The Principles Of Horse Training

Course Overview

Have you ever wondered how expert trainers seem to effortlessly communicate with their horses, making training look fluid and natural? While “horse whispering” may sound like magic, the real secret lies in shaping and successive approximations—powerful techniques that help trainers create clarity and ease for their horses, resulting in soft, supple responses.

This course takes you through the science and art of shaping behaviours, showing you how to break down complex tasks into simple, achievable steps. Whether you’re teaching dressage movements, improving husbandry skills, or addressing problem behaviours, shaping helps you guide your horse smoothly through the learning process.

By enrolling in this course, you’ll gain the skills to train with precision and make progress more efficiently, turning those “wow” moments into a regular part of your training routine. Ready to take your training to the next level? Click Enrol Today to get started!

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£147.00

What’s inside?

  • Explore the art of shaping, a fundamental technique that transforms training into a seamless, step-by-step process. Learn how to use shaping to break down complex behaviours into manageable steps, guiding your horse towards desired responses with precision and clarity.

  • Discover how to create effective training plans tailored to both you and your horse. This topic covers the essentials of designing structured, goal-oriented plans that keep your training on track and ensure consistent progress.

  • Understand the role of primary and secondary reinforcers in shaping behaviour. Learn how primary reinforcers, such as food or praise, and secondary reinforcers, like a clicker or verbal cue, can be used to motivate and guide your horse through training.

  • Dive into reinforcement schedules, exploring how different patterns of reinforcement impact behaviour. This topic teaches you how to apply various schedules, such as fixed or variable ratios, to optimise your training effectiveness and maintain your horse’s motivation.

  • Learn about the NAC Training Matrix, a comprehensive tool for assessing and refining your training approach. This matrix helps you evaluate different training elements and adjust your strategies to better suit your horse’s needs and progress.

  • Identify the factors that can influence your horse’s training progress. From environmental conditions to emotional states, this topic helps you recognise and address elements that may impact your training outcomes.

  • Uncover the concept of superstitious learning, where animals form unintended associations between actions and rewards. Learn how to avoid reinforcing accidental behaviours and ensure your training remains effective and focused.

  • Equip yourself with strategies for troubleshooting training challenges. This topic provides practical solutions for common issues that arise during training, helping you resolve problems and maintain a positive learning environment for your horse.

Course Details

This course is an instant access course. Click the “Enrol Now” button and you will be taken to the checkout to process your payment.

Once you have completed the checkout, you will be sent your order confirmation and portal login details shortly after. If you have any questions or queries, please email [email protected].

There are no entry requirements for this course. It is for anyone owner or professional who is looking to better their practice and expand their knowledge.

We recommend you have experience with horses before taking this course, and would like to highlight that course involves technical language so being comfortable with written and spoken English will benefit your experience.

For your learning and development, there are quizzes throughout the course to allow you to self-assess your knowledge at multiple stages. This course is a non-assessed course and therefore does not lead to certification. 

This course is an informational course aimed at Owners to further knowledge and skills. Therefore, course is not accredited and does not provide certification.

This is a self study e-learning course, hosted on our bespoke learning platform. Once you sign up you will receive a login and access to the course, from there the lessons will be released weekly, allowing you to pace your learning however suits you best.

You will also gain access to the NAC Community App where all our students, past and present are able to discuss and debate course topics and ask the expert tutors questions. Whilst there is no direct contact with tutors for this course, they are active in the NAC Community and The NAC Team is also contactable through the Student Support box.

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