Why do people see this as reward?

E

EquineGurl

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Why does everyone pat their horse as a reward? I mean everyone at my barn always pats their horse, and at every show I've seen or watched on TV the riders pat their horses. Why does everyone think it is a reward to be slapped on the neck? I mean, the point of reward is to show the horse he did well, so he will repeat the behavior, right? And patting is just a muted version of slapping...a reprimand. I mean, this animal can feel a fly land on him. I can't imagine being slapped like that can feel too great to such a sensitive animal. I've heard being patted echoes in the horses ear, in fact one of my friends used to pat her green Arabian mare when she spooked to "snap her out of it". That hardly sounds like the "good job" it's supposed to be...
So why does everyone do it?
 
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