imprint training at birth remember it and are quite unconcerned and accepting of the method when, years later, it is used on their own foals.
6. The method induces learned helplessness and is therefore inhumane
This is completely false. Learned helplessness produces individuals which are inactive in the presence of frightening stimuli and with subsequent impaired learning ability. My foals are very responsive to stimuli, eager learners and perform exceptionally well in competition.
In my presentation I will not concentrate on teaching the method, but rather show with the use of videotape the dramatic results, which can be attained by using this method of very early training.
If you are involved with horses, professionally or recreationally, I urge you to become familiar with as many of the fine horsemen that practice this method.
After 6,000 years of domestication, these people are advancing the art of horsemanship so rapidly that most of the traditional methods of the past have become obsolete.
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"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." ~Dumbledore
Last edited by Sandra-A1; 01-14-2005 at 03:53 AM.
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01-14-2005, 03:48 AM
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