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Huns Ecker K-9 & Equine
Equine and Canine Training
Humans, Canines and Equines learn equally - Though the human learning goes into higher cognitive levels.
The cognitive abilities of horses and dogs are comparable with the cognitive abilities of a toddler. To learn we
all have to utilize motor experiences and transfer them into the capabilities to act. Fulfilling these basic needs is
most important. If you deprive an individual of these experiences the brain cannot develop properly. This
applies to humans and animals equally.
On top of these basic requirements, we have to understand the laws of learning. To be able to teach we have to
understand the psychology of the species. Understanding Pavlov and the findings of B.F. Skinner is vital. But
we have to seriously take into considerations ones personal experiences. No one person, dog or horse is the
same. By understanding and utilizing the knowledge of the motor based learning we can successfully improve
the above listed areas and excel in motor, emotional/cognitive and social areas.
The genetic outline of each animal- even in the same species is individual. These genetic outlines are nurtured
through the nature surrounding it. This means that the individual makes its own individual experiences, and this
way it develops its specific way of learning and its specific behavior patterns.
So why do I call it the personalized way of learning. Shouldn't it be more the personalized way of teaching?
When you teach, you always have to learn first. You have to learn the skills to teach, which are not only a
technique, but to learn about the individual you want to teach. How this individual interacts with its surroundings.
You need to learn about the personality, the preferences and fears. Preferences can be used as motivators,
but preferences can also mean the preferred ways of learning. Some people are better learners by watching,
some prefer listening and others doing.
I train with a motivational form of training with the flexibility to adapt to the specific animal or person. The key is
to provide individual based training with the emphasis to teach the person how to train their dog or horse -
Rather than only teaching specific exercises.
To interact on this different level, it is important to be aware of the importance of a good relationship between
human and animal. Good communication builds a strong relationship, and a strong relationship is the key to
success. This requires a level of self awareness. Teaching always means learning. The ways of teaching are
as individual as the ways of learning. To be a good Trainer also means to be a good Trainee. Communication
cannot happen if there is just one receiver of information. Communication is interaction! An exchange of
information between all parties involved. If the information is just transmitted one way there is no effective
channel of communication.
In dog training as well as horse training it is about interaction, about effectively communicating information. This
includes listening with your ears as well paying close attention to what is happening before your eyes. It is
asking questions, it is not always knowing the answer, it is trial and error, progress and regress, teaching and
being taught, but most of all it is listening.
Imagine how you could change from the common perception that an animal has to work for you, to the
conclusion that an animal can work with you instead!
The Personalized way of Learning is not about a specific method, or a specific order of events that have to
happen. This way is about recognition of the individual preferences and skills necessary to successfully teach a
dog or horse to work with you. It is not about a special method or tool that has to be used, it is about learning
how your animal learns, how to use your strength to form the relationship and interaction necessary to excel in
the training. It is about utilizing perception – the inter play of the senses- being able to acknowledge ones
personal experiences and personal emotions. Then you are able to apply the appropriate tools and techniques
that suit you and your animal best.
This is what the personalized way of Learning is all about. The individual ways of you and your animal.
Motor Therapeutic Riding (MTR)
Motor therapeutic Riding is comprehensive work with the assistance of the horse.
Motor pedagogic:
Motor pedagogic (MPed) fosters the whole personality over motor based learning processes. The goal of MPed
is the capacity to act. This is achieved through the inclusion of holistic learning. MPed is the primary building
block of learning and the development of personality. It improves cooperative and communicative behaviors.
Broadly MPed is suited for improvement of motor and social base qualifications (social interaction); most all
perceptions (e.g. Acoustic, visual, tactile etc) get trained (base of learning). MPed improves concentration and
stabilizes communication and speech. The three main substances of MPed are body, material and social
experiences.
Body experience: The client is encouraged to consciously percept his body, information is processed over
experiences. Valuable information about the body will be cognitively evaluated and processed to be able to
move the body.
Material experience: This is the experience of oneself in the material world, as well as gathering information
about oneself and the interaction with the material world- to experience and cognitively process these
experiences.
Social experiences: to experience relationships of oneself and the social surroundings. To gather information
about oneself and the surrounding relationships to process them cognitively.
The three main components and goals of MPed
I-competence: apperception of the body, gain experience and the competence to apply gained knowledge
Is achieved through:
• improving body schemes
• improving of the skill to plan and imagine movement
• enhance the fitness of the organism
• expressing and controlling emotions
• to recognize needs
Subject matter experience/ decision making: to adapt, interact with and change surrounding actualities
Is achieved through:
• to experience and learn about physical properties
• improving the understanding of time and space structures
• increased independence and decision making
• to utilize sensor-motor experiences to increase concept formation and abstraction skills
Social competence: to adapt to others, change others, adapt oneself and be able to communicate.
The interplay of those three components is imminent. The knowledge of these matters leads to a stronger self
and therefore has a positive influence on communication.
Is achieved through:
• better articulate emotions and feelings
• increase the ability to make contact, accept contact and form relationships
• the ability to take on roles, to act role appropriate
• to increase perceptional experiences, communication and cooperation
Mped and riding
The horse is very special for the comprehensive development. The horse as a new partner and friends reacts
in its basic tendencies without prejudice, neutral and open. To take on responsibilities for the horses needs
(food, housing, exercise) increases motivation to act, competences and independence.
Motor therapeutic riding utilizes the principles of comprehensiveness, independence and the capabilities to act.
Resulting out of responsibility to the horse is:
• building of competences
• increasing self esteem and self confidence
• improvement of concentration
The goals of MTR
The goals of MTR are separated into three main categories:
Motor area: use of the movement of the horse, resulting muscle relaxation, balance,body posture, coordination
of the body, increased concentration and reaction time, feeling the movement of the horse in total relaxation
Emotional/ cognitive areas: increasing apperception, acknowledging and overcoming of fears, strengthening
self esteem and confidence through own accomplishments, building of responsibility, raising the frustration
barrier.
Social area: recognition and following of rules that have been established together, acknowledging
accomplishments of others, integrate ones needs into the group needs, helping and being helped, reduction of
aggressive behaviors, building relationship and trust to the partner horse ( horse- child- adult)
Effects
The effects of the horse and the Horseback riding have impact in the areas of tactile (touching/feeling),
vestibular (balance)stimulation; body scheme (body positioning), body stability (sensor-psycho motor area),
motion dialog (interaction between horse and rider)as well as the emotional connection to the horse.
MTR is learning through experiencing and observing. Arbitrary behaviors are limited through the species
specific behaviors of the horse. Positive behaviors are conditioned by immediate, direct (success) experiences.
The trainer is involved in the happenings but assumes a non directive role (corrective/explaining/passive).
The common interest horse allows and encourages interaction and helping each other. These experiences with
others increase cooperation, communication and the ability to form friendships.
Humans, Canines and Equines learn equally - Though the human learning goes into higher cognitive levels.
The cognitive abilities of horses and dogs are comparable with the cognitive abilities of a toddler. To learn we
all have to utilize motor experiences and transfer them into the capabilities to act. Fulfilling these basic needs is
most important. If you deprive an individual of these experiences the brain cannot develop properly. This
applies to humans and animals equally.
On top of these basic requirements, we have to understand the laws of learning. To be able to teach we have to
understand the psychology of the species. Understanding Pavlov and the findings of B.F. Skinner is vital. But
we have to seriously take into considerations ones personal experiences. No one person, dog or horse is the
same. By understanding and utilizing the knowledge of the motor based learning we can successfully improve
the above listed areas and excel in motor, emotional/cognitive and social areas.
The genetic outline of each animal- even in the same species is individual. These genetic outlines are nurtured
through the nature surrounding it. This means that the individual makes its own individual experiences, and this
way it develops its specific way of learning and its specific behavior patterns.
So why do I call it the personalized way of learning. Shouldn't it be more the personalized way of teaching?
When you teach, you always have to learn first. You have to learn the skills to teach, which are not only a
technique, but to learn about the individual you want to teach. How this individual interacts with its surroundings.
You need to learn about the personality, the preferences and fears. Preferences can be used as motivators,
but preferences can also mean the preferred ways of learning. Some people are better learners by watching,
some prefer listening and others doing.
I train with a motivational form of training with the flexibility to adapt to the specific animal or person. The key is
to provide individual based training with the emphasis to teach the person how to train their dog or horse -
Rather than only teaching specific exercises.
To interact on this different level, it is important to be aware of the importance of a good relationship between
human and animal. Good communication builds a strong relationship, and a strong relationship is the key to
success. This requires a level of self awareness. Teaching always means learning. The ways of teaching are
as individual as the ways of learning. To be a good Trainer also means to be a good Trainee. Communication
cannot happen if there is just one receiver of information. Communication is interaction! An exchange of
information between all parties involved. If the information is just transmitted one way there is no effective
channel of communication.
In dog training as well as horse training it is about interaction, about effectively communicating information. This
includes listening with your ears as well paying close attention to what is happening before your eyes. It is
asking questions, it is not always knowing the answer, it is trial and error, progress and regress, teaching and
being taught, but most of all it is listening.
Imagine how you could change from the common perception that an animal has to work for you, to the
conclusion that an animal can work with you instead!
The Personalized way of Learning is not about a specific method, or a specific order of events that have to
happen. This way is about recognition of the individual preferences and skills necessary to successfully teach a
dog or horse to work with you. It is not about a special method or tool that has to be used, it is about learning
how your animal learns, how to use your strength to form the relationship and interaction necessary to excel in
the training. It is about utilizing perception – the inter play of the senses- being able to acknowledge ones
personal experiences and personal emotions. Then you are able to apply the appropriate tools and techniques
that suit you and your animal best.
This is what the personalized way of Learning is all about. The individual ways of you and your animal.
Motor Therapeutic Riding (MTR)
Motor therapeutic Riding is comprehensive work with the assistance of the horse.
Motor pedagogic:
Motor pedagogic (MPed) fosters the whole personality over motor based learning processes. The goal of MPed
is the capacity to act. This is achieved through the inclusion of holistic learning. MPed is the primary building
block of learning and the development of personality. It improves cooperative and communicative behaviors.
Broadly MPed is suited for improvement of motor and social base qualifications (social interaction); most all
perceptions (e.g. Acoustic, visual, tactile etc) get trained (base of learning). MPed improves concentration and
stabilizes communication and speech. The three main substances of MPed are body, material and social
experiences.
Body experience: The client is encouraged to consciously percept his body, information is processed over
experiences. Valuable information about the body will be cognitively evaluated and processed to be able to
move the body.
Material experience: This is the experience of oneself in the material world, as well as gathering information
about oneself and the interaction with the material world- to experience and cognitively process these
experiences.
Social experiences: to experience relationships of oneself and the social surroundings. To gather information
about oneself and the surrounding relationships to process them cognitively.
The three main components and goals of MPed
I-competence: apperception of the body, gain experience and the competence to apply gained knowledge
Is achieved through:
• improving body schemes
• improving of the skill to plan and imagine movement
• enhance the fitness of the organism
• expressing and controlling emotions
• to recognize needs
Subject matter experience/ decision making: to adapt, interact with and change surrounding actualities
Is achieved through:
• to experience and learn about physical properties
• improving the understanding of time and space structures
• increased independence and decision making
• to utilize sensor-motor experiences to increase concept formation and abstraction skills
Social competence: to adapt to others, change others, adapt oneself and be able to communicate.
The interplay of those three components is imminent. The knowledge of these matters leads to a stronger self
and therefore has a positive influence on communication.
Is achieved through:
• better articulate emotions and feelings
• increase the ability to make contact, accept contact and form relationships
• the ability to take on roles, to act role appropriate
• to increase perceptional experiences, communication and cooperation
Mped and riding
The horse is very special for the comprehensive development. The horse as a new partner and friends reacts
in its basic tendencies without prejudice, neutral and open. To take on responsibilities for the horses needs
(food, housing, exercise) increases motivation to act, competences and independence.
Motor therapeutic riding utilizes the principles of comprehensiveness, independence and the capabilities to act.
Resulting out of responsibility to the horse is:
• building of competences
• increasing self esteem and self confidence
• improvement of concentration
The goals of MTR
The goals of MTR are separated into three main categories:
Motor area: use of the movement of the horse, resulting muscle relaxation, balance,body posture, coordination
of the body, increased concentration and reaction time, feeling the movement of the horse in total relaxation
Emotional/ cognitive areas: increasing apperception, acknowledging and overcoming of fears, strengthening
self esteem and confidence through own accomplishments, building of responsibility, raising the frustration
barrier.
Social area: recognition and following of rules that have been established together, acknowledging
accomplishments of others, integrate ones needs into the group needs, helping and being helped, reduction of
aggressive behaviors, building relationship and trust to the partner horse ( horse- child- adult)
Effects
The effects of the horse and the Horseback riding have impact in the areas of tactile (touching/feeling),
vestibular (balance)stimulation; body scheme (body positioning), body stability (sensor-psycho motor area),
motion dialog (interaction between horse and rider)as well as the emotional connection to the horse.
MTR is learning through experiencing and observing. Arbitrary behaviors are limited through the species
specific behaviors of the horse. Positive behaviors are conditioned by immediate, direct (success) experiences.
The trainer is involved in the happenings but assumes a non directive role (corrective/explaining/passive).
The common interest horse allows and encourages interaction and helping each other. These experiences with
others increase cooperation, communication and the ability to form friendships.
Our Philosophy
Creating well trained animals through motivational
training. We believe in a non-violent teaching
method to bring out the best in all animals.
