Description
The Intelligent Horsemanship Zoom Horse Psychology Online course will be of interest to horse people of all abilities. It is taught live by Kelly Marks with support from IH Trainer, Sandra Williams, who is literally ‘in the field’ working with horses and owners every day. Gain a lifetime of equine knowledge from the comfort of your own home. Earn 6 BHS CPD Points. Also join members of the IH community and achieve a whole new understanding to fully enhance your time with horses.
The course has eight one hour lessons held on eight consecutive Tuesday evenings (one session per week) from 8:00pm – 9:00pm GMT. There is a extra time given for anyone to answer things that come up in the Chat as well as any additional questions. Sandra and Kelly are also available during the week to answer emails. Recordings will be available for students to watch for 7 days after each session.
Each week, you will also receive detailed documentation designed to support the week’s session and syllabus. These materials will include in-depth information on the weekly topic and optional homework tasks that allow you to delve deeper into the subject. Over the course of eight weeks, these resources will come together to form a comprehensive document. The weekly topics include:
The Syllabus:
- Week 1 – Pros and Cons of using food in equine training
- Week 2 – Recognising when it’s Pain not Brain with horses
- Week 3 – Behaviourism & Beyond Part 1
- Week 4 – Behaviourism & Beyond Part 2
- Week 5 – The Brain & Senses
- Week 6 – The Problem Solving Procedure
- Week 7 – How people (inadvertently) teach horses to be bad? (and how can we unravel this?)
- Week 8 – Solving Real Life ‘Horse Problems’
This structure ensures you have all the tools needed to engage with the material effectively and deepen your understanding of equine training and behaviour.
What Our Student’s Have To Say:
“Every Tuesday evening became the highlight of my week. I honestly looked forward to them.” – Lisa Waite
“The sessions on ‘pain or brain’ were particularly enlightening. It has completely changed the way I think.” – Tracey Brymner
“Professional, fun, and full of real-world knowledge — I learned something every single week.” – Joanne S.
“The homework helped me apply the learning straight away, and the interaction made it even more valuable.” – Sally Chapman
“It made me rethink how I deal with my horse every day — I finally understand why he reacts the way he does.” – Kate Hughes
…And many more, why not check out more reviews here?
Further Information:
Contact office@ihhq.net to discuss any of the courses – or how to use Zoom if you’re unfamiliar with it!
There will be certificates for students who complete at the end and this course.
This course is also worth 6 Continued Personal Development points with the BHS.
You will need to be a member of the Intelligent Horsemanship Association (if not already a member) to attend this course.
In the equine world it is common to find two types of courses, those that largely teach theory, and those that are heavily practically based. The problem with this siloed style of learning is that you might know all the theory, but not know how to “apply” this knowledge, or you might know certain training actions, but not fully understand why they are (or not) working. Intelligent Horsemanship’s Horse Psychology course is cleverly tailored to fill the unique gap between theory and practice. Kelly’s due diligence and connections with world leading experts ensures that the theory is current and on topic, whilst her involvement and connection to the horse training world means she really does know a practical solution for every situation. Whether you forgot to finish school, or you have a PhD I can guarantee that you will come home thinking WOW and energised with inspiration
Gerri Drought (verified owner) –
Life After the Online Horse Psychology Course…
Well, after 2 years and 2 months since the last of my ponies died, I finally have two old horses at home. I can see them from the kitchen window and also from the bedroom upstairs. It has been fascinating watching them settle in together. They didn’t know each other before. I try to interpret their behaviour using scientific terms from the course.
The biggest surprise is my (very) non-horsey husband has picked up on some of these terms and is giving me a constant report on what they are up to! I’ve even heard him telling a neighbour with the utmost confidence that one horse was showing ‘displacement’ behaviour when he was pawing the ground! Now isn’t it amazing that all these years of me explaining to him about how horses are, and how they react, etc, and he has barely even listened, but NOW he has terms to use; scientific labels, and he’s latched on with glee!
Thank you, IH; I think you might be saving my marriage; suddenly, he is interested!
Anyway, these two horses are like chalk and cheese. One is very dutiful and waits for cues from me as to where to go; the other works everything out in a hurry and has an astonishing survival instinct. They are living without much interference from me. I’m using a form of the Equicentral System; they have a lane way to walk to and from various fields; free choice to come into the barn for water, shelter, a snooze, breakfast, hay, etc. They just wander in and out all day, which is brilliant exercise for them and much less work for me. No headcollars or restrictions. I just observe and try to find the right scientific term to match their behaviour, before my husband does!
The Online Horse Psychology Course was brilliant in more ways than one….
Katie Jones (verified owner) –
A fantastic 8 week course with Kelly an Sand – I learnt so much, excellent resources provided, very supportive and communication between both was great! I would definitely complete another course. I loved it – Thanks so much
Maggie Jarrott (verified owner) –
I enjoyed the weekly meetings with Kelly and Sandra as they delivered the Online Horse Psychology Course. The course was delivered in an knowledgeable and informal, friendly manner. This made the expertise and experience that Kelly and Sandra share very accessible. Responses to ‘homework’ submitted was prompt and personalised and I was also able to contact Kelly for her advice/thoughts about a specific issue. The written course materials were excellent in content and layout, with lots of links to other resources.
Petra Ingram (verified owner) –
I wanted to write and thank you for the recent Horse Psychology course I attended. I have wanted to do this for several years, it was one of the reasons I joined the IH community but I had never found the time.
To be honest, it exceeded my expectations. The outcomes were perhaps a bit different for me, as I have been involved in equine welfare and behaviour for a number of years. However it gave me huge insight into the fantastic work you are doing to promote a better understanding of the horse to a wide community, especially at a time when our social licence is under the spotlight.
In the same way that Monty changed the way people thought about how they handle their horses, something you have continued to deliver alongside and beyond his demonstrations, I can confidently say this horse psychology course supported by your comprehensive explanatory notes, is changing the way people understand their horses. The level of engagement both on the chat during your sessions and after on the Whatsapp group, gave me a new insight into the fantastic work you are doing.
I just wanted to tell you how much I value what you are achieving for the welfare of the horse in all corners of the UK – thank you!
Simon Chadwick (verified owner) –
I wanted to say a big thank you to you both for hosting the equine psychology course. I really enjoyed it and have taken lots of learning and food for thought!
At present I am working with Adam Goodfellow – thank you IHHQ for the recommendation! We have made a strong connection and I am thoroughly enjoying learning from him… Phew, equine input from all directions..
Mary-Jane Cresswell (verified owner) –
Found the Horse Psychology course enlightening. I have totally changed the way I do some things, after 55 years a case of better late than never! The course was well structured and delivered in an enjoyable way.
Anne Silver (verified owner) –
I have just completed the eight week Horse Psychology course and was very impressed with the amount and presentation of the information, and the individual feedback we got.
Beth Trevis (verified owner) –
The Horse Psychology course was fantastic, very eye opening and has helped me ten fold. Kelly, Sandra and all the other IH team are absolutely fantastic and so knowledgeable.
I just wanted to let you know, I run the Pony Club at the Centre I work in (Shardeloes), and today I ran the learning theory badge for some of our members.
We started by watching some videos on the topic made by the Pony Club. I used what I’d learnt in the Online Horse Psychology course to help teach the girls about positive and negative reinforcement. They were struggling to understand that negative didn’t mean bad, so we used the maths terms, and they started to understand (and told me off for bringing maths into ponies!)
I set up a mini horse agility in the indoor school, inspired by the sessions I have taken part in hosted by Sandra Williams. We had two young and rather inexperienced ponies, both had done agility before, Juno and Ralph. We did lots of out breaths and let the ponies explore their environment. The scariest thing we had was a small strip of foil blanket for them to walk over. This started very small, neither ponies were happy about walking over it. The girls took what they had learnt with little guidance from me, encouraging the ponies over the scary thing with lots of calm and gentle voices, walking over it themselves to show it wasn’t a monster. Ralph was brave first; Juno was still scared. They thought, why not have Ralph go first with Juno following, which worked. By the end of the session, the foil blanket was fully extended, and the ponies were walking over it without a care.
They did a learning theory quiz at the end of the session, with three of them scoring 50/50 and two scoring 47.5/50.
I was so proud of the girls and how much they learnt in only 2 hours, and the improvement shown by the ponies. This is all down to the Online Horse Psychology course, so I just wanted to say a massive thank you to you both!
Suze Leonard (verified owner) –
I recently attended the 8-week online horse psychology course and can thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about how horses think. The course format delivered by Kelly, Sandra and team was friendly & fun and the information shared was based on reliable experience as well as the latest published facts – busted the horsey “old wives tales” & myths that are often circulated elsewhere! Great value for money and I really looked forward to the weekly Zoom sessions. Thanks so much!
Megan Crocker (verified owner) –
I joined the online horse psychology course and it was really informative. I would definitely recommend to anyone that is interested in looking more into the horse and whether a horse behaves a certain way, could actually be due to pain.
Understanding a horse might act out a certain way, could be because there is something else going on, not just them being ‘naughty’.
The ladies that ran the course were so lovely and explained everything really well. I liked that they used real scenarios to explain the topics. This helped me understand it more and relating it to some of my problems I’ve had with my horses.
A really good course. A shame that it’s finished. Each time, you always learn something new (I definitely did) 😀
Anthony Palmer (verified owner) –
This is a brilliant course presented by two people with a great store of practical knowledge and an obvious passion for the humane training and keeping of horses. You both have a lovely manner that makes me, very inexperienced in the horse world and I imagine others, feel fully included and treated as an equal. Your humility in admitting the limits of your knowledge increases your credibility. You have produced excellent supporting material and the self-assessment exercises are a further help to our learning.
Thank you for making all this knowledge and expertise available.
Emily Sanders (verified owner) –
Have just completed the Online Psycology course and the handling the untouched horse course and they were both fantastic. I have also recently done the 5 day foundation and loading the less easy horse courses.
I have learnt so much from all of them, it has literally changed my life and given me so much more confidence to go forward with a change in career to help problem horses. The detailed course notes means I can go over it all again if I need to remind myself and I know there is so much ongoing support if I need it via the office.
All the instructors, as always, are very approachable, supportive and are always making the content relevant to real life situations. I also love how on all the courses, everyone’s opinion is valid and it’s less about the students just copying the teacher but more a collaborative discussion to learn best practice for the benefit of the horse.
Highly recommend to anyone wanting a deeper understanding of horse behaviour and training.
Amanda Sunter (verified owner) –
Just wanted to say thank you for the course.
I could not join you live for the last 3 weeks but have caught up on all the support materials (which were excellent) and the recordings within each week and found it all very interesting, relevant and useful for the future.
What did I get out of it?
It made me sit back and think about what I am doing and what my horses are doing as a result. It made me realise that many of the things I have experienced with my 3 boys are not unusual and therefore I feel less ‘lonely’)
A couple of specifics that I was reminded of with your covered topics :
I have had a pony rear and go over on top of me (amazingly I survived unscathed, despite ECG saying I had had a heart attack) – what this course showed me is that I was not nearly careful enough and had not considered the dangers properly, while trying to help a young rider having trouble with ‘naughty horse’.
My Thoroughbred was very upset and miserable when I got him, but I did not know him well enough to recognise it and I really struggled to handle him, I reached the point where I thought he was too much for me (he was an ex-eventer, 17 and had been out on loan for a year before I got him). It took time (and visit from IH trainer) but he was a different horse 1.5 – 2 years on – but it took that long for him to come to trust me, I think. I am mentioning this in relation to your topic about matching horse and rider and sometimes making that hard decision, I am just glad I didn’t make it too early.
He was also frightened of donkeys but putting him in a field next to one worked wonders and he got over it.
He is a cribber/wind sucker – and I watched him ‘train’ a colt who kept him company for a few months – I am absolutely in the learned behaviour camp 😊.
Thank you Kelly and Sandra plus your back up team – much appreciated.
Lisa Waite (verified owner) –
I have just taken part in the on-line Horse Psychology Course hosted by Kelly and Sandra. It was an interesting and informative course, presented in a professional but light hearted way, which I honestly looked forward to every Tuesday. Thank you to all of the IH team for an enjoyable and enlightening course.
Jola Allaway (verified owner) –
I have recently completed an online 8-week course in horse psychology which has really helped me understand better a horse’s mentality. One of the key things I learned was how to distinguish between behavioural issues and physical ones (brain or pain). There were many hints and tips which were invaluable, each week there was preparation (homework) to be done and the sessions were interactive. There was also a WhatsApp group for participants to share information and ask questions. I would recommend.
Sandra Wilson (verified owner) –
I have really enjoyed this course. There were quite a few things I had forgotten until my memory was jogged! Things such as primary and conditioned reinforcers and behaviour chaining. I enjoyed all the quizzes as I felt doing these helped me remember more. I found week 5 on The Senses was very interesting, especially the sense of smell as one of the horses at the yard I am on is doing scent work, taught by the yard owner and a retired gentleman who trained dogs for scent work. The retired dog trainer said the horse had reached a level in a few weeks that it would take a dog to reach in a few months.
Laura Betney (verified owner) –
Thank you for your understanding Kelly ☺️ All being well, I’ll be there. The course is incredibly interesting, delivered by wonderful teachers and helping me to better understand and connect with our ponies 💗
Isa Lobo (verified owner) –
I have really enjoyed being a part of this eight week course and I have learned so much more about how horses think and what their persepective might be in different situations and how we can help them more by learning their language. I have really enjoyed reading through all of the extras you have sent out to everyone too and taking part in the mini quiz’s and tests 😄.
Wallis Allen (verified owner) –
I really enjoyed the sessions and hope to reflect on all I’ve learned with my new horse! Thanks to all, I hope to will attend other courses in the future.
Susan Young (verified owner) –
This course has significantly deepened my understanding of classical and operant conditioning, the use of food rewards, and the critical nature of timing in training. It also shed light on behaviour issues linked to pain, providing a framework for assessing and addressing underlying causes. The emphasis on safety and the holistic approach to horse management were particularly impactful.
Mark Hardie (verified owner) –
Thank you so much for having me on this course, as a newcomer to IH I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it’s been very informative and enjoyable. It offered a broad perspective on interacting with horses, highlighting the differences in cognition between horses and humans, and emphasizing the importance of thoughtful planning and incremental training objectives. The insights into behaviour management and the practical approach to problem-solving were invaluable.
Libby Breeze (verified owner) –
This course has been transformative in my approach to training my horse Stan, emphasizing the power of positive reinforcement. By incorporating variable reinforcement, we’ve made significant strides in confidence and behaviour outside the yard. The course also highlighted the importance of timing in rewarding desirable behaviours. The guidance on improving aids has made hacking out a joy. This experience has improved my confidence in my training approach, affirming that I’m on the right path with Stan.
Tracey Brymner (verified owner) –
The course has provided a plethora of insights into equine behavior and training, from the strategic use of food in training to the intricacies of behaviorism. The sessions on ‘pain or brain’ were particularly enlightening, offering a clearer understanding of physical versus behavioral issues in horses.
Ali Sullivan (verified owner) –
Firstly, I’d just like to say how much I have enjoyed the calls over the last few weeks. I have learned so much, and the way you have managed to weave the theoretical aspects of the course material together with some real-life practical examples has been invaluable, so thank you very, very much. My top reminders: from the methodology of addressing behavioural issues to the significance of understanding what truly motivates and rewards a horse. The importance of generalizing a horse’s learning has been a critical takeaway, enhancing my approach to training and horse care.
Kerri Stone (verified owner) –
The course’s focus on behaviourism was particularly enlightening for me. It provided a solid scientific foundation for understanding equine behaviour, enhancing my ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations with my horse. The quizzes reinforced my learning, making it more applicable to real-life scenarios. Additionally, the comprehensive overview of potential equine pathologies and their manifestations was invaluable. The practical insights offered by the instructors on understanding and solving behavioural issues were enlightening, though more real-life examples would further enhance the learning experience. Overall, the structured approach and the opportunity to review concepts through written materials significantly contributed to my understanding.
Tracey Brymner (verified owner) –
Thank you very much for the information – I am definitely enjoying the calls and finding them really interesting and enlightening!
Ali (verified owner) –
Thank you for all your hard work, a really interesting course.
Cath Dunnett (verified owner) –
Thank you for this evening, I particularly liked the bit about the donkeys and processing speed, as I could relate it to my horse Wilbur – perhaps he has some donkey / mule in him.
Melanie Whittaker (verified owner) –
Really enjoying the course so far. I just wanted to say thanks for an interesting and thought provoking course, I’ve learned a lot that I’ll be able to use to good effect when volunteering at Shy Lowen.
Janice Milne (verified owner) –
“What I think is great about Intelligent Horsemanship is that it brings the learning from the old and the new, taking all the best points and helping us develop the best partnership we can with our horses. Kelly Marks has that rare talent of being able to bring her practical experience, knowledge and to communicate in a way which inspires and encourages.
The learning material that is available on-line is excellent and covers a broad range of subjects. For those not able to participate in the courses in person the on-line courses/webinars are great. I am thoroughly enjoying the on-line Horse Psychology with Kelly and Sandra, they are excellent tutors and it’s nice also to feel part of the supportive IH community.
Julie Belsom (verified owner) –
Just completed the IH horse psychology course and would recommend to anyone! Have learnt so much about how my horse thinks and why. Kelly and Sandra did a brilliant job in guiding us all through a very complex subject and I am sure understanding my horse better will make a stronger partnership!
Cara Chapman (verified owner) –
The Horse Psychology Course was absolutely superb!
The content was really interesting and taught in manageable chunks, full of real life examples which made it really relateable.
I’ve come away with a much clearer understanding of what might be going on for a horse, particularly if it’s showing “problem” behaviour.
I’ve got a framework which I can apply to try to really get to the bottom of what might be going on for the horse and see what potential remedies there might be.
It’s really helped me with my own horse, but also giving advice and support to friends and I will certainly be offering insights to my coaching clients too!
Thank you for a brilliant course. I would totally recommend this to anyone wanting to get more clarity about horses and their behaviours.
Robyn Hunter (verified owner) –
The Horse Psychology Online course was such fun and so interesting and helpful. Thanks so much again. I’ve been inspired to really want to do the Perfect Manners course in August!
Susan Rice (verified owner) –
Hi Kelly
Really enjoyed the course and have lots of notes and useful material to dip in to for the future. Big thank you both for your time and input over the past 8 weeks. Evening webinars are a good use cold dark nights, but roll on spring! More chances to ride and spend quality time with our horses and not battling the elements in the freezing cold, sleet or howling wind.
All the best.
Helen Mc (verified owner) –
Hi Kelly/Sandra
It has been a fabulous journey with you and all the other participants. I’ve totally enjoyed every week and have learned so much. I’m so looking forward to June and completing all courses. Although I’m a quiet participant it sending homework ect . I can assure you I’ve totally taken it all in and will be sending🤠 Have a fabulous week and defo going to miss my Tuesday 8pm evenings with you all xx
Christine (verified owner) –
Hello Kelly
Just again to thank you for the interesting course … with new vocabulary too! I have to say when I say to people ‘neophobic’ they don’t always understand that word either! Thank you for answering our zillions of questions too. Hope to see you somewhere on a course again. Best wishes x
Katie-Lee (verified owner) –
I must say I loved the course and have put so much of the teachings into action and daily life. The last 2 weeks of webinars too with Claire and Ian, I have learnt so much. Thank you and much love
Amy-Dee (verified owner) –
Hi Kelly
Just wanted to say many thanks for the last 8 weeks. I feel like I’ve learnt a lot of detective skills, looking at the steps in assessing horses’ behaviour to work out why they do things. The week about “How would I get my horse to [kick/bite/nap/bolt etc]” was really useful in starting with the ‘problem’ and working backwards, to understand the reasons behind a horse behaving in that way.
Elisa (verified owner) –
Dear Kelly
Thank you very much for a very in depth, informative course that really got my brain cells working overtime, I will think of issues with an open mind and I know so much more about how the horse perceives our actions, now to put it into practice!
Thank you
Vicky (verified owner) –
Hi Kelly and Sandra Hope you’re both well! I just wanted to say I’m really enjoying our Tuesday school nights doing the horse psychology course. I admire the way you’ve adapted it from a classroom based format to online without losing the personal element, and it remains super educational and informative and something to look forward to each week!
Nathalie (verified owner) –
Thank you for the entertaining course last night. You made a complicated topic easy to digest 🙂 I especially enjoyed the coursework and the articles that you shared last week. All the research in the UK is fascinating!
The real life examples were really helpful. I usually fall asleep early but the material kept me up and entertained until after midnight
Juliet (verified owner) –
So sad it is the last one tonight! Thank you so much for the Course, it has been simply brilliant. Inspirational!!
Claudia (verified owner) –
The Horse Psychology Online course is amazing! Not only is it a fantastic way of learning from the comfort of your own home, I have learnt more about horse psychology in the last 8 weeks than I did from attending Equine college for 4 years! Just by changing my way of thinking, I have learnt a great deal about myself as well as the impact of what my actions have on my pony. I feel my bond with my pony has changed massively as I am now able to apply my newly found knowledge and I cannot wait to attend more courses in the future to continue my journey. Thanks again.
Louise (verified owner) –
Dear Kelly, Sandra & Sharron,Thank you all for the Horse Psychology online course, probably the best course I have ever done. Being online it was so good, especially for some of us who would have found it difficult to travel to a venue. It’s so lovely to learn more about the horses we love, so we can understand them more, and care for them the very best we can. I have always wanted to join you all on a course and really enjoyed this one, you were all so kind and helpful. Hope to see you all again sometime. Very Best Wishes, Thanks again 🙂