Is this really a book review?
Like many working in the equine industry now, I was a horse-mad child. I read many fantastical books about girls and their horses going on incredible adventures which was hugely influential for someone who didn’t own a horse. As I got older however, I stopped reading fiction as much and my focus moved to non-fiction; but a lot of the seeds of how I understood horses came from these original fiction books. I realised that many of the emotional connections people have to horses are formed from these fictional stories.
Recently while looking through a book store I came across ‘The Racehorse who Wouldn’t Gallop’ by Clare Balding and my interest peaked. I hadn’t read an equine fiction book in almost a decade and was curious how a story with this concept would work.
I’m not a book reviewer and I know nothing about what makes a good children's book, so this is not a traditional review. What I want to do is almost a thought experiment as a behaviour consultant; this is my client, what is my hypothesis about behavioural cause and how would I resolve it.
Brief summary of the book
This children's book from 2016 follows the story of Charlie and her family’s struggle with debt. To combat this she goes to a racehorse sale where she accidentally bids on a fearful racehorse (Noble Warrior) and his support pony (Percy). Her family work to build up the racehorse's strength and combat his fear to eventually race the Epsom Derby and win gold.
Behavioural analysis of the two horses
Noble Warrior: Noble Warrior, also called Noddy by Charlie, is introduced as “terrified” as he rears up at his handlers while moving out of the stable (away from Percy) towards the selling ring. The grooms describe him as a “coward” and as having “stupid tricks” after they use a whip to try and make him move forward away from the stable. This behaviour is a sign of severe separation anxiety. When they begin to ride, they are unable to move Noddy away from Percy. They decide to make Noddy stand still and not follow Percy before allowing him to run and catch up. Noddy begins rearing and bucking before galloping to catch up to Percy. This is further evidence of separation anxiety. Later in the book, Noddy is taken to his first race and after struggling to get him into the starting gate he then refuses to leave and doesn’t run which is attributed to him losing sight of Percy.
Noddy is described as being fed a high starch and low fibre diet which could increase risk of equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) or the development of stereotypies however these are not mentioned or present in the book. However as EGUS has been shown to be present in roughly 80-90% of thoroughbred racehorses it is very possible that Noddy would have a positive diagnosis.
Percy: When we first meet Percy he is introduced as “angry” and kicking the walls while Noddy is being removed from the stable. Charlie then attaches a leadrope to him and starts to walk him out of the stable and he barges towards Noddy, where they are described as relaxing. This is also a sign of separation anxiety however it may also indicate a motivation to be out of the stable (perhaps lack of forage). Percy is described to stand on one of Charlie’s brothers feet and grind into it, this is anthropomorphic however it could suggest a lack of proprioception or balance. When they begin riding, they use second hand tack that has not been fitted to him, during the tacking up Percy is described as “grumpy” and “cross” as well as playing with the bit. These are all potential signs of tack discomfort, this could be from EGUS, spinal pain, or even dental pain. Percy is also described as trying to bite people, squealing “in anger” and giving a small buck during riding. These can also all be linked to discomfort during riding and EGUS.
My behaviour modification plan vs the book
A behaviour modification plan (BMP) is the information on how to improve the unwanted behaviour through a variety of methods including enrichment, management changes, and training. As part of a good BMP it is important to include changes to the interpretation of behaviour by the owner. Throughout the book both horses are described in human terms such as “dejected”, having “lost his lustre and his swagger”, “angry” and in a “sulk”. These can limit an owner’s understanding of behaviour and give them intentions that aren't present. Aggressive behaviours displayed, often by Percy, such as biting and kicking are often linked to pain and frustration (often from resources like forage and space). Using behavioural descriptors like ‘bite threat’ are better than emotive descriptors like ‘mean’.
Enrichment and management
Turnout is not described in the book, it is crucial for horses to get at minimum, an hour a day turnout (preferably 10+ hours) as they have evolved to travel an average of 15 km a day. In addition it is stated that Percy often eats hay and feed assigned to Noddy, as such using a form of forage that is inaccessible to Percy could guarantee the amount of forage Noddy can eat and feeding them separately. Using hay balls or a hay bar could also help.
Separation anxiety
It is made clear that Noddy has severe separation anxiety, after the first meeting Percy is not further described as having separation anxiety related behaviours again making Noddy the priority. Noddy is shown as anxious when being taken away from Percy, and when Percy is taken away from him; as such he will require training for both aspects. For Percy being taken away, one of the methods often employed is a toy box, this is a box filled with hay, treats, and horse toys. The box is introduced when the companion (aka percy) is removed from the stable. Then Percy is placed back into the stable and the toy box removed. This aims to reduce the stress of the companion being removed through eating and play. With regard to moving Noddy further from Percy, a target can be used to increase distance. Moving Noddy a few metres from Percy and rewarding every time he touches the target and then returning him to Percy, eventually having stationary targets away from the stable and then using variable duration* of the reinforcer to maintain relaxation however reduce dependency* on the target.
Throughout the book there is no attempt to improve Noddy’s behaviour, instead his fear is utilised to improve his racing. They would lead Noddy to the starting gate with Percy in front and then after the race began, Percy would be galloped towards the finish line. Noddy would then spot him and have a flight-like response and gallop toward the finish. This would be counter-intuitive, placing Noddy in a situation where his stress is elevated reinforces his motivation* to be near his companion as this is where he feels safe and relaxed. In a similar manner, allowing Noddy to run and catch up to Percy allows Noddy to rehearse the behaviour and therefore strengthen it.
Starting gate
Noddy is described as refusing to enter the starting gate and then proceeding to not run. It would be beneficial to use positive reinforcement to shape him into similarly small spaces and preferably a starting gate. Then using a reinforcer whenever he moves closer to the entrance. Alternatively a shoot could be built, starting out very wide and then getting narrower as Noddy becomes more relaxed. Then introducing similar sounds to the event from a low level and slowly increasing volume as well as increasing duration from a few seconds to several minutes.
In the book they are described to play loud music, crowd sounds, and stall rattling. The method they implement in the book is a rushed version of the shaping plan I would implement.
Final thoughts
This book shows real issues some horses face however for the most part doesn’t tackle them in any meaningful or thorough way. The way that Noddy’s separation anxiety is hijacked for the plot gives false impressions of how severe this issue is. In addition Percy is described in very negative terms and is often labelled as grumpy and fat, ponies are more prone to PPID and other metabolic conditions like EMS but they also face other conditions such as laminitis. Feed management is important to reduce these risks however a high forage diet is important for welfare. Using anthropomorphic terms can limit the recognition of pain and discomfort, ponies in particular are often thought of as grumpy however this is not backed up with data and in fact this can be a result of poor handling and irregular handling from children. Ponies often change homes more frequently and bought for children who later outgrow them, they might not get as much exercise, they also might not be given adequate forage due to the worry of obesity and metabolic conditions.
This book provides a decent understanding of learning requirements that horses need to cope with different environments, and the recognition that horses do not stop feeling stress from situations in a short amount of time. However, this book perpetuates many negative stereotypes around ponies and has a plot surrounding the exploitation of a horse’s severe stress response; it perpetuates the normality of biting behaviour in horses and the idea that these are personal, humorous, or an expression of grumpiness.
4 carrots out of 10
🥕🥕🥕🥕
* Variable duration: the reinforcer is given not based on the behaviour occurring but the amount of time the behaviour has been occurring for. Variable means that it is not fixed e.g. 2 seconds, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, 20 seconds etc. as opposed to 5 seconds, 5 seconds, 5 seconds etc.
*Dependency: when using a target for movement horses can often become dependent on the target being present to move forwards, using duration of movement and phasing out the target can reduce this and increase the strength of the behaviour.
*Motivation: the reason behind the behaviour, in the case of the book Noddy’s motivation is to be near Percy and this motivation is driven by stress-relaxation. For fear-based behaviours the motivation is reinforced every time the horse gains relaxation and comfort from the goal behaviour.
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