My Professional Horse Trainer Certificate Course is now open for 2026 and there is a scholarship place available with applications closing at the end of November.
https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/professional-horse-trainer-certificate
In this episode I’m delighted to be joined by Nicky Ross, an equine behaviourist with over 20 years of experience. Nicky specialises in exploring and nurturing the horse–human relationship and teaches equine behaviour both online and at home in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, where she lives alongside her herd of Shetland ponies.
Her recent case study, published with CABI, explores how developing agency and giving horses the ability to make meaningful choices, can enhance the bond between horses and humans. Through her “Pony Adventure Walks,” Nicky invites her ponies to choose whether to take part, which route to follow, and even which person they’d like to accompany.
Nicky’s work challenges us to reimagine what partnership with horses can look like when we truly listen to their voices.
Find Nicky in all these places:
https://www.facebook.com/horseplayhighlands/
https://www.instagram.com/horseplayhighlands/
https://www.youtube.com/@horseplayhighlands
https://www.tiktok.com/@horseplayhighlands
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-ross-950730326/
In conversation with-Irith Bloom certified professional trainer, behavior consultant and TAGteacher.
I hope you enjoy the conversation I had with friend and colleague Irith about training and behaviour including, parallels between horses and dogs and much more.Irith Bloom, author, presenter, trainer, and teacher, owns The Sophisticated Dog, a company that provides both peer-to-peer and trainer-to-pet-family services worldwide, as well as in-person training to select clients in Los Angeles. Along with Dr. Kristina Spaulding, Irith co-founded and is faculty at Carefree Companion, a program that helps people teach greater stress resilience and better emotional regulation to their non-human animal companions. Irith has been training animals since the 1980s and has worked with animals ranging from chickens and rabbits to dogs and horses—not to mention humans. A biologist by training, Irith is fascinated by the science of learning. She is a sought-after presenter at conferences and
seminars worldwide, and her writing has been published in countless online outlets, as well as in print media including her book “Your Puppy and You: A step-by-step guide to raising a freak'n awesome dog.” Irith is a CPDT-KSA, CBCC-KA, CDBC, VSPDT, KPA CTP, CSAT, CBATI-KSA, and a Fear Free Certified Practitioner (FFCP - Trainer). She is also certified in TAGteach, a positive-reinforcement method for teaching humans. Irith has a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Pennsylvania. She is faculty at both Victoria Stilwell Dog Training Academy and Fenzi Dog Sports Academy, on the Board of Directors of the IAABC Foundation, a member of the Advisory Board for Pets for Vets, Chair Emeritus of the Education Committee of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and a former CCPDT Board Member. She also volunteers for National English Shepherd Rescue. Irith lives in Los Angeles. She is between dogs at the moment, but shares her home with a well-behaved spouse.
Courses at https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/people/786-people/faculty/37995-irith-bloom
Irith on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheSophisticatedDog/
We often think of positive reinforcement as the only that can be shaped but could behaviour produced using negative reinforcement be shaped too? In this episode, I explore what constructional training is, how CAT protocols use R- to build functional skills, and where R- stops serving the learner and starts serving the trainer. Spoiler: for me it’s all about whose needs the behaviour is meeting.
As humans we might perceive many reinforcers in our world from edible delicacies to buying new clothes but often we feel limited with finding different reinforcers for our horses. This is a hypothetical discussion about using a 'time to relax' or 'giving a break' as a reinforcer.
https://www.equine.training/my-courses/ for my courses.
We consider your questions on:
Hunter training- balance and more
Choice vs Structure in training
Listening to horses
Reinforcers failing
Techniques we stole from dog trainers
X-species training
If you didn't catch the webinar you can do so at this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd-rr-4HLVY
Thanks to those who asked some brilliant questions.
In my equine scent work session with Rum this week, I made a mistake that really highlighted the need for an errorless approach. He indicated on the wrong container, the blank without odour (in theory) and my instinct, was to offer no reinforcement, and redirect him to the search. Not really an errorless approach. In an errorless framework, we don’t let the learner practise mistakes. Instead, we set up the training so they always have a clear path to success. In scent work, that means making the right choice easy and reinforcing it well, while using free food to reset if they make an unexpected response. When Rum got it ‘wrong,’ the real error was mine, my container was potentially contaminated. I should have dropped food to reset and adjusted the setup to prevent it happening again. It’s about guiding the learner rather than correcting them, so they’re always working in a space where success is inevitable.
trudi@equine.training if you have questions
Please recommend the podcast, share it and like it.
In this episode my friend and colleague Katrina Per-Carruthers unpick some training fails and discuss solutions that are horse centred.
Mounting block problems, fence refusal and unwillingness to go forward were in our sights this time. If you have topics you'd like us to cover then do drop me a message.
Katrina Per-Carruthers lives in British Columbia, Canada where she trains a variety of species. Katrina has been a coach for over 15 years and is a passionate advocate for the use of humane training methods to improve animal welfare.
Find Katrina here:
https://www.instagram.com/leviosaequine
I don't always recommend clicker training as a first option when I start working with a new client. Why? Well take a listen as I talk through a specific example and explain ways that I might add some R+ based training without the pressure of the trainer carrying food and having to be great at timing and mechanics.
How do I square this with working inside a LIMA framework?
As always questions and comments are welcome!
Email me at trudi@equine.training
The topic of male horses 'dropping' when training with food (clicker training) has reared its head again- I'm glad because it is a topic we need to consider.
In this short episode I will explain (again) why I don't think we should brush this topic under the carpet!
Warning- I talk about penises in this episode.
If you want help with your horse dropping or over threshold when training with food- get in touch, trudi@equine.training or www.equine.training
In this episode Dr. Katerina Junghansova (Kate) and I chat about cooperative care for horses. Kate is an equine veterinarian, lifelong equestrian, animal lover, and the founder of an educational project called VetCareTraining. Her mission is to promote safe, and ethical horse handling and training. She is really passionate about equine cooperative care, and she thinks it´s the future of equine health care. In her project, she offers online courses and individual online consultations. She also teaches clinics and seminars focused on helping horse owners, as well as equine professionals, handle horses in an easier, safer, more effective, and more ethical way during daily care, veterinary or husbandry procedures, and other real-life situations.
Find Kate:
In this final short episode on target training I delve a little deeper into how and when I use targets in my training.
Questions? Comments? Drop me a message or email trudi@equine.training
The third (hop back and listen to the first two if you haven't yet) in the clicker training targets mini series.
In this one I discuss when I use targets in my training from cognitive enrichment to training movement.
If you want to learn how to train in this way then join me on my accredited professional trainer course in 2025 https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/horse-trainer-foundation-certificate
Drop me any questions trudi@equine.training
The second (hop back and listen to the first if you haven't yet) in the clicker training targets mini series.
In this one I discuss planning and setting up the behaviour- essential for all training.
If you want to learn how to train in this way then join me on my accredited professional trainer course in 2025 https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/horse-trainer-foundation-certificate
Drop me any questions trudi@equine.training
My Understand Horses Trainer's course https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/horse-trainer-foundation-certificate
My IAABC Foundation course https://iaabcfoundation.org/courses/equine-discomfort-ethogram/
My IAABC Foundation Journal article on targets
https://journal.iaabcfoundation.org/target-training-for-horses-hit-or-miss/
In this episode I talk to Chess about her journey with Gambit her young Exmoor pony. I met them when she needed help with his behaviour and the two have been a real joy to work with.
My new accredited trainer course is now live at Understand Horses
https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/horse-trainer-foundation-certificate
Check out my IAABC Foundation course here https://iaabcfoundation.org/courses/equine-cooperative-care/
It will come as no big surprise that intentionally combining positive and negative reinforcement isn't something I'm huge on. I was surprised to hear experts/academics lack of understanding regarding things like shaping and backchaining and reducing reinforcement without frustration.
It's a bit ranty :)
As a young horse trainer I was very aware of creating situations where the horse could 'guess' the behaviour- we called it anticipation. Back in those days I didn't know about using reward based training but anticipation was a great way to create a willing and enthusiastic horse. Sadly some of the old ways haven't been passed on- in some cases that's a good thing, in others I think it means we lose a little of the common horse sense.
Join me in considering how we can motivate horses and be better trainers.