Caroline Ritter on Horse Training, Cognitive Science, and Somatic Learning [Episode 65]

In this fascinating and thoughtful episode of the Making Ripples podcast, we welcome Caroline Ritter—a positive reinforcement horse trainer, a certified Feldenkrais teacher, and a true behavior nerd with an academic background in cognitive science.

Living and working in Vienna, Austria, Caroline shares her remarkable journey, starting from a life spent with horses, dogs, and cats, to her deep dive into learning theory through dog agility and clicker training. She discusses the pivotal moment that led her to switch her horses over to positive reinforcement, not out of necessity to solve problems, but from an ethical drive to improve communication and gentleness.

A key turning point in Caroline's training history was attending a behavior-focused camp where she experienced Feldenkrais for the first time. This somatic learning method, which focuses on movement and awareness, quickly became a core principle, filling a gap in how she applies positive reinforcement to her entire life—including her relationship with her own body.

Together, we explore the powerful synergy between positive reinforcement and the nonjudgmental, growth-focused principles of Feldenkrais:

• The Power of Nonjudgmental Observation: How both R+ and Feldenkrais emphasize realizing and appreciating your own patterns and automatic responses before trying to change them.

• From Negative to Positive Reinforcement: Caroline's analytical process of first dissecting her traditional, negative reinforcement-based riding cues (e.g., cue, reaction, release) before successfully transitioning her horses to R+ training.

• Feldenkrais in Animal Training: Applying the principles of balance, axis, and shared movement to her horse groundwork and even dog training, focusing on body awareness and nuances over verbal commands.

• Shaping Along the Movement Cycle: A deep discussion on the incredible precision and impact of when you choose to click, even in seemingly simple behaviors like walking.

• The Shared Intention: Moving toward a concept of working with animals where you have a mutual target or goal that goes beyond simply performing a shared movement.

• Disco Cavallo & Assisted Programs: The importance of designing horse-assisted programs that center the horse's initiative to ensure the animal benefits equally, avoiding the need for the animal to require "therapy after providing the therapy".

Caroline’s story is an inspiring reminder that the same curiosity, openness, and dedication we bring to training our animals can—and should—be applied to ourselves, paving the way for deeper connection and learning for all participants.

Links

www.feldenkrais.wien

[e-mail]

www.discocavallo.com

Instagram:

@florafauna_feldenkrais

@discocavallo

Facebook:

Caroline Ritter

@discocavallo