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As well as an enjoyable course, this is designed to be a serious introduction into the fascinating subject of equine behaviour. Obviously the subject matter is huge and it would be impossible to cover it all in a course of this size, but if you have never studied psychology before this is a good place to start.

Course Delivery

Outline

Course Modules

  1. Ways of Explaining Equine Behaviour
  • What can affect behaviour? The effects of learning, diet, hormones, physical conformation.
  • What is learning? An introduction to learning theories, including the nature/nurture debate
  • The different ways horses learn
  • Do horses think? Do they feel emotions?
  • Instincts and innate behaviour
  • Learning through experience, trial and error learning and one-trial learning and the effects on future behaviour
  1. Sexual Behaviour and Foaling
  • Sexual behaviour within a herd
  • The effects of hormones on the male and female horse
  • Reproductive anatomy and physiology
  • The behaviour of the mare in season
  • The effects of gelding a horse
  • Courtship and mating
  • Pregnancy and foaling
  1. Foal and Young Horse Behaviour and Psychology
  • The differences between altricial and precocial species at birth
  • The first few hours of a foal’s life
  • Critical and sensitive periods
  • Imprinting and imprint training
  • Social communication between horses
  • The importance of play for a young horse
  • Weaning of foals and separation from the mare
  • Learning, and classical and operant conditioning
  • The principles of reinforcement and the way horses learn
  • Habituation
  • The shaping of behaviour using successive approximation
  1. The Behaviour and Psychology of the Adult Horse
  • Evolution of the breeds of horse, and the differences between artificial and natural selection
  • The equine senses, and their impact upon the behaviour of the horse and its survival
  • Sexual, psychological and physical maturity and the normal development
  • The development of social behaviour, and aggressive behaviour
  • Herd behaviour and the hierarchy within a herd
  • The elderly horse and behavioural changes
  1. Unusual Equine Behaviour
  • What is normal, and what is abnormal in terms of behaviour?
  • Maladaptive learning
  • The causes of stereotypical behaviour
  • Physical problems that can alter behaviour
  • Vacuum activities and fixed-action patterns of behaviour
  • Self-mutilation
  • Aggressive behaviour and the possible causes
  • Anomalous reactivity and learned helplessness
  • Latent learning
  • Escape and avoidance learning
  1. Avoiding Problem Behaviour
  • Determining the cause of problem behaviour
  • Buying a horse and vetting it
  • Stress in horses and how to reduce it
  • The management of horses in line with natural equine behaviour
  • The traditional methods of stopping stereotypical behaviour
  • Artificial gadgets used in horse training
  • Alternative methods of dealing with problem behaviour
  • Shaping of behaviour, including the use of clicker training
  • Feeding to avoid problem behaviour
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Pet Sense College is correspondence college for education in animal care, behaviour and training which exclusively represents Compass Education and Training, in Africa and Australia. Our association ensures that our courses are of the highest standard.

Pet Sense College provides quality education to students who would like to work with animals in a professional capacity. Pet Sense College aims to provide education which is competitive and prides itself in offering courses which are internationally recognised thanks to our partnership with Compass Education and Training UK.

People who love animals and want to work with them are often faced with the challenges of not being able to prove their skills or to build on those that they have. It is for these people, who want to work in shelters, day care, pet sitting, vet practices or animal training, that Pet Sense College is introducing a series of diploma courses.

Our courses are recognised by the Animal Behaviour Consultants of South Africa who are the registering authority for animal behaviour consultants in Southern Africa.

Registration is open all year round. You decide when you are ready to register as all our courses are correspondence. There are no exams as you are marked on course work and module projects. You can work at your own pace, within reason. We believe there should be a limit, as the longer the gap between modules the more you need to reacquaint yourself with previous work. ...

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