Training Theory: Retrospective Learning

Retrospective learning is the phenomenon whereby, as if by magic, a horse who is given time off with a fallow mind and no pressure suddenly becomes proficient at an exercise that eluded him when his trainer last left him.

Learning takes place during an exercise in each of its phases: the introduction, the practice and the fine-tuning. However, many times, it seems that a horse is just not “getting it”. The temptation is to double-down: to work harder and longer.

If you have been working consistently and have run into a road block, try easing up. Give your pony a rest. The brain works in mysterious ways, and horses seem to be able to “digest” a lesson if given pressure-free time off. The nervous system gets time to come down. Anxiety that might have built during the failed sessions seems to dissapate. If he doesn’t get it in his morning training session, let him relax and try again in a short evening session.

If he has not progressed in a couple of days, let him relax for a whole day or two. (Usually, one day off is enough to “set” an exercise. Sometimes, two days. Use a rain-out as a constructive Retrospective Learning Training day.)

Horse training can be dangerous. Not all methods work on all horses. Instruction presented here is not meant to be prescriptive in nature, and Horse-Pros.com takes no responsibility for the welfare of any animal or person using our methods.

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