Do you Understand Horses? Equine behaviour experts to share their secrets

A full programme of lectures, practical demos and training workshops on horse behaviour, physiology and training is on offer at this year’s Understand Horses Live event, to be held at Writtle University College in Chelmsford, Essex.

The event had a successful debut last September, and this year, an international panel of experts, including equine behaviour consultants, academics, vets, physiotherapists and trainers, will lecture on a variety of topics on July 1. The theory will be put into practice the following day with the horses based at Writtle.

The event, aimed at horse owners, students and equestrian professionals interested in improving their knowledge and understanding of horse behavior, training, riding and physiology, is approved for CPD/CEU by the British Horse Society, International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) and the Karen Pryor Academy.

Understand Horses is an equine course platform, created by equine behaviour consultant Justine Harrison.

“We wanted to give the opportunity for our online course content providers and other guest experts to communicate directly with people who value a greater understanding of horse behaviour, training, riding and physiology,” Harrison said.

“It is a real bonus for us to be able to work with the horses based at Writtle University College so that we can show how the scientific theory works in a real-world practical way.”

This year’s presenters are veterinary behaviourist Roxane Kirton, behaviour consultants Robin Foster, Justine Harrison, Trudi Dempsey, Emma Lethbridge, Rosa Verwijs, Sooz Foster, Barbara Dreyer-Rowlands and physiotherapists Holly Gallacher and Yasmin Stuart.

The Saturday lectures include what’s new in behavioural science, understanding equine pain, managing equine aggression, resolving positive reinforcement training problems, trauma-informed training, wild mustang behaviour observations and exposure techniques to help fearful horses.

Sunday’s practical demos and training workshops include low-stress husbandry, assessing equine pain, techniques to help fearful horses, human skills for horse training, improving equine welfare, equine physiotherapy from a consent-based perspective and how to measure the effectiveness of enrichment.

» View the full event programme. Early-bird pricing for Saturday lecture tickets are £99, with weekend tickets £239. A buffet lunch and morning and afternoon teas are included. Book at the bottom of this page.