Sooz Foster Animal Training and Behaviour

24/02/2024

21/02/2023

DOES YOUR HORSE WAIT?

One of the most (perhaps THE most) important foundation behaviours to teach your horse is to wait. Calm, connected waiting makes for less stress for you AND your horse.

Did you know there is a free scholarship place on my next R+ based course with Sooz Foster at Understand Horses? It is a two week interactive course giving voice over feedback on your training, lectures to get you started and a friendly forum to ask questions. There is also the opportunity to audit if you don't think you're quite ready to jump in and train.

Priced at £59 for a full place and £29 to audit.

Starts 25th March and the scholarship application is open until the 4th March.

For more information drop me a message or checkout Understand Horses.

19/11/2022

Do you have a horse that can't stand still? Then this is the course for you. Last shout to join the others on this 2 week course with Sooz Foster and I. The course starts today, there are already 20 signed up, don't miss out! Check my bio on Insta for course links, drop me a message or check the Understand Horses website.

14/11/2022

29/10/2022

There is a free scholarship place offered on this new course at Understand Horses but you only have a few days to apply.

Send us an email at [email protected] and tell us why taking this course is important to you. Applications are open until November 5th 2022. The winner will be announced on the Understand Horses page on November 7th 2022. See our page for further details.

Join Sooz Foster and I at Understand Horses for a two week online interactive course that will help you develop the skills needed to train your horse to wait without frustration. No more turning your back to find your horse has crept up behind you or sneaked off to eat grass!

You will have access to 2 weeks of learning – including video lessons, group discussions in a dedicated forum, downloads, training plans and (for full students) coaching with individual voice over feedback on your training videos to help you train your horse to stand relaxed.

Starts November 19th, full training slots are £59 and auditor slots £29.

1 scholarship place available (closing date 5th November) give me a shout for more information!
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15/10/2022

TRAIN YOUR HORSE TO WAIT

Does your horse understand how to stand and wait while you groom, pick out their feet, open gates or chat to a friend? Is your horse calm and patient for the vet, farrier, physio or dentist? Will they comfortably wait when you walk away, or do they try and follow you?

We have a great new short course opening on 19 November. Equine behaviourists and trainers Trudi Dempsey and Sooz Foster host this friendly online workshop. You will have access to 2 weeks of learning – including video lessons, group discussions in a dedicated forum, downloads, training plans and (for full students) coaching with individual voice over feedback on your training videos to help you train your horse to stand relaxed.

There are two study options:

• 'Full student' for those who would like to train and have coaching and tailored voice over feedback on their training videos.

• 'Auditor' who has access to the video lessons and forum, but does not have feedback or coaching.

As always we have a scholarship place available. Applications are open until November 5th 2022.

You can find more information and book your place here: https://courses.understandhorses.com/courses/train-your-horse-to-wait

You can find out more about your coaches on their pages here:Trudi Dempsey: Equine Trainer and Behaviour Consultant and Sooz Equine Behaviour and Training

05/09/2022

Understand Horses LIVE...
What a weekend!
I had such a blast and it was all made possible by the incredible Justine Harrison - Equine Behaviourist with David Taylor.
My fellow presenters were awesome and supportive.
The equine handlers were professional.
The audience were amazing.
The venue (Writtle Uni) was perfect and Rosa Verwijs worked her socks off.
And my best training bud Sooz Foster was on form.

A huge thanks must go to the horses who helped us demonstrate techniques and protocols. Not everything went quite to plan in my demos but when you are real life training in a live situation, with horses you don't know, we owe it to the horses to listen to them.

It was fabulous to finally meet not only some of my colleagues but many supporters who had previously been faces in a Zoom gallery, FB posters or participants in online courses.

You were all awesome and I'm pretty blown away by the whole event and can't wait to do it all again. THANK YOU

(I dare not tag for fear of missing one of you out but you know who you are).

12/05/2022

The weekend of the 18/19th June 2022 Trudi Dempsey CHBC and Sooz Foster CHBC will host a clicker training workshop for horse enthusiasts at the Conquest Centre, Taunton.

Buy your ticket here https://www.tickettailor.com/events/trudidempseyequineevents/652682

Trudi and Sooz will be assisted by Kate Blackmore from the Conquest Centre to best deliver a great package of personalised learning. There will be short theory sessions, demos, hands on equine training with a Conquest equine (if you choose a trainer ticket) and all in a fun and safe learning environment.

A whole weekend of learning with a small group of like-minded trainers with experienced clicker training teachers who will open your mind to the value of this way of training and help you improve or fine tune your technique.

🐴 Do you get stuck knowing how to create stress free learning environments?

🐴 Are you seeing frustration in your equine learner and want to understand how to eliminate it?

🐴 Would you like to improve your timing and shaping skills?

🐴 Do you get frustrated yourself, not knowing how to progress?

🐴 Do you want to know how to supercharge your training with the use of different food delivery routines?

All this, and more, in a great learning environment with like minded people.

Saturday 18th June at 9.30 you will be welcomed to Conquest with a hot drink and biscuit while you get to know the workshop team.

🐴 Dynamic theory sessions
🐴 Mechanics practice
🐴 Planning a training session
🐴 Working with another species
🐴 Training demos

Sunday 19th June at 9.30

🐴 Hands on training, for those with a trainer's ticket, working in pairs, you will meet your Conquest equine learner. Over several short sessions you will hone your skills with support from the teachers.
🐴 Auditors will be able to choose which training sessions to follow (stick with one or catch some of them all).

There will be an hour for lunch each day which will provide a chance to catch up with the teachers and chat with everyone.

Please bring your own lunch, tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided.

For further details contact [email protected]

LOCATION
Conquest Centre, TA2 6PN

16/04/2022

There’s lots going on this year. Love collaborating with with other trainers. Especially one as knowledgeable as Trudi

Spring has definitely sprung and, as always at this time of year, I'm receiving lots of enquiries for lessons.
As I can't always meet demand, why not come along to a workshop or course either in person or online.

Sooz Foster and I have sold out our Norfolk workshops in May but I will be back there in October.

We have a couple of places still available in June at the Conquest Centre in Taunton, great value trainer spot or auditor spots available over the weekend (one day tickets may be available).

I have an online coaching course currently running with a brilliant group of trainers and a new one will start later in the year as well as a shorter interactive course with Sooz over the summer.

Do get in touch if you would like more details or if you would like to hold your own workshop.

Of course I am always happy to offer some basic advice through the podcast. If you have a burning question you'd like me to answer on Lead a Horse to Water do get in touch. It's a way I can give free general advice and is already a great resource that won't cost you a penny.

Happy spring everyone.

14/03/2022

I am really looking forward to this event. 2 days of sharing knowledge with likeminded people. Contact Trudi Dempsey: Equine Trainer and Behaviour Consultant to book your space now

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/trudidempseyequineevents/652682

17/02/2022

Excited to be joining the team at Understand Horses

IS THE TYPE OF REWARD YOU USE IMPORTANT IN TRAINING?

When training with positive reinforcement you give the horse something he likes after he does something you like, to increase the likelihood of the horse repeating the behaviour – you give a reward. For example, your horse comes to the gate when you go to catch him, so you give him a carrot. He’s then more likely to approach next time he sees you in the hope of a tasty treat.

The theory is very simple, your horse does something you like, you reward him and he does it the next time you ask. However – in the words of the great Bob Bailey – animal training is 'simple but not easy'. Choosing a suitable reinforcer (reward) is vital.

All horses have their own preferences and the carrot your horse enjoys may not be appealing to his friend next door. In fact, his neighbour may hate carrots and offering him one at the gate could end up having the opposite effect – it could stop him coming over altogether.

Some horses find scratches reinforcing, especially when they are shedding their coats, but many don’t, and scratching that itchy spot may only work as a reinforcer for the length of time the spot stays itchy!

Some believe that a soothing word can positively reinforce a behaviour. However, if I went to work and got paid in soothing words I think I would be looking for a new job! Conversely, some reinforcers can be too exciting for our horses. Carrots and apples are usually quite a high value food and can cause the horse to go ‘over threshold’ and become over-aroused. All they can think about is eating that super tasty treat and so they don't remain in the calm mental state that allows them to learn effectively.

The reinforcer should be chosen by the learner. It should be high enough value that they will offer behaviour, but not so high that they lose the ability to think. A great way to decide on a suitable reward is to offer a selection of different foods in different buckets around their stable or field and see which they choose to eat first. Don’t forget though, their first choice may not be the best one to use. As a rule, with horses it is best to use the lowest value reinforcer that your horse will work for, too high and you may end up losing a finger!

Remember to introduce any new feedstuff slowly and gradually. You can feed low-sugar treats like lettuce, cucumber and celery to horses on a restricted diet.

Post courtesy of Understand Horses course provider Sooz Foster (Sooz Equine Behaviour and Training). Sooz has some great courses in the pipeline, sign up to our mailing list for updates.

You can learn about training using food rewards and equine nutrition in our courses online.

05/02/2022

Sooz Foster and I are planning some South West England events, the first being in June.
One format that has been successful is a one or two day 'troubleshoot your clicker training' workshop with hands on learning at a centre providing equine learners
There is a mechanics session for you to hone your skills, a planning session to prepare you for training and then the practical sessions where everything comes together (and not just equids, potentially other species too).
If you would be interested in something like this or have other ideas for workshops please message me or drop a reply below.

22/01/2022

Still not sure if this is the workshop for you? Sooz and I will talk through the concept during an Instagram live at 2pm today (Saturday 22nd).

12/01/2022

Time to get geeky. In this video I am working on a new reinforcement loop with Baloo. A reinforcement loop is what happens between the click (or other marker) and the food delivery. It helps you set up the next repetition of the behaviour you are working on by strategic food placement. This is easy with dogs as you can just toss the food to reset but takes a bit of thinking about with horses. I am sure they could be trained to follow the food as you toss it - something to explore I think.

26/12/2021

Really looking forward to digging in to back chaining with Trudi. If you don’t have a horse it doesn’t matter, the rules apply to other species too. I will be training Oreo the cat as well as the horses and Trudi will be working with one of her dogs. Please contact Trudi Dempsey: Equine Trainer and Behaviour Consultant to find out more

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/trudidempseyequineevents/626620

01/12/2021

If we can train cats (and various zoo animals) to ‘load’ with positive reinforcement, why do we resort to force with our horses? What is it about the horse that makes us think we need to use pressure to get them to comply? Wouldn’t it be great if your horse loaded like little Oreo the cat? 🐈‍⬛

27/11/2021

Apologies for the radio silence. I’m currently knee deep in the Karen Pryor Professional Dog Trainer’s course. This isn’t me abandoning horses. The concepts apply to all animal training. I firmly believe that those who train horses should spend some time training other animals. I work daily with my dogs and cats - have a listen to the podcast for some ideas.

Have you caught up with the latest Lead a Horse to Water episode?
Sooz and I plan to do some 'shorts' where we will break down the training of a behaviour. We'll discuss how we would create the behaviour in an errorless framework, so avoiding frustration.
This is where you come in! Drop a behaviour in the comments that you'd like us to break down and maybe tell us why...has it brought frustration when you trained it previously, have you hit a brick wall or maybe you just don't know how to get started. Pics and videos welcome 🐎🐎

11/11/2021

A great day training with Trudi. I’m going to be Tik Tok famous 🤣

30/10/2021

There must be 50 ways to tell your human no!

She said it grieves me so to see you in such pain,
I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again.
I said I appreciate that and would you please explain,
About the fifty ways...(Paul Simon)

Reluctance, nipping, biting, pulling, refusing, kicking, bucking, rearing, bolting, lethargy.
Won't load, leave home, slow down, stop, be caught, stand to be mounted.
Nudging, head twirling, tail swishing, teeth grinding, neck bracing, bit chomping, head shaking.
Sensitivity to grooming, bridling, saddling, rugging, noise, novel objects...

24/10/2021

Management vs training.
Feeding groups of horses in the field can be tricky. Now that winter is upon us you may be giving your horses bucket feeds to supplement their forage ration. Taking buckets into a field full of horses can be dangerous, especially if like me you have resource guarders in the group. Setting up individual pens can be a really effective way of making sure each horse gets the feed they need and allows them to eat undisturbed. Whilst I would love to have the time to train them to station at their own buckets and trust them to stay there, it’s just not feasible, so this is a super way of ensuring they all get to eat in peace. It also means I can check them all over without worrying about being crowded, run over or kicked by the others. What winter hacks do you have with your field kept horses?

23/10/2021

Check out Trudi’s page to sign up for our next weekend workshop on stimulus control. When you give your horse a cue does s/he always offer the behaviour you were asking for? Even if you ask from a different position to usual? Or what about if you stand like a statue when you give your cue? Is the cue what you think it is or does your body language make up part of it without you realising? I know that what I thought was B’s cue to walk on was only part of it!

18/10/2021

I am so excited to announce that I am now a fully certified equine behaviourist with the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants (IAABC). My business has been gradually changing direction over the last few years and I have discovered a love for all things behaviour. As you may have seen, I have been learning about positive reinforcement training (clicker training) and have taken a deep dive into the science behind it. My methods have changed dramatically since I started working with horses at 18 and am loving putting into practice my ever expanding knowledge of how animals learn. I considered creating a new page but I feel that this one really shows the journey I have been on. From gaining British Horse Society qualifications to competing my horses at British Dressage. All my experiences have helped me become the trainer I am now and going forward I plan to keep learning and developing my skills and understanding. I am currently delving into the world of dog (and cat!!) training and there is so much in there that can be applied to how we work with our equine companions. I have been so lucky to have met and made friends with people in all sectors of the industry and they have all played a huge part in my personal development as a horse trainer and coach. This page will now focus on behaviour and positive reinforcement training and I hope you choose to stick around and learn more. Please check out my new website www.soozequine.co.uk. Lots of love, Sooz xx

Equine behaviour consultations, ridden training and positive reinforcement training (clicker training). Sooz Equine is based in North Devon.

18/10/2021

18/10/2021

08/09/2021

I’ve done this course and it is great. Highly recommended

Equine behaviour consultant Justine Harrison hosts this 8 week mentorship. Justine will explore the assessment, resolution and management of horse behaviour problems via video lessons, online discussions and face-to-face live group meetings.

08/09/2021

There are very limited tickets available for my practical R+ training weekend in Mattishall, Norfolk. Plenty of accommodation locally if you are traveling. Opportunity to get hands on training with equines is hard to find but the ponies, horses and donkeys at Nine Acres are all trained using R+ You will work in a small group of 2 or 3 dedicated to one equine over the weekend.

Just getting started with R+? Want to get hands on experience? Experienced trainer wanting to dive deeper? Want to work on your shaping or chaining?

Training with a dedicated equine learner and partnered with a trainer of similar level you are able to see real time results.

There are full details on my page but don't hesitate to message me if you have any questions.

There are only 7 training positions left and a very small number of auditor places. Early bird prices on the full weekend trainer places are an incredible £125
Message me for more detail

17/08/2021

September 18th and 19th 2021 Join Trudi Dempsey and Sooz Foster for an interactive virtual workshop.Tickets at buytickets.at/trudidempseyequinetrainingworks...