06/15/2026
Positive reinforcement (R+) is well established as an effective and welfare-friendly method for training horses, yet it is widely misunderstood by many trainers and educators who claim to use it.
A new study, conducted by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, set out to evaluate how accurately R+ is represented in publicly available online training videos, using trailer-loading demonstrations as the focus.
Twenty online videos were selected from platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, all published between 2011 and 2025 and presented by individuals claiming to use R+ methods.
Each trainer action was coded by an experienced equine behavior clinician as representing one of the four quadrants of operant conditioning: positive reinforcement (R+), negative reinforcement (R-), positive punishment (P+), or negative punishment (P-).
Corresponding horse behavioral responses were also recorded as positive, negative, or neutral in terms of progress toward voluntarily entering the trailer.
Of the 20 demonstrations reviewed, eight trainers (40%) used R+ exclusively, and three more used it in more than 90% of their actions, bringing the total of exclusively or primarily R+ demonstrations to 55%.
Seven trainers (35%) used R+ for 55–82% of their actions in combination with R-, and the remaining two used very little R+, with most of their actions falling into R- and positive punishment categories.
The percentage of positive behavioral responses from horses showed a very strong positive association with the percentage of R+ trainer actions, with a Pearson's r of 0.9483 (p < 0.0001).
The study also found that demonstrations conducted "at liberty" (without a halter and lead rope) were far more likely to involve exclusively or primarily R+ training than those in which the horse was handled with a halter and lead.
The authors suggest this is likely because maintaining a loose horse's engagement near a trailer requires consistent use of R+, while aversive actions tend to cause the horse to withdraw from the interaction entirely.
The findings confirm that a notable proportion of online content purporting to teach R+ horse training actually incorporates aversive methods, whether deliberately or inadvertently.
The authors highlight this as a welfare concern, particularly given the lack of formal education requirements for horse professionals in most regions, and the growing public reliance on online video as a learning resource.
The results point to the need for greater critical awareness among horse owners when seeking training guidance online, and support ongoing efforts by organisations such as the International Society for Equitation Science to provide scientifically grounded educational materials.
📖 Positive Reinforcement (R+) Horse Training in Practice: Evaluation of Online Trailer-Training Demonstrations. Helena G. Harris & Sue M. McDonnell — Published in Animals, May 2026
