Top Marks – Making It Happen

This episode of “Top Marks” features a live demonstration addressing common horse behavioural issues. The programme showcases gentle, step-by-step techniques aimed at building horses’ confidence and trust to help them overcome specific anxieties.

The demonstration features work with three different horses: Cinnamon, who has a severe reluctance to load into a horse box; Henry, a competition pony who has developed a bolting habit; and Billy, a cob with a significant phobia of being clipped. The episode emphasises understanding the horse’s perspective, breaking down fears into manageable parts, and building a partnership based on mutual trust. The demonstration took place in Hampshire in 2020, with COVID-19 safety measures in place.

Viewers will se Kelly and team use various intelligent horsemanship techniques to address each horse’s specific challenges. With Cinnamon, Join-Up is used to understand his personality and build communication, followed by exercises involving stepping over a board and touching the horse box with his nose to address his fear incrementally. Henry’s bolting is addressed using a reassuring lead horse and Sandra Williams innovative “spook-busting” techniques. Billy’s clipper phobia is tackled using various acceptance training (desensitisations) tools.

Key Learning Points:

1. Patient and understanding approach: Addressing fear and anxiety in horses requires a patient and understanding approach that breaks down the problem into small steps. The work with Cinnamon’s loading issues, Henry’s bolting, and Billy’s clipper phobia demonstrates the effectiveness of gradual exposure and confidence-building exercises.
2. Identifying the root cause: Crucial for developing an effective retraining strategy is identifying the root cause of a horse’s behavioural problem, whether it’s a specific fear or a past negative experience.
3. Building trust and communication: Building trust and communication between horse and handler is fundamental to overcoming behavioural challenges. Techniques like Join-Up and consistent positive reinforcement create a partnership that enables the horse to feel safe and willing to learn.