Training without Training my young horse

18 months ago I began an experiment, when I got a 3-year old horse, Nimo, an Icelandic gelding that had basic handling but NO movement training. My goal was to see how far we could go WITHOUT any attempt to shape his body parts. No in-hand, and no micro-shaping with +R. I wanted to see how much movement skill he could develop without ANY "direction" except "It's good to keep track of the person with the target."
Using a combination of movement and motivation science, Nimo exceeded everything I could imagine.
NOTE: Yes, this could all be shaped using conventional positive-reinforcement (clicker training). With the others, they learned PantherWalk with a target for the front legs, and then reinforcing any form of walking PLUS reaching. And reinforced for "fancy trot" etc.
The point here is that I didn't DO any of that with Nimo. He was "rewarded" for almost everything he did that showed purpose.
He was never asked to reach his leg to a target. He was not incrementally shaped TO reach his leg out. He was just as likely to be reinforced for NOT doing the big reach.
I can only assume that over time with the other horses, he absolutely figured out what THEY were doing. For a long time, it was clear he KNEW there was something "fancy" about the walk. You can see in the early videos that he started doing a more upright purposeful and/or more "collected" walk as HIS version of a "fancy walk." He did not understand the point was to reach forward, and he was never asked to, but toward the end of this video, you see him start to offer it on his own.
And same with the "fancy trot".
I don't know how to make this clear: Unlike my other horses, Nimo is over and over and over again doing FAR more than he needs to. Far more than doing what "earns" a treat. He has always been rewarded for EVERYTHING as long as he keeps track of the person.
He has 100% autonomy in all activities. He can leave at any time and there is always some form of food available if he walks away.
[And yes, I'm well-schooled on "calming signals" which he quite obviously displays. Context matters... if this concerns you, see my video on the superpowers of stress. And why what matters in training for higher performance and motivation is Challenge without THREAT.]

Thank-you from my hear to the Intrinzen community and my friends who helped me as I filmed this horse in the most rewarding experiences of my life: Kara and Jeff Musgrave, Kim @r_ewild on Instagram), and Hazel Arden.

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