In equitation, understanding the difference between desensitisation and flooding is crucial to: promote learning, reduce fear in our horses, provide safe handling and achieve our training goals.
I believe that arming you with this knowledge significantly enhances the effectiveness of your training and helps you to resolve behavioural issues.
When these methods, flooding and Desensitisation are confused, it can lead to less optimal outcomes for us and our horses. Understanding these distinctions is essential for our sucess, as it not only helps in achieving the behaviour we want from our horses but also supports the our horses long term learning, their emotional weflare and helps us achieve our goals.
Defining Desensitisation and Flooding
Desensitisation in equitation is a gradual process.
It involves exposing our horses to a feared stimulus (something scary) at a low level, where it does not provoke a strong fear response, such as running away. Over time, the intensity of the stimulus is slowly increased as our horse becomes more comfortable.
This careful, step-by-step approach allows our horse to acclimate and learn that the stimulus is not a threat, reducing fear and promoting calm responses. Which in turn, and this is really important; promotes learning.
Flooding, on the other hand, is the opposite.
It involves exposing our horses to the full intensity of the feared stimulus immediately and continuously. This method can overwhelm our horses, often leading to a ‘shutdown’ response (known as learned helplessness), which might appear as compliance but is, in reality, a state of helplessness. Unlike desensitisation, flooding does not allow our horse to gradually adjust and can have long-term negative impacts on their mental health.
Case Study - Desensitisation to Clippers
In this case, one of my star students, this horse showed a fear-based response to clipping. This reaction was not only due to her being head-shy and needle-shy but also rooted in her past experiences, including an incident with a twitch leading to a damaged ear. These factors made any approach for clipping challenging, for both the owner, vets and other grooms.
The desensitisation process was carefully tailored for this horse.
Initially, the clippers were not introduced at all. Understanding that the horse’s fear was linked to multiple aspects –
the sight
the sound
and possibly the smell of the clippers
The approach was broken down into smaller, more manageable steps, to support gradual exposure. Firstly, this horse was exposed to just the sound of the clippers, but in a controlled, less intimidating manner – through a recording played on my phone. Next, to just the sight of the clippers, allowing her to become familiar without additional stressors.
This gradual exposure helped in keeping the experience within this horse’s comfort threshold. If and when the horse showed signs of discomfort, we stopped and made it easier again. Building slowly each time.
Crucially, this process also involved creating new, positive associations to replace the existing fear. This is where correct application of learning theory plays a very important role.
By pairing the previously feared stimuli with positive experiences, this horse’s fear-based associations with the clippers were gradually altered.
Contrast with a Flooding Approach
In contrast, a flooding approach would have involved introducing this horse to the full experience of the clippers – sight, sound, and smell – all at once.
This would have reinforced her fear, leading to a heightened state of distress. Instead of learning to tolerate the clippers, she might have become more averse to them, making any future clipping attempts more problematic.
And ultimately, this is exactly what had happened before this client found me. Three attempts were made before I got there. Now we are in a much better place - “My journey with Bright Horse has been transformative, particularly in gaining the confidence and skill to clip my horse India independently.”
Understanding and correctly applying learning theory was critical in this context. By creating new, positive associations, this horse’s fear was gradually replaced with more neutral or positive responses.
For me this underscores the importance of learning theory in supporting horse owners and their horses in behavioural modification and desensitisation work. As incorrect application can easily lead to flooding, which brings its own set of challenges and welfare concerns.
The Risks of Flooding in Horse Training
Flooding, as a training method, can be risky at best and is utterly counterproductive.
Flooding, as I hope the spider example illustrates, involves exposing our horses to an overwhelming level of a feared stimulus all at once, without a gradual buildup. The intention might be to expedite training (speed it up), but it often has unintended consequences. And I would argue actually makes it all slower, in the long run.
The primary risk of flooding is that it can lead to a state of learned helplessness in the horse, in other words they just give up. When overwhelmed by fear or stress, the horse may appear to comply, but this is often a sign of shutting down emotionally. This response is not indicative of successful training; it’s a survival mechanism.
Moreover, flooding can erode trust between the horse and owner. Horses are sensitive animals, and when forced into high-stress situations without the ability to escape or process, they can develop a deep-seated mistrust of humans, including their owners, and specific situations, making future training more challenging.
It will have negative effects on all our training goals, not just the issue we are trying to solve.
It will destroy the trust our horses have in us, which is the last thing we want.
This approach also ignores the individual needs and responses of each horse. What might be a mild stimulus for one horse could be traumatic for another. Without considering these individual differences, flooding can exacerbate existing fears or create new ones.
A well-structured desensitisation process, informed by learning theory, not only addresses the immediate behavioural issue but also contributes positively to the overall mental welfare and trust between horse and owner.
Conclusion
Understanding the distinction between desensitisation and flooding in horse training is more than just a technicality; it’s a fundamental aspect of effective, responsible and ethical equitation.
While desensitisation, when correctly applied, fosters a positive learning environment and strengthens the bond between horse and owner, flooding can undermine trust, worsen behavioural issues and hamper learning.
This case study not only illustrates the benefits of a patient, informed approach but also underscores the importance of tailoring training methods to each horse’s unique needs and responses. By embracing these principles, we can ensure that our training practices are not only effective but also respectful and considerate of our equine partners’ well-being.
If you’re facing challenges with your horse and need guidance rooted in understanding equine behaviour, I’m here to help. My approach is tailored to each horse’s unique needs, ensuring not just short-term results but lasting positive changes.
Contact me to discuss how we can work together to create a more harmonious and effective training experience for you and your horse.
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