I’ve been very busy recently doing a bit of virtual spring cleaning, updating both my websites.

This one, spencehorsesense.com,  where this blog lives, has been long overdue a tidy up. Please do have a look through the pages via the menu above.

I’ve been busy planning this year’s calendar. As well as the Make A Difference event at Bransby Horses on Thursday 10th April,

Make a Difference Events

I’m also planning a series of workshops here in Northern Ireland. You can book on to any one individually, but they do build together so booking the whole series could be really useful in terms of making a training plan for you and your horse this year. Or if you prefer learning by observing others and then trying things out at home in peace and quiet, come along without your horse! We have plenty of unmounted spaces too.

The goal of the workshops is to help you develop better ‘Horse Sense’ by developing your eye and reading of body language and behaviour, learning how that integrates with learning theory and motivation, so that you can then improve the training experience for your horse. We will focus on how to better understand how to use positive reinforcement in training, along with the use of a marker signal such as a clicker.

I first started running workshops on this type of thing in 2004 and the horse world has come a long way in the years since. We are all much more aware of the value of using food in training, however it is very important to learn to do so in a careful and informed way. I was doing a talk for a branch of The Pony Club recently and showed them video of me using a clicker and food to train a horse. They were all particularly impressed by how polite he was around the food, how he didn’t mug me and was relaxed and happy to walk away from me and eat his hay when I told him the session was finished. If you would like to understand how you can train this way and the value it has both for you and your horse, then these workshops are definitely for you!

The workshops will be at Dukes Livery Stables and Cross Country, Portadown.

For more information just click on the link below:

Spence Horse Sense Events 2025

I am very grateful to Equine-X who are sponsoring the venue as part of their ‘Keeping it Real’ Ethos for horse wellbeing and performance.

• About Equine-X
  • A registered feed company and BETA Trade member based in Northern Ireland.
  • Home of CONNEXION®, a premium nutraceutical for tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage, and other equine connective tissues.

Premium Horse Supplement – Equine-X Connexion | Science-Driven Formula | equine-x

I’ve also been working hard at updating my online courses website. The address for this has also been updated along with a new name ‘Psy-HTEC, Psychology for Horse  Trainers and Equestrian Coaches’. This is to reflect the strength that my Psychology background, lecturing and extensive practical experience brings when it comes to understanding horse behaviour and learning. The courses are still being revamped but I’ve lots of exciting developments on the way in terms of coach, trainer and rider education…. watch this space:

https://www.psy-htec.com/

Of course, I’m also still available for online and face to face coaching and behaviour work, just contact me via

Contact

To make a booking.

If you are a Pony Club Centre or Branch of The Pony Club in Area 17 I am happy to do a free talk for you on Pony Behaviour, Learning and Welfare, just pay my travel expenses! To book in contact me as above.

Looking forward to seeing you all out and about this year!!

Helen 🐴😍🐎 xo

Ps want to stay up to date on all developments with my online courses? Sign up for my mailing list and I’ll email you when new courses are available 🥰

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