ROSA VERWIJS: Food for Thought: How Feed Impacts Behaviour
Equine behaviour consultant, university lecturer and researcher Rosa Verwijs discusses how diet can impact the behavioural wellbeing of the horse and has the potential to contribute to behavioural issues. Rosa considers whether we are meeting the horse's behavioural needs in terms of food provision, the impact of diet-related clinical conditions on behaviour, the gut-brain-axis, the role of diet in stereotypy development, and how to manage horses with gastrointestinal issues in a way to maximise both physiological and psychological welfare.
JUSTINE HARRISON: Is Humane Training Achievable?
Equine behaviour consultant and trainer Justine Harrison discusses whether training can be ‘humane’. A well-trained horse is a necessity, not a luxury. However, we must recognise that the way we train, work and interact with the horses we meet can have profound and lasting effects. It can also mean the difference between good and bad welfare. In this talk Justine discusses how we can ensure it is easy for the horse to learn and at the same time create positive associations with people, the training process and any routine husbandry necessary.
TRUDI DEMPSEY: Do Horses Need to Make Mistakes to Learn?
Equine behaviour consultant and trainer Trudi Dempsey discusses how we can improve our training using errorless training environments. She compares the science of learning to the reality of the horse world and shares insights that will allow you to train faster, cleaner, and importantly with less stress for your horse. Regardless of the training system you use there will be ways to add an errorless concept to your toolkit and boost your training potential.
ROBIN FOSTER: Stand Still and Take it: The Low Stress Co-operative Way
Equine behaviour consultant and university professor Robin Foster looks at how we can improve routine handling and health care. Getting a horse to stop moving can be a source of behaviour problems, for example when trimming hooves, mounting, and giving injections. A horse that steps away or becomes aggressive can be frustrating and potentially dangerous. Training ‘stand still’ behaviour helps insure safe and efficient handling. Success begins by understanding why the horse is evasive, and then using low-stress handling techniques.
LAUREN FRASER: Using Constructional Approaches with Horses
Equine behaviour consultant and trainer Lauren Fraser looks at how to address unwanted fear- and aggression-based behaviours by using constructional approaches. This evidence-based, low-stress approach does several things: it gets to the heart of why the horse is behaving the way they are, it reduces the frequency and intensity of the behaviours viewed as problematic, and it teaches the horse how to engage in behaviours viewed as more desirable instead.
SAM OSBORN: Co-op Care for Needle-shy Horses
Equine scientist Sam Osborn looks at how we can train our horses to co-operate with potentially aversive procedures, such as injections. The idea is that we can give our horses information about what we want them to do by setting up the environment and cues that then enables the horse to make a choice on when they are ready to participate, or to even say ‘no’ if they are not comfortable.
This short lecture was presented as an introduction to a practical demo.
BEHAVIOUR CASE STUDIES
ABIGAIL ALLEN:
Equine behaviour consultant Abigail Allen discusses one of her cases involving a 3 yr old Welsh x Arab filly displaying dangerous fear-based escape behaviours
Students from the BSc (Hons) Equine Behavioural Science at Writtle University College present the case studies they conducted for their final year Capstone Project:
CHLOE CAMPBELL:
Chloe discusses her case study addressing food aggression in a 4 yr old Thoroughbred gelding
ANNA KODICEK:
Anna discusses her case study improving the catching behaviour of a 9 yr old Paso Fino mare
HANNAH SAUNDERS:
Hannah discusses her case study helping a 9 month old colt overcome their fear of the farrier
