Reinforcer efficacy of grain for horses.
Abstract: Positive reinforcement is becoming more common in horse training. Identifying effective reinforcers is critical for training success. The aim of this study was to determine relative reinforcer efficacy of different grains. Four horses learned to muzzle touch a target, after which they were tested using a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement with different grains as the consequence. Break points were used to determine relative reinforcer efficacy of each grain and were also converted into unit price per kilocalorie to determine if caloric value impacted reinforcer efficacy. Condition 1 compared three textured grains that spanned industry-accepted standards of low to high nonstructural carbohydrate content. Condition 2 compared three pelleted grains that similarly differed in nonstructural carbohydrate content, comparable to Condition 1, but that had a different texture than those of Condition 1. Finally, Condition 3 directly compared one grain each from Conditions 1 and 2. Results showed overall little difference in reinforcer efficacy or unit price between grains but found that all grains tested functioned as reinforcers for the horses. This suggests that a range of commercially available grains can maintain behavior and therefore be used for training. We also identified possible extraexperimental factors that impact reinforcer efficacy.
© 2022 The Authors. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.
Publication Date: 2022-09-02 PubMed ID: 36053983PubMed Central: PMC9825980DOI: 10.1002/jeab.797Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper studies the effectiveness of different types of grains as positive reinforcers or rewards in horse training. The study found that while the type of grain used had little impact on its effectiveness as a reinforcer, all the grains tested were effective in reinforcing behavior in horses for training.
Objective and Methodology
- The scientists aimed to find out the efficiency of different grains used as positive reinforcers during horse training utilizing a progressive ratio schedule.
- Four horses were first trained to touch their muzzles to a target, after which, different grains were used as rewards.
- The point at which the horses stopped performing the target behavior (referred to as the ‘break point’) was used to determine the relative effectiveness of each grain as a reinforcer.
- The efficacy of the reinforcers was also calculated based on the unit cost per kilocalorie to establish if the caloric content played any role in the effectiveness of the reinforcer.
Conditions and Comparisons
- The study was divided into three conditions – The first condition compared three textured grains different in nonstructural carbohydrate content; the second compared three pelleted grains of varying nonstructural carbohydrate content; the third condition directly compared a grain each from the first and second conditions.
- The textured grains and the pelleted grains differed in their texture. The aim of these conditions was to determine if the texture or the carbohydrate content of the grains had any influence on their efficacy as a reinforcer.
Results and Conclusion
- Results indicated that there was little difference in the reinforcer efficacy or unit price between different grains.
- All the grains tested functioned as effective reinforcers in horse training regardless of their texture or carbohydrate content.
- This implies that a variety of commercially available grains can be utilized effectively in horse training.
- The study also hints at the possibility of other factors outside the experiment that could impact the efficacy of the reinforcers.
Cite This Article
APA
Platzer J, Feuerbacher EN.
(2022).
Reinforcer efficacy of grain for horses.
J Exp Anal Behav, 118(2), 302-315.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.797 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic and State University.
- Department of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic and State University.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Carbohydrates
- Horses
- Reinforcement Schedule
- Reinforcement, Psychology
Grant Funding
- Paul Mellon Research Endowment
References
This article includes 31 references
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Carroll SL, Sykes BW, Mills PC. Moving toward Fear-Free Husbandry and Veterinary Care for Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 24;12(21).
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