Why is a comprehensive history required before the consultation?

As an owner, you hold the most vital data regarding your horse’s daily life. While a behaviourist provides the scientific framework, your observations of the horse’s environment, management, and health history are the "missing pieces" of the puzzle. We use this information to perform a functional analysis, ensuring we aren't just looking at what the horse is doing, but why they are doing it.

Can we skip the history and start training immediately?

Addressing a behaviour without first identifying its root cause is ethically problematic and often counterproductive. If we attempt to modify a behaviour without understanding its origin, we risk:

• Symptom suppression: Masking the outward behaviour while the horse remains in a state of high physiological stress.

• Behavioural displacement: The unresolved issue manifesting as a new, often more dangerous, redirected behaviour.

• Welfare oversight: Failing to identify management or health-related triggers that require adjustment before any learning can take place.

A certified professional will always insist on this investigative stage to ensure the resulting modification programme is safe, sustainable, and tailored to your horse's specific needs.

How long does it take to see an improvement in my horse’s behaviour?

Every horse is an individual, shaped by a unique combination of genetics, management, and learning history. Much like students in a classroom, different horses will process new information and emotional shifts at varying speeds. While minor environmental adjustments can sometimes yield immediate results, there is no universal timeline for behaviour modification.

Expecting "quick fixes" often leads to temporary results that fail to address the underlying emotional state. Just as a structural repair requires more than a superficial patch to be safe and sustainable, resolving behavioural issues requires the systematic application of a tailored plan. We focus on long-term resolution and affective change rather than just "masking" symptoms. Patience and consistency are the most vital components of a successful outcome.

What are your methods informed by?

Practices are strictly rooted in equine ethology and learning theory, utilising the latest peer-reviewed research and evidence-based protocols. This ensures that the techniques used are not only effective but also ethically sound.

A professional behaviourist does not rely on anecdote, tradition, or personal opinion. Instead, we use a scientific understanding of equine neurobiology and psychology to create an unbiased, bespoke plan. By focusing on both the behavioural and physiological responses of the horse, we ensure the methods used are humane and designed to foster a secure bond between horse and owner. My goal is to achieve sustainable success through a deep understanding of how horses actually learn and perceive the world around them.