Practice Makes Permanent

Practice is a Powerful Tool that Shapes our Behaviours and Instincts

The phrase "practice makes perfect" is often used to emphasise the importance of repetition in mastering a skill. However, a more accurate phrase might be "practice makes permanent." This blog post delves into the significance of this concept for both humans and horses, exploring the physiological underpinnings of repetitive patterns and their implications on training and behaviour.

Understanding Myelin and Its Role in Learning

When we engage in a new activity, our brain forms new connections between neurons. This process involves myelination, where fatty sheaths called myelin wrap around the axons of neurons, allowing electrical impulses to travel more efficiently. This wrapping is crucial in creating lasting patterns of behavior.

Myelin plays a vital role in developing motor skills, whether for a human learning to ride a bike or a horse responding to a cue. As we practice a skill repeatedly, the brain strengthens the neural pathways associated with that behaviour, making it more automatic.

Myelin sheaths protect neural pathways for efficiency in learning.

The Importance of Quality Practice

While the concept of practice making permanent is powerful, the quality of that practice is equally important. Engaging in mindless repetition can lead to poor habits that become ingrained in our behaviour. The saying "a bad habit is easier to form than a good one" rings true here.

For humans, think about learning an instrument. If a pianist repeatedly plays a piece with incorrect finger positioning, that incorrect technique becomes natural. In horse training, if a horse is constantly rewarded for undesirable behaviour, it learns that those behaviours are acceptable. Therefore, ensuring that practice is not just frequent but also focused and deliberate is essential.

Focus and repetition are key in training for horses to learn good habits.

Automating Behaviours: The Good and the Bad

As we practice, certain behaviours become automated. This is beneficial when the behaviours are positive; for example, a dancer mastering a routine or a horse consistently responding to commands. However, automation can be detrimental when the behavior is negative, such as a child developing anxiety responses or a horse becoming resistant to training.

Research shows that consistent practice can lead to the brain's plasticity, allowing for changes in behaviour. However, the patterns formed can favor undesirable outcomes if they are not managed correctly. For instance, a horse that learns to ignore a leg aid due to lack of reinforcement will automatically choose not to respond when the leg aid is applied.

Challenging Existing Patterns

Changing a deeply ingrained behaviour requires mindful intervention and a new approach to practice. This can involve breaking down skills into smaller, manageable parts. For humans, this might mean isolating challenging sections of music to practice until they are perfected before moving on.

In the example where a rider puts a leg aid on and the horse does not respond in the expected way, the rider may then increase the leg aid harder and/or longer, with the horse eventually becoming duller to leg aid. (Sadly, this is when horse riders turn to more harsher aids, like spurs, whips or even harsher bits, when it actually is due to incorrect trained habitual responses). Be careful not to get stuck in this vicious cycle and conditioned habitual responses in your horse. Instead, take a moment to reflect: "Stop. Breath. Reset. [pause] What is the softest aid I can give and positively reward the smallest attempt?" You need to go back to the very beginning and even go back to groundwork/in-hand work. Then gradually build on this using the same approach.

In horse training, this could look like consistently rewarding small steps towards desired behaviour rather than punishing mistakes. This structured approach fosters a new positive pattern of behaviour amidst the existing ones.

Structured and mindful practice facilitates positive learning outcomes.

Mindful and Deliberate Practice

To ensure positive outcomes, it’s essential to implement mindful and deliberate practice. This involves several key strategies:

1. Set Clear Goals: Define specific objectives for each practice session. For instance, instead of saying, "I want my horse to jump better," a clearer goal would be, "I want my horse to maintain a steady pace before the jump."

2. Engage in Self-Reflection: After practicing, take a moment to reflect on what worked and what needs improvement. This step helps in identifying areas that require adjustment.

3. Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Sometimes, less is more. An effective half-hour of focused practice is often more beneficial than several hours of distracted rehearsal.

4. Seek Feedback: Whether from a trainer, peers, or recording your sessions, feedback is invaluable. It can point out unnoticed patterns that might need to change.

5. Incorporate Variety: Routine can lead to stagnation. Introduce new elements to practice sessions to keep the learning experience fresh and engaging, both for humans and horses.

   
   

Upholding Positive Patterns in Training

Understanding the concept of "practice makes permanent" impacts the training methods used for both humans and horses. By focusing on tailored approaches that emphasise positive reinforcement, trainers can guide both parties towards achieving and retaining beneficial behaviours.

For horses, this might include utilising positive reinforcement techniques such as treats or affection following correct cues. For humans, celebrating small victories helps to maintain motivation and reinforces positive habits.

The Long-Term Effects of Underlying Systems

In conclusion, the implications of how we practice extend far beyond the immediate learning process. The long-term effects of both positive and negative patterns shape our behaviours and instincts. Recognising the importance of mindful practice is essential for achieving the desired level of skill and understanding that habits can have lasting effects, whether in a human’s daily life or a horse’s training and behaviour.

Understanding how both horses and humans learn can promote a more mindful approach to practice. It empowers individuals to engage in deliberate practice that not only fosters skill acquisition but also enriches the learning experience altogether.

Being aware of how repetitive patterns form provides insight into improving training and educational experiences. The next time you approach a practice session for yourself or with a horse, remember it's not just about doing it right once; it’s about practicing in a way that makes it permanent.

In the journey of mastering a skill, always strive for quality practice, as it creates positive pathways that serve the learner—whether on two feet or four.