Something negative about positive reinforcement

I finally figured out why positive reinforcement can't be used exclusively. You are training the animal that it has a choice and it can choose to perform and get the reward. But with horses sometimes you want them to not make a decision, just carry out orders. For example, the mules aren't too keen about carrying us up Ice Canyon in the heat of the late afternoon. But we don't see it as a choice they get to make. They are used to thinking they can choose, but then we strip their right to choose away without notice. They get a little pissy.

It doesn't seem to be so detrimental if you have already established authority over the animal and the animal has learned to accept it, but if the animal is still trying to decide how much authority to "give you", choice is not something the animal can handle.

Case in point. Cracker Joe, the white hinny that I traded Loretta for, has a history of bossing around his owners. The girl who sold him to Billy was getting bucked off and could not control him. Billy took authority, but only with constant reminder to Cracker that Billy was his boss. I get Cracker and start him on positive reinforcement.... pretty soon Cracker thinks minding me is merely an option since I do not push him. Things start to disintegrate quickly.

Well, clearly Authority must be established, so it's out to the roundpen. He's a hard case and it will probably take three days before he gives up and consents to be governed by a mere human female. Chester took about that long. How do you know when you're good to go? When the animal cares about pleasing you enough to try to get along. In Cracker's case, when he obeys the voice commands he knows and comes up when requested. He started doing that tonight after two hours in the round pen. He got a glimpse how relentless I could be, just refusing to give up asking for compliance. We'll eventually get back to positive reinforcement, but not for a while.

Yrs,
JRW