Equitation science: The application of science in equitation

"I believe equitation science and equine learning theory should play a major pan in the training and competing of all horses worldwide. Riders and trainers should have a fundamental knowledge of the horse's mental capacity and the way it learns through habituation, operant conditioning and classical conditioning.... Instead, in today's competitive and money driven environment, we see the majority of horses ridden with application of leg and rein together, an inappropriate mixing of messages that causes conflict behaviors or desensitization.... We also see the use of special gadgets to force and not train the animal to hold a certain posture. It is evident that although there are many thousands of riders who are able to pilot a horse at a competition, there are sadly very few practitioners who have the knowledge and commitment to train these animals according to the scientific principles of good animal training." (Jody Hartstone, New Zealand Champion Grand Prix dressage rider and international competitor).