How do I become a registered equine behaviourist?

The pathway to becoming an equine behaviourist in the UK requires you to:

• obtain a set standard of knowledge and understanding that relates to equine behavioural science and practice; and
• be assessed in your practical application of behavioural and consulting skills by a recognised organisation. 
  

In the UK the primary equine behaviourist role at present is clinical equine behaviourist where you would be registered by the Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) as an ABTC-CAB (Clinical Animal Behaviourist), specialising in equines.

What is the Animal Behaviour and Training Council?

The Animal Behaviour and Training Council sets the standards of knowledge, understanding and practical skills needed to be a Clinical Animal Behaviourist and as an equine practitioner you would be assessed against relevant equine behaviour standards. 

ABTC member organisations include behaviour practitioner organisations and it represents the training and behaviour sector to the public and to UK governments. 

Find out more about the ABTC here: https://abtc.org.uk/

What is the set standard of knowledge and understanding?

The knowledge and understanding required is at level 6 in the UK qualification levels.  The ABTC sets 23 Performance Criteria (PCs) and 36 Knowledge and Understanding standards (K&Us) that you are required to demonstrate to a satisfactory standard.

The PCs and K&Us are described here: https://abtc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/ABTC-Standard-Clinical-Animal-Behaviourist-November-2021.pdf

How can I obtain the required level of knowledge and understanding?

You can obtain the required level of knowledge and understanding by completing any of the courses listed here:

Advanced Diploma Applied Animal Behaviour level 6 [DL] – Compass Education Ltd click here for link

BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare (Clinical) – Harper Adams University click here for link

MSc or PGDip Clinical Animal Behaviour – University of Edinburgh (PgDip is the minimum requirement and this is a distance learning course) click here for link

MSc or PGDip Clinical Animal Behaviour  – University of Lincoln (PgDip is the minimum requirement) click here for link

Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL)

Alternatively, if you have not completed or cannot complete one of the above courses, you can also demonstrate the required level of knowledge and understanding by providing evidence of prior experience and learning and applying for this to be accredited.  This is known as Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL), the accreditation process is carried out by the ABTC and you can find more information here: https://abtc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/APEL-Guidelines-for-applicants-August-2022.pdf

Who will assess my knowledge, understanding and practical skills?

The first stage of this assessment is either by successfully achieving a level 6 qualification from the list above, or by successfully completing the APEL procedure assessed by the ABTC.

After this, you will be assessed by the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC).  You will need to submit three case studies of behaviour consultations that you have carried out, and one of them must include videos of your initial consultation plus a follow up.  You also need to provide videos of you training a horse, pony, donkey or mule, and of you coaching an owner or a handler in how to train a horse, pony, donkey or mule. 

Find out more about the APBC assessment process here: https://www.apbc.org.uk/route-to-full-membership/

There is another assessment route via the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Accreditation Committee (ASAB Acc).  This route is currently on hold but you can read more about it here, as it may be running again by the time you are ready for assessment: https://www.asab.org/ccab

What professional membership organisations can I join?

For clinical equine behaviourists, the only membership bodies for ABTC-CABs within the ABTC are the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and the Fellowship of Animal Behaviour Clinicians (FABC). 

You can join either or both of these organisations at a level that is relevant to where you are on your pathway to ABTC-CAB and they will support you on that pathway. 

Find out more about the APBC here: https://www.apbc.org.uk/

Find out more about FABC here: https://fabclinicians.org/

Find the register of ABTC-CABs here: https://abtc.org.uk/practitioners/ Select “equines” in the Species dropdown box and “Clinical Animal Behaviourist” in the ABTC Role dropdown box.

How do the behaviour practitioner organisations and the ABTC interact?

You need to be a member of a practitioner organisation (APBC and/or FABC) that is a member of the ABTC to be able to join the ABTC register of Clinical Animal Behaviourists (Equine specialist).  

You do not join the ABTC as an individual member, instead you join one of its member organisations (APBC and/or FABC) and that is how you would become a registered ABTC-CAB once you have successfully met all the assessment criteria.

Find out more

Contact me to find out more about the pathway to becoming a registered clinical equine behaviourist, or to discuss any aspect of equine behaviour or practitioner supervision, at info@animalbehaviourclinics.com

You can book a 30 minute general call with me here to find out more about the pathway to becoming a registered clinical equine behaviourist, or to ask me about my supervision and mentoring service where I can support you as you progress through the stages of the process: https://calendly.com/debbiebusby/generalenquiry

Or if you have anything specific that you would like to discuss, explore or learn, I offer a one hour “Borrow My Brain” session, where you can ask me about any aspect of equine behaviour or consulting: https://calendly.com/debbiebusby/borrow_my_brain