When our horses show fear or aggression, it’s because something aversive is going on, that they want to get rid off or avoid.

There are three ways for an animal to respond to an aversive stimulus: avoid it (flight) or attack it (fight) so the aversive stimulus will go away. If the animal isn’t sure he can either of those, he can go into freeze mode: let the aversive happen until it goes away. If this happens too often, the horse can slide into Learned Helplessness and doesn’t respond at all normally to aversive stimuli.

Rita the mule, who I’m working with, is super fearful and walks away when I approach her. People (and sounds, and movement of body parts) are all very aversive for her. A combination of those is even worse. The closer by she is when I click, the more fear she experiences (flight is quicker triggered).

When we want to address the cause for fight or flight, we need to tell the animal that we’re listening! That’s when we can use a negative reinforcement contingency: there is an aversive: us! We can also use this when that what we want to do, and what they don’t want us to do, like lifting a leg or walking around with hay in their nearness).

Keep R- and R+ separate

We can confuse our animals by mixing R- and R+, so when an animal expresses fight or flight we can use R-  to train them for an alternative behaviour: calmness/relaxation and then give them what they want: space/more distance between the aversive and them. This is negative reinforcement!

Once our equine has learned the appropriate response (relaxation, calm behaviours and friendly interaction/inviting us), and we have taught them to deal with the aversive we can continue our training with positive reinforcement. Starting with R+ from the beginning can sometimes prevent us from addressing the aversive that our animal is experiencing. We don’t solve anything for the horse. This can lead to bumps in the road later on.

CAT-H (Constructional Approach Training for Horses)

CAT-H is a behaviour science-based method designed to help horses overcome fear, anxiety, or aggression—especially toward people or handling—by empowering the horse to make choices and feel safe in their environment.

Core Principles of CAT-H

1. Choice and Control The horse is given control over how and when interactions happen. This approach reduces fear and builds trust by allowing the horse to remain in control of their space.
2. Ethical Use of Negative Reinforcement CAT-H uses very subtle forms of negative reinforcement. The trainer removes their presence (or pressure) as soon as the horse offers a desired behaviour, such as relaxing, turning toward the person or showing curiosity. Pressure is not escalated. The horse is kept under his fight/fight threshold at all times!
3. Trainer’s Movement as Reinforcement The trainer’s approach or retreat acts as a consequence. If the horse shows the slightest signs of fear or avoidance, the trainer stops. When the horse shows calm or curiosity, the trainer retreats—reinforcing the horse’s choice to engage/relax. The horse learns to respond with alternative behaviours (calm and relaxed, positive interaction with trainer) besides fight, flight or freeze.
4. Constructional Design Behaviours are taught in small, manageable steps that build on what the horse is already comfortable with. This keeps the horse from becoming overwhelmed, flighty or shut down.

How to apply CAT-H

Approach your horse from a distance. Ideally when the horse is eating. Eating is a safe signal that your horse is relaxed. Stop approaching as soon as stress or tension occurs. Pay special attention to signs like widening of the eyes, lifting the head, tail swishing, widening of the nostrils, tension in face, neck, or body.

• When your horse offers a small “green light” behaviour—like looking towards you, starts to relax again, or there is softening of his stance—you immediately step away increasing the distance between you and your horse.
• Over time, your horse learns he can make a human retreat simply by offering calm behaviour.
• As trust builds, the horse typically begins to approach you voluntarily, seeking contact.

Ideal Applications for CAT-H CAT-H is particularly helpful for horses who:

• Avoid being caught or haltered
• Show signs of fear, anxiety, or aggression toward humans
• Resist grooming, vet or farrier handling
• Shut down or freeze when approached

How CAT-H Differs from positive reinforcement (R+)

While clicker training uses positive reinforcement (adding something pleasant like food to increase behaviour), CAT-H uses negative reinforcement in a highly ethical, controlled, and low-pressure way.

CAT-H is often used as a precursor to clicker training, especially for horses who are too fearful or shut down to engage with food reinforcement or targeting. Once trust and safety are established through CAT-H, the horse is usually ready to move into more active participation using R+.

CAT-H prevents conflict in the horse: wanting the treat in positive reinforcement but not feeling safe enough to offer the desired behaviour. Inner conflict can lead to highly unpredictable and undesired behaviours.

How CAT-H Differs from negative reinforcement (R-)

While both methods use the removal of an aversive stimulus to reinforce behaviour, CAT-H applies this principle in an ethically sensitive, low-pressure, and choice-based way. It is especially valuable for rescue horses or those with trauma, helping them feel safe and empowered before introducing other forms of training. The aversive in CAT-H that is removed is the trainer! It’s not something the trainer applies.

In contrast, traditional R- focuses on performance and may inadvertently push a horse too far, too fast if emotional readiness is not taken into account. The aversive that is used is applied by the trainer and taken away by the trainer.

Purpose and emotional state addressed

R- is typically used to teach new behaviours, often with a horse who accepting humans.

CAT-H is specifically designed to help fearful, anxious, or shut-down horses learn to feel safe and build trust. When horses are in Learning Mode, they are out survival mode and open to learn. That’s why we want to apply CAT-H with fearful or aggressive horses, before starting positive reinforcement.

Intensity of pressure

• R- uses escalating pressure until the horse complies
• CAT-H uses minimal or no physical pressure—the trainer’s presence or distance is the “pressure,” and retreat is the reinforcement.

Trainer

• In R-, the trainer actively applies and removes pressure
• In CAT-H, the trainer becomes a stimulus the horse learns to approach or engage with voluntarily, with the trainer retreating in response to desired behaviour.

Horse’s autonomy

• R- often gives the horse little choice—pressure continues until compliance
• CAT-H emphasizes choice and control—the horse can stop the interaction at any time by not engaging, and the trainer responds accordingly. It’s crucial that the horse stays ‘under threshold’. ‘Threshold’ means the horse moves away (increase distance between him and the trainer). Fear is triggered.

Learning Goals

Risk of Learned Helplessness with R-

• Improper use of R- can lead to stress or learned helplessness if pressure is too high or unavoidable
• CAT-H minimizes this risk by honoring the horses’ fear level (threshold).

Why CAT-H works so well

• Horses learn that they are safe and that humans respond to their signals
• It replaces defensive or fearful behaviour with calm curiosity
• Trust is built gradually because there is a two-way communication
• CAT-H honors the horse’s boundaries and choices, which leads to confidence, restores trust in humans and can be the start of a deep friendship with your horse