I first studied animal welfare as part of my Psychology degree in the nineties. In my final year I took an excellent module in animal behaviour and welfare with Dr Ian Sneddon. In it we were taught about the psychological aspects of welfare and how this related to physical welfare. This was ahead of it’s time in terms of the accepted view of welfare, which at that time was very much focused on health and the physical aspects of welfare. We were asked to look at welfare through the eyes of the animal, by understanding their ethology, the needs and behaviour of that species in their natural environment. 

This viewpoint set the foundation for the rest of my career. Following on from my degree, I studied for a doctorate on “The influence of owner personality and attitudes on the behaviour and temperament of the domestic horse”, looking specifically at the horse human relationship and our assessments of and interactions with them. I then began my business as a Clinical Animal Behaviourist specialising in Equines. I’ve spent the last 23 years guiding owners to look at the world through the eyes of their horses.

Today I am virtually attending the World Horse Welfare Conference 2025 #ThroughTheHorsesEyes and I’m delighted that the focus is on looking at how the horse actually feels about the world that they live in. In my day to day work I meet many horses who aren’t terribly happy. It is my job to interpret their behaviour and body language and explain to owners how the horse is feeling and what aspects of their day to day life are creating stress for them and what aspects relieve that stress. We can then look at management and training changes that help improve welfare, creating positive wellbeing and a Good Life for Horses.

I do believe that good horse welfare begins with the ability to read the horse. This includes being able to recognise expressions and behavioural indicators of pain. However it also means being able to identify signs of stress, not just pain. When we add to this an understanding of horse ethology, motivation, emotion and learning, we can really start to make a difference for the horses in our lives.

If you would like to learn more about any of these topics, pop along to https://www.psy-htec.com and have a browse through my online courses. Or consider booking an in person session or workshop for yourself or your yard/ staff.