#appetitive

One of the situations where I think I could explain Plato's elements of the psyche is when spending money. It is a part of the cycle in my life where my father will give me an allowance every month. Since I live in my house all by myself, I will be the one to spend my money. I've been in this kind of situation ever since high school, and it feels like my body, heart, and brain are fighting for what I want and how I will spend my money. Now, this feeling makes sense. On the appetitive part, I want to buy beauty products such as lip tints, makeups, rejuvenating sets, and stuff for my face using the money I have in my hands. Sometimes I want to feel and eat in a fancy restaurant to try trending foods. If I see a boutique, I sometimes walk in without hesitation and look for tops and cool shirts.

On the other side, I have my spirited part that somehow contradicts what I want to spend with my pocket. Before anything else, my other self wants me to save money and spend it on the things I need. I want to save money for the next and upcoming months to help my parents. I am also thinking of my school expenses that if I separate and save what I can save, I would be able to help them. As for my mind, I want to be pretty and look decent for myself but, some things must come first before that. I realize that I can lessen the expenses of my parents by rightfully using the money and not spending it for my satisfaction and desires. Even if I want those things, I am more concerned about my parents' hard work.

“There is nothing wrong with Negative Reinforcement applied properly”

Said someone once to me. I didn’t say anything, but my body screamed: ‘Yes, there is….‘

Although I couldn’t explain in words why I felt that way, now I do. Since it was hard to catch it in words, it is a long explanation, so please get seated.

When I talk about horse training, I like to use the scientific definitions in order to keep the language as clear as possible and to avoid emotional and…

What if… your horse doesn’t like arena work?

This is a common statement in the equestrian world: ‘I don’t ride dressage because my horse doesn’t like it’ or ‘I don’t use the arena because my horse hates it’ or… Who hasn’t heard this? Can you do something about it? Yes, you can!

Find the reason

First question I always ask people when they say this is:’Do you like to ride in the arena?’ When the rider says ‘no’ it is usually because it is…

Reflections on R- vs R+

How valuable is a behaviour to you when it is associated by the horse with aversives (-R, negative reinforcement)?

Is a behaviour that is associated with something pleasurable /appetitives (+R, positive reinforcement) worth less, or more to you?

Or do you not care at all what your horse’s associations are with your ways of getting the behaviour?

In other words: do you care for the result more…

Clicker training doesn’t work for my horse

The first thought that comes to my mind when a person tells me ‘Clicker training doesn’t work for my horse’ is ‘Why not? Is he sleeping?’ Just kidding.

Horses can be trained either by using an aversive to reinforce behaviour (negative reinforcement, -R) or using an appetitive to reinforce behaviour (positive reinforcement,+R).

What does the statement ‘Clicker training doesn’t work for my…

o-rec-tic |ôˈrektik|, adjective

Of or pertaining to desire; appetitive