A full list of services offered is given below.

Please note that where a visit is requested, for clients within a 15 mile radius of Dunblane there will be no charge for travel. A charge of 40p per mile will be made for
every additional mile of travel outside this area; costs will be reduced where possible by combining visits.

Evening and weekend appointments can be arranged at no extra charge. Appointments can usually be made within 1 - 2 weeks and urgent cases can be seen sooner.
Interim support and advice for managing the problem prior to the appointment will be given as necessary.
FULL CASE HISTORY AND ASSESSMENT £65.

If your horse’s behaviour is concerning you, this is the most effective way of finding
the root cause of the behaviour and an appropriate solution to the problem. Some of
the benefits of taking the time initially to thoroughly assess the problem are :
  • It saves time in the long run, taking you straight to effective solutions to the
    problem, which are appropriate for you and your horse.
  • It is better for your horse's welfare, avoiding inappropriate or confusing
    training
  • If there are signs that the behaviour is caused by pain or some physical issue,
    this is much more likely to be recognised and dealt with appropriately using
    this approach.

The case history typically takes 1 to 1 ½ hours, taking details on the specific
problem, and relevant background information such as your horse's management,
history, exercise routine, behaviour in routine tasks and when ridden. It is often
possible to make a diagnosis purely on the basis of this history, and this is sometimes
necessary if it is difficult or dangerous to repeat the 'problem' behaviour. Where  it is
safe and informative, the case history will be followed by up to 1 hour of assessment.
The assessment may cover areas such as :
  • Observing some or all of the problem behaviour
  • Observing ridden behaviour
  • Observing your horse during routine tasks such as leading, grooming and
    tacking up
  • Observing your horse's body language and reactions throughout the
    assessment

Please note that during assessment, you will never be asked to do anything you do
not feel safe, happy and confident to do.

Following this visit a detailed written report will be provided, including  
  • Key points in reported history
  • What signs were seen during the assessment
  • Opinion on nature of the problem
  • Advice
  • Prognosis

In cases where retraining is required, a written training programme will be provided.
The training programme will be very detailed, clearly specifying every step to be
carried out, and also giving clear advice on safety, any equipment and facilities
required and so on. If you don't want a written training programme, and would
prefer assisted training sessions (as described below), the first session will be free of
charge.

You may want to combine a written training programme with assisted training
sessions; for example having a session or two initially before working on your own.

Email and telephone support is available after your consultation, free of charge.  
BEHAVIOUR 'HEALTH CHECK' £30
Often there are ‘early warning signs’ before a horse’s behaviour reaches a
point where it seriously concerns their owner. As with medical problems,
prevention is definitely better than cure, so I also offer a behaviour ‘health
check’ which will involve :

  • Taking a brief history of your horse, including daily routine, any
    physical problems, previous issues with behaviour, details of how
    he responds to routine tasks such as catching, grooming, leading,
    loading and tacking up and ridden behaviour as appropriate
  • Assessment of behaviour in hand, during routine tasks such as
    catching, grooming, tacking up and leading and ridden assessment if
    appropriate

This assessment should take about an hour. You would only be asked to do
what you feel safe, happy and confident to do with your horse during the
assessment.

Following the assessment, a written report will be provided including
  • Discussion of your horse's behaviour (and, where relevant, the
    reasons for his behaviour) as observed and recorded on the day
  • Recommended changes that could be considered with clear
    guidance on the reasons for, and benefits of, the proposed changes.

This service could also be of interest if you are interested in knowing more
about your relationship with your horse, what his behaviour towards you
means, and how to improve your relationship.

Please note that this service is only appropriate if you do not have any
serious concerns about your horse’s behaviour. If you do have a particular
problem you would like resolved, a full case history and assessment will be
advised in order to treat the problem effectively.
VIDEO ASSESSMENT/DISTANCE WORK
Although in most cases it is preferable to visit the horse and observe his
behaviour first hand, in some circumstances the only practical way to
proceed may be by email and/or phone interview, possibly combined
with video assessment. Please contact me if you are interested in this;
price will be dependent on requirements, and will be clearly stated
before any chargeable work is undertaken. Prices start from £20 per
hour for phone consultations.
TRAINING IN HANDLING AND EQUINE BEHAVIOUR -
OWN HORSE NOT REQUIRED! £20 (for 45 minutes)

If you do not own a horse, or would like some practice and instruction
handling other horses, you can book a session at my yard. I have a good
variety of horses available to work with, from older, more experienced
and quiet horses, to a rather cheek young exmoor pony, providing
something for all levels of experience.

This would be ideal if you have had riding lessons, and are thinking of
buying a horse, but would like some help other areas of horse ownership
and handling, if your horse is currently unable to work (box rest etc), or if
you are having some problems handling and would like to improve your
technique on a less challenging horse.
Felicity George BSc MPhil SEBC PTC

Equine Behaviour Consultant
phone : 07884 030533
email : felicity@equinecarecentre.com
PRE-PURCHASE BEHAVIOUR ASSESSMENT £30

Buying a horse is a big decision, and it is worth taking your time and seeking professional advice to ensure that you make a good choice. It is always advisable to
have a horse vetted before buying it, to assess its physical well-being. However, assessment of a horse’s suitability in terms of temperament and behaviour is often
overlooked, and many problems arise because of this.

Even experienced riders will often have a ‘type’ of horse they are more comfortable with – some may be used to, and comfortable around, a slightly nervous and
reactive horse whilst  others may be adept at managing more confident, pushy personalities but would not enjoy dealing with a horse who leaps sideways at every
leaf blowing down the road! Some buyers are looking for a ‘project’ horse and would welcome a bit of a challenge, others want a quiet, well-schooled horse to enjoy
relaxing leisure time with.

Unless you are getting a horse on loan first, the time you have to assess his temperament and behaviour will be quite limited. It takes experience and a good
knowledge of horse behaviour to make such an assessment, sometimes based on fairly subtle signs. It can also require some experience to gather relevant
information from the seller about the horse’s history and current behaviour.

A pre-purchase assessment will include evaluating:
  • The horse’s attitude to people, with particular emphasis on the interactions between you and the horse. For example, how much attention does the horse pay
    to people? Is he relaxed and willing to listen to you, or is he paying attention because he is nervous or because he is hoping for a carrot! Is he genuinely quiet
    and well-mannered, or has he just become rather dull and unresponsive to people? If the horse is ‘cuddling up’ to you, gently nudging or nibbling at you, is
    he simply being friendly or should this be a concern, being an indication of more difficult ‘confident’ behaviours such as barging or nipping?
  • The horse’s attitude to the type of work you would require of him (e.g. flat work, hacking out alone, jumping) – is he relaxed and co-operative in his work, or
    are there signs of tension or resistance? Does he fully understand what is being asked of him?
  • Behaviour during routine management tasks such as catching, tacking up and grooming – it’s no good having a great riding horse if you can’t catch him, and
    his ‘manners’ during handling are important for your confidence and safety, particularly if you are not very experienced.
  • How safe does this horse appear to be for you to handle and ride?
  • If there are some behavioural issues, how serious are they, and would you be confident and happy to manage or resolve them?
  • I may also be able to advise on other issues, for example checking tack fit and condition and advising on whether the saddle or bridle should be bought if this
    is on offer

A written report following the assessment can be provided, for an additional charge of £15.
ASSISTED TRAINING SESSIONS £20 (for 45 minutes)

Following assessment, if retraining is required, you may feel that assisted training
sessions would be helpful. It can be very useful to get immediate feedback and
support, particularly if you are developing new skills. You can choose between
assisted training sessions or a written training programme, or a combination of the
two.

However, you do not have to have problems with your horse's
behaviour to book a training session!
You may also like to book a session to:
  • Improve your handling skills
  • Understand more about what your horse is 'saying' to you and improve
    communication
  • Clarify and improve your relationship with your horse
  • Learn more about how horses think and learn, to improve your training
    technique, both ridden and on the ground
  • Learn effective and kind techniques for teaching your horse new skills
  • Improve your ridden work - understanding more about how your position
    and aids really influence your horse and what his responses mean can help
    you to reduce tension, increase responsiveness, improve performance and
    make riding more pleasant and harmonious for you and your horse.