This unique training programme is delivered over 20 weeks by horse trainer and behaviourist Trudi Dempsey, who has more than 30 years experience training horses and horse owners.
This comprehensive course provides the knowledge and practical skills necessary to become a skilled horse trainer who can effectively train and support equines and their human caregivers.
It covers a wide range of training objectives, from specific tasks to general behaviours, and includes equine learning theory, non-ridden activities, preparation for ridden work, and essential husbandry care practices.
Selected course content is also provided by equine behaviourist Justine Harrison.
Students will benefit from a thorough understanding of how horses learn and how to safely and effectively apply a wide range of training techniques while ensuring optimal equine welfare.
You will learn how to:
• Apply the principles of equine learning theory and its practical application
• Train a variety of tasks including in-hand and preparation for riding
• Creatively apply positive reinforcement techniques for a range of clients
• Use chains and sequences to reduce reinforcement without stress
• Create cooperative care protocols for low stress husbandry
• Recognise and improve your creative training skills
• Set up the best training environment for your learner to succeed
• Coach humans in training their equines
• Create safe and effective training plans tailored to your learners
• Support the client relationship
• Interpret equine body language and behaviour
• Build duration and distance in the behaviours you train
• Add cues and put behaviours under stimulus control
• Employ errorless learning techniques
• Apply frameworks that prioritise positive reinforcement-based techniques
• Troubleshoot problems your client may have
• Collect data to support training
• Conduct in-person and remote training sessions
• Set up, market and develop your business
This course is accredited by Rural Skills.
The programme is aimed at horse owners, students and equestrian professionals who are interested in working as a professional equine trainer. Participants are required to have a solid understanding of horse handling and general training principles.
The course runs for 20 weeks.
To achieve accreditation your theory and training assignments will be assessed with a minimum pass mark of 75%.
You will need access to at least one horse to train yourself and also one horse and human client pair for your training assignments.
Please note: We provide the materials and guidance to help prepare you for assessment, but we do not guarantee that all students will succeed.
All course material will be available for 30 days after the course has finished.
