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Monday 9:30am - 7:30pm Tuesday 9am - 7:30pm Wednesday 9am - 8pm Thursday 9am - 8pm Friday 9am - 8:30pm Saturday 9am - 4:30pm Sunday 10am - 5:30pm

Pennie Clayton-Horse and Hound School

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Dartford
Pennie Clayton-Horse and Hound School

Welcome to my page

Training for horse and rider and dogs and Bowen therapy for every body Horse and Hound school was founded by Pennie Clayton.

I offer training for horse and rider and hounds and Bowen therapy for horses, dogs and people.

09/01/2025

It's a very difficult time of year if you have horses.
One moment the weather is wet, sleet is sheeting down and you are sliding around on mud

The next day is bright the ground is frozen and it almost gives you hope that spring is around the corner

During all of these there are challenges for any one that cares for horses, and also the horses themselves
There are so many dangers lurking not just the prospect of injuries from sliding around in mud and problems like mud fever but the frozen ground brings a whole lot of other prospective problems

This is when bodywork for yourself and your horse can be so beneficial

Did you know that Bowen and bodywork can be ......

beneficial when a horse is injured and helpful during recovery -by helping stimulate the lymphatic system and helping to eliminate toxins

Can help if a horse seems to be one sided -as often fascia becomes restricted which can cause problems with free movement

Can improve range of movement

Aids with alignment and helps to rebalance the body

Aids heling by promoting circulation throughout the body

These points are also applicable to human bodies too!

If you would like more information I have appointments available Whattsapp 07910 720961

08/01/2025

“……But his tail was wagging-I thought that meant a dog was happy so I stroked him and he snapped at me"

I wish I had a pound for every time I had to explain that a tail wag is a bit like a person smiling.
We can assume that people only smile when they are happy-but this is not true
A smile can indicate many different emotions, it can signal discomfort, be an appeasement thing or we can just stretch our mouths to make it look like a smile and we are attending to someone spouting nonsense or it can actually be a grimace

I remember really clearly an English lesson in school.

We were given a picture to look at by the teacher-it was a picture of someone that could have been about to burst into raucous laughter or just taking a deep breath before they lost their temper or the face could have indicated pain

This is true for dogs too

we can also discuss the dogs whose tails curve over their backs and have very little ability to move them-and we can speculate on whether this causes dogs to be uncomfortable because they are unable to communicate effectively-and whether this influences their mood and general approach to life -it is possible that this locked position contributes to these dogs being left permanently in arousal Amber Batson once debated whether these dogs were permanently in arousal

In conclusion - there are many meanings to a tail wag.
A tail can show happiness, tension, discomfort, be slightly wagging-be VERY careful of that one, or can be waving slowly in indecision.

Tail wags can be many things-and do not always denote that the dog is happy

02/01/2025

It's a new year-I wonder what it holds?

This page will continue to inform and hopefully help you to understand your dogs and horses better-and hopefully help you to question some of the beliefs you may have about your dogs and horses.

Things are evolving quite quickly and lots of research continues to be done around wellbeing and welfare of the animals we live with

Will it resonate with people and change their mindsets or will it seem to be of no consequence?

There is no doubt that we can always do better-do think carefully if you doubt the relevance of any scientific finding as it may be that there is more you can do to promote and enhance the lives of the animals you live with and beside

Happy New Year

28/12/2024

Reflections on a year -cruel or kind?

I have to say I don’t normally bother to write these types of posts but this year has been memorable but not in any good way
My thoughts immediately jump to the Olympics – in fact a little before the Olympics when one of the UK riders was found to have been using unethical training methods. For unethical read abusive. The use of whips as punishments has long been something which has been “acceptable” while training horses but the outcry from the video that was released was not from within the horse world the most attention came from outside it.

Having thrown her under the bus many of the Olympic riders then condemned what they had seen in the video that had been released just a few days before and then went about their business. That business was not all sweetness and light -there were many examples of abuse during the equine events, maybe even more than in previous games -and these initiated a huge outcry.

This is good-but many people that spoke out were trolled and were told on social media that the horses were “having fun” and would refuse to jump or compete at these high levels if they were experiencing pain and abuse.

Fact. Horses do not elect or choose to compete-it is humans who make those decisions.

Another fact it is easy to dismiss pain and anxiety and label it as another completely different thing altogether

Then of course there have been many large waves in the dog world. It seems that people want quick fixes and to STOP bad behaviour-therefore balanced trainers has become very visible and more vocal. They too also promote training methods which are unethical and create situations that cause pain and extreme anxiety.

Prong collars are not kind-if you truly think they are acceptable wear one yourself and make sure someone gives it a good old yank from time to time. The balanced trainers are united and prevented a law that was due to be passed which banned electric collars in England

Once again if you truly think this kind of equipment is harmless and the effects are fleeting put your hand on an electric fence-I have done this many times during my life-by mistake-and it is not a feeling you easily forget. If I was about to train a dog to comply with an instruction that I had issued pain is never going to be a go to.

Suppression of behaviour is NOT training-it is abuse.

I felt the need to chew on this as it is important-our horses and dogs should never experience pain because of something we want them to do. They can be kept safe and learn without using aversive methods which inflict fear, pain and anxiety -we just need to have more knowledge and empathy

Methods that don’t involve abuse are not “ineffective” which they are so often labelled by trainers with few ethics and little understanding of suffering, they are long lasting, create strong attachments and lead to strong connections and help us to give our dogs and horses far happier lives. This is deserved as they certainly didn’t rock up and knock on our doors. We have no right to expect obedience from another species that we refuse to understand

Recognising the difference between inflicting pain and misery or creating situations where dogs and horses have their needs met first and foremost and that are happy to join us in our lives- is as wide as the earth-and will never merge.

You are either for or against animals living their best lives -that is worth reflection at this point in the year.

It could be a new start or just a continuation of the same old crap

This unfortunately is our choice and one we need to take seriously

24/12/2024

Wishing all my clients and their wonderful horses and dogs a very very happy Christmas

I have met some amazing people and some amazing horses and dogs this year -it is a privilege to meet people who love their dogs and horses so much

Have a peaceful and happy one all of you

20/12/2024

The Thinking Greyhound

I have lost count of the number of times I have been told that greyhounds are brainless.

Having lived with greyhounds for 20 years this makes me sad. The one thing they are not is dim.

This morning Sprite and I have been taking a leisurely walk-an early Christmas present as there was so much she had to tell me.
We stopped, she had some chews, I finished my coffee and the toast I had shoved in a bag and off we went.

She is really very cool to walk with-always interested in what is around and what has occurred.
Today she examined in detail pretty much everywhere she walked-she led today too-to be honest sometimes I am short of time so it doesn't always happen. But today she stopped, as normal as we trundled along.

As we were on the last stretch we saw a fox lying dead-I was a bit worried about what she would do-having had lurchers for many years -I thought she might dash up and start pulling it around, I should know by now that the greys are very different in their approach.
We stood a few yards away and she sniffed and sniffed and initially there was a lot of tension on the lead -and then the tension relaxed and she turned away and the look on her face was of sadness.

Should we ever doubt our dogs lack the ability to feel and think-I know people dismiss this but I know her really well-and she is the most joyous dog to live with-always upbeat and very rarely down-so this expression is unusual for her.

She took a large curve around the fox and carried on.

The next pause was for a set of large open gates which hold an area of mobile homes. Normally it is shut but today it was open and joy of joys-for her- they seem to be keeping chickens.
This was far less worrying and very interesting-I guess the chickens live with dogs and they just carried on and were in no way concerned with her
She looked disappointed as the gates slowly shut.

We then talked to one of the librarians and she greeted her -she has a way of the most gentle greetings of people she doesn't know

So, thick greyhound? Stupid? I think not

12/12/2024

I am doing a series of posts over on my dog group
The posts are entitled
The twelve days of Christmas

This is the first one-if you would like to pop over to my group you can see the others

Consent
We have discussed this subject in this group many times but it is worth mentioning at this time of year because so many homes have visitors and the lives of our dogs alter as visitors come and go.
How many people that stay or visit other people’s homes have views on how dogs “should behave”?

Even our best friends have opinions and views on how dogs should be treated and rarely take our opinions into account.
It should be clear to visitors of any age that your dog has their own places to rest-whether they approve or not.
If your dog loves sleeping on the sofa or has a favourite chair-make sure visitors understand this and they are not to be disturbed or asked to move.

This also applies to other dog related activities and extends to food, and consent. Dogs don’t all appreciate being stroked, petted and "scritched" and should not be approached if resting-this does not just apply to children
Adults should equally understand that dogs should be left alone unless they ask for attention -dogs should not have to tolerate being “fussed” for the sake of whoever has decided to bestow their attention on your dog
This often leads to people remarking on “attention seeking “ or similar crimes.

Consent is important and the dog whisperers among our family members need to learn that there is more to living with a dog than watching a few episodes of "Dogs Behaving Badly".

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1506637116049062

09/12/2024

Christmas is on its way-with all the excitement and disruption that it brings with it

Please consider your dog.

Everything about and surrounding Christmas can disturb dogs, and they have no idea what is about to happen or the sensory overload that it brings........this is why so many dogs find themselves in a rescue centre directly after Christmas-people are often unaware of the effects of this huge sensory overload that Christmas "is"

This little graphic is by Kathy Kawalec of Dancing Hearts Dogs Academy and it brilliantly illustrates exactly why so many dogs find this time of year overwhelming

03/12/2024

Behaviour means something

It is not "good or "bad"

It serves a function.

A dog or horse does not understand the difference, if behaviour changes there is a need which has not been fulfilled

It is simple when we think about it-the more we observe and pay attention the easier it is to address those needs

WhatsApp 07910 720961

28/11/2024

Can we do better?

This is what I ask myself everyday-we can't possibly know what our dogs are feeling
It is so easy to look at a behaviour and make an assumption

We have a debt to pay if we have dogs or horses in our lives and that is to question many things and keep learning.

What looks like some form of upbeat emotion may be another creature altogether-could it be frustration, overstimulation or even fear

This picture was taken last weekend at a seminar that was supported and run by animal professionals-and this was only half of the room-so be guided by those that have a passion for learning-not one of us has all the answers but you can rely on the fact that those of us that truly love and take our profession seriously will never stop studying

It is up to us to question and learn.

21/11/2024

The constant worries many people have during this time of year may well be answered by this great post

19/11/2024

Behaviour may look simple to address-it is not. It involves us rethinking what we believe and listening to the dog-because they constantly tell us what they need

We just need to pay attention.

15/11/2024

Puppies are like sponges-their brains are primed to learn.

BUT

and there is a but.

Ask yourself if

1) Your puppy is in the right environment to learn

2) Has the choice to move away if he needs a bit of space

3) Has the right amount of rest and sleep to process what is being taught.

There are many environments that are not conducive to learning -these include busy, noisy and echoing places -this includes halls full of other dogs.
These places are unlikely to provide areas where a puppy can take a back seat and have a moment to think about what is going on-remember they don't have a choice as to where they are taken

After any learning we all need time to process what we have learnt-this is why the term "sleeping on it" comes from. The brain is clever and it needs sleep to process what we have learnt -especially REM sleep-this includes young puppies too.

This is why after any training situation a puppy ( or an adult dog) needs to sleep this allows the brain to process the information and pass it to the area of the brain where it is stored.

Puppies need rest and sleep after classes.

If you would like help and support with teaching your dog tasks or are finding it difficult to understand why your puppy or dog never seems to retain information -I offer support and help whatever the age of your dog

https://www.horseandhoundschool.co.uk/puppyclasses

11/11/2024

If you have a reactive dog some trainers will tell you they have a plan, and it is an easy fix to help your dog to become relaxed in the company of other dogs.

This is not true especially as we all know there are dog owners that don't recognise your struggles and insist on being helpful by letting their dog bound over and be "friendly" only to yell at you if your dog reacts negatively towards their dog

This scenario is not uncommon and this is why supporting a reactive dog is so hard.

Reactive dogs are often dogs in pain too-and whilst they can become more comfortable via meds and rehab exercises it can take far longer to build their confidence

This is the case with this lovely dog that comes for Bowen and has started to explore with relish and after meeting one of my dogs behind a barrier ventured out on a short walk with her yesterday.

This is what rehabbing a dog with multiple problems looks like-there are no quick fixes and most of the work has been done by the wonderful people he lives with.

This is what success looks like

No tricks, no short cuts just patience, time and effort into helping him feel at ease in his world

If you need help with your dogs reactivity and discomfort around other dogs follow the link

https://www.horseandhoundschool.co.uk/reactivedogs

09/11/2024

What is positive training?

If you search through the internet it will give you MANY answers to this question

Most people think of positive training as a task which involves treats, and generally it does

But there are times when treats are not going to capture the "right" behaviour as this depends on the problem

The term positive can also be skewed to recommending methods of positive punishment
Punishment should never be part of training, or teaching a dog about their lives.

Force free methods may seem long and protracted-but the first expression we need to take into account is ......

"Practice makes perfect" this fits unwanted behaviours as well as behaviours that are needed to help dogs in many situations

The neural pathways that are needed to learn a specific task take a while to form within the brain-once they are learnt and practised then the behaviour is difficult to change (which could have a good or bad outcome )

For what many people call "bad behaviour" quick fixes will only supress behaviour and that is why there is a rebound effect-and these unwanted problems will- return at a later point unless the dog has shut down and moved into learned helplessness

This is why so many canine professionals are continually studying and learning-because we want to make sure the support and advice we give has a good outcome for both dogs and carers

Please take a close look at what is offered if you are told that a trainer only uses "positive" methods
If they produce fast results by definition it won't be positive

Follow the link for more details

https://www.horseandhoundschool.co.uk/1-1training

06/11/2024

It's that time of year where you may need a bit of motivation, help and support with your horse.

If you would like some guidance in your training programme or would like to improve your confidence do give me a call or send a message

Sometimes all you need is a little support and guidance! I am happy to teach individual sessions or I am happy to teach groups

WhatsApp 07910 720961

Or follow the link
https://www.horseandhoundschool.co.uk/horses

Address

Hawley Road
Dartford
DA27RB

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 7:30pm
Tuesday	9am - 7:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 8pm
Thursday	9am - 8pm
Friday	9am - 8:30pm
Saturday	9am - 4:30pm
Sunday	10am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+447910720961

Website

http://www.horseandhoundschool.co.uk/

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Videos

What should socialisation look like for a puppy? It should look like this. Forget that building social skills is all about puppies dashing about and jumping all over other dogs and people In fact if puppies are overwhelmed they WILL jump all over other dogs and at people and children. I am not knocking play but if we really want to build social skills puppies need kind mentors -and remember that the "puppy licence" expires at around 16 weeks. This means that adult dogs start to take umbrage if a puppy jumps all over them, and this is not healthy or helpful for puppies and certainly not positive for older dogs particularly if they have pain issues These kinds of short walks help puppies to develop physically and mentally plus because they are calm there is no risk of injury We need to take care of puppies and teach them, not encourage them to points where they are overwhelmed and overstimulated Short puppy walks are held regularly and classes are held on Saturday mornings #takecareofyourpuppy #supportyourpuppy

What should socialisation look like for a puppy? It should look like this-in this video the young GS is being shown the ropes by two other dogs in a quiet environment There is nothing for her to become anxious about-she can touch base with either of the dogs that are present and is free to explore too-and learn about walking on a loose lead while also learning about things in the environment www.horseandhoundschool.co.uk

Among the basic needs of dogs is the scenting and moving -if we deprive them of this their lives are so much poorer