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| Felicity George BSc MPhil SEBC PTC Equine Behaviour Consultant phone : 07884 030533 email : felicity@equinecarecentre.com |
Below are some links to short videos.
All videos were taken using horses at my yard, not client's horses.
None show any wild drama; it is pretty rare to capture such genuine moments on video, these horses are
rarely anything but calm, and it would unkind and unnecessary to try and provoke extreme reactions.
Also, none of the videos are intended to show wildly impressive feats in handling or riding horses. In the vast
majority of cases, my aim is to diagnose the problem, then show the owner how to fix it, providing as much
support is necessary. Therefore, the techniques that I commonly use, and demonstrate in these videos, should
be things that most horse owners could achieve for themselves.
All videos were taken using horses at my yard, not client's horses.
None show any wild drama; it is pretty rare to capture such genuine moments on video, these horses are
rarely anything but calm, and it would unkind and unnecessary to try and provoke extreme reactions.
Also, none of the videos are intended to show wildly impressive feats in handling or riding horses. In the vast
majority of cases, my aim is to diagnose the problem, then show the owner how to fix it, providing as much
support is necessary. Therefore, the techniques that I commonly use, and demonstrate in these videos, should
be things that most horse owners could achieve for themselves.
- A look at the types of relationships horses have with each other, and what this can tell us about the sort of
relationship we would want with our horses. Should we behave like horses?
- A video showing how understanding your horse's actions and knowing how to respond to them in a way he
will understand can make a big difference to his behaviour. Here, Eileen is leading Tigger - he likes to take
over where possible, and in the first clip he is nipping at her, ignoring her, and moving into her space - she
is having quite a hard time managing him. The second clip shows the change in his behaviour after a
couple of sessions with Eileen; she now understands what he is doing and why, and how to respond to him
to make it clear that she is in charge without being rough or applying any unnecessary pressure. The
picture is much more relaxed and harmonious. Leading Tigger
- Just a wee example of clicker training, and how quickly you can shape a horse's behaviour : 'Look behind
you!'
- Another (more useful!) example of clicker training - this time to train Elvis (a young exmoor pony) to stand
still while his leg is being hosed. 'Bath time for Elvis'
- At their last dental check-up, I was advised that one of my elderly horses ('Paddington Bear', in his mid
twenties) would benefit from having his mouth rinsed out daily. He was pretty suspicious about the
drenching syringe, so rather than trying to force it on him, I spent a little time training him to like the
process... 'Paddy's Teeth'
- This is just a silly clip - I was training my horse Tigger to 'laugh' (actually the Flehmen response) when I
told a joke. It all got a bit much and I couldn't keep a straight face! 'Tigger laughing'
- Tigger has a cluster of sarcoids around his eye that need to be treated. One growth is very close to the
eye and the cream I am using is powerful and could seriously damage his eye if it got into it. So he needs
to keep his head very still. This could be done using sedation, but with treatments required twice a week
for three months this is not a good option. This video show one of the huge benefits of developing a
trusting relationship with your horse; it shows the cream being applied while Tigger keeps his head nice
and still, unrestrained. 'Tigger's eye - the benefits of a trusting relationship with your horse'
- An example of two horses play fighting - these two are good friends, this is not serious aggression or
anything to be concerned about. 'Tigger and Elvis play fighting'
- A short clip to demonstrate the typical behaviour of a horse who is trained using clicker training. The
purpose of this clip is to show that using treats correctly in training does not make horses nippy, over-
excited or otherwise difficult, as many people believe. Although in the initial stages of training they may try
to grab for treats, this behaviour will soon vanish when it doesn't earn them a reward. 'Does clicker training
with treats make your horse nippy?'
- A look at what may happen if you lead your horse from in front of his shoulder, without thinking about what
you are doing! 'Follow the Leader??'
- An example of a good contact with the bit (from a behaviour point of view). 'A Good Contact (on a lazy hack
out!)''
- Any equipment (halter, bridle etc.) you attach to your horse's head should be used for communication, and
should not become a source of ongoing conflict between you and your horse. This video simply shows a
student practising an exercise to develop his feel for a good contact. Practising contact on a horse 'at
liberty' (bending head and neck)
