UNDERSTAND HORSES

Many domesticated horses experience fear and trauma at some point in their lives. Horses with a history of trauma from injury, accident, or mistreatment are often trained using methods that are at best ineffective, and at worst cruel, resulting in unwanted and dangerous behaviour.

Trauma may create changes in the horse’s nervous system which can increase fear responses. These behaviour changes may seem unpredictable and frustrating, but they can be understood and reversed if the trainer is equipped with the correct knowledge and appropriate techniques.

This accredited certificate course, from neuroscientist and equine behaviour consultant Dr Emma Lethbridge, examines how fear and trauma can affect the horse and how to resolve the resulting problems in a compassionate and welfare-focused way. You will benefit from a thorough understanding of how horses think and behave if they are frightened or traumatised as well as learning the practical skills necessary to train and handle horses more effectively.

 You will learn:

• About fear and trauma and their implications for working with horses

• The psychology and neurobiology of fear and trauma in the horse

 • About the horse's fear response and how it affects the body

• How the 'fight' or 'flight' systems work

 • How trauma affects the horse physically and emotionally

• How post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect the horse

• How to work in a trauma-informed way

• How to rehabilitate a horse affected by fear and trauma

• How to create an appropriate behaviour modification plan

 • How to work with horses that have been abused, neglected or mistreated

• Which techniques can increase the horse's fear responses and why

• How to develop effective and welfare-orientated husbandry and training techniques

 • Practical techniques to resolve problems that arise when handling frightened horses

This course is accredited by Rural Skills. 

The course is aimed at horse owners, students and equestrian professionals who are interested learning about the neurobiology, psychology and practicalities of working with fear and trauma in the horse.

The course runs for 8 weeks.

During the first 2 weeks you will be required to complete the 'Working with Fear and Trauma in Horses' content (included in this course at no extra cost).

In the following 6 weeks you will need to complete a written essay and a case study presentation, with personal instruction from Emma. To achieve accreditation your work will be assessed with a minimum pass mark of 75%.

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.