Horse Behaviour Problems
I am taking on new clients
Get Started
1. Contact me to arrange a free, no-obligation 15 minute phone call where we discuss how I can best help you and your horse. You can reach me via Calendly to book a call or my contact form.
2. Get your horse, pony, donkey or mule checked by your vet (if you haven't already done this of course!). We can't train pain, and illness and pain affect our horse's emotional lives with consequence for their behaviour. In some cases very stressed and anxious horses benefit from medication that only your vet can prescribe. Your vet will need to refer you and your horse to me and forward their medical history via the vet referral form. In may cases the vets I work with regularly will have already done this by the time we first speak.
3. Give me some extra detail on your equine's behaviour. Please complete this behavioural questionnaire and send me some video of your equine’s behaviour as directed in the questionnaire wherever possible. It will take you around 20 minutes to do so and will help me get a clearer picture of your horse’s life and problems. Once you have submitted your questionnaire you will then be asked for payment for your initial consultation.
4. We meet! This will either be in person or virtually in a Zoom meeting. Zoom meetings are really useful for getting the ball rolling for me to take your equine's case history, understand how and why they feel, think and behave, and set up your bespoke behaviour plan. They are also great for follow-up in some cases. You can choose between an initial consultation on Zoom with a follow-up in person, or vice versa. You can also have your initial consultation and follow-up all in-person or all on Zoom depending on the nature of the problem.
5. You receive your behaviour report, action plan and additional informational material, then we meet again for a follow-up session before moving on to regular communication on our agreed behaviour support plan and keep you moving forward.
My aim for any behavioural case is to improve the quality of life for both horse and owner – through changing behaviour and promoting safety and welfare for horses and humans. This means I'll be helping you to:
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Create and/or improve horse friendly management
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Use evidence-based training methods that help you and your horse feel calm, safe, and clear about what you're being asked
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I’ll also help you to read and respond to your horse’s body language for better communication
By promoting you and your horse’s confidence through individually tailored least stress management, clear communication and reward-based training, I will help you avoid causing or increasing stress and fear.
Types of cases typically seen:
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Handling issues: catching, leading, barging, pulling away, failure to cooperate with clipping, farriery and veterinary procedures.
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Problems with loading and travelling, fearful or dangerous behaviour at shows and events.
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Aggressive behaviour to people and/or other horses – biting and kicking.
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Stress related behaviour, anxious and fearful horses, separation anxiety, and stable vices such as cribbing and weaving/box walking.
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Ridden problems such as napping, bucking, rearing, bolting, nervous and spooky behaviour.
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Weaning and socialising issues in foals and young horses. Problems with early training.
I also specialise in rescue horses and the problems that these horses can present, such as the results of severe trauma.
