Online and face to face behaviour consultations
Helping you and your horse to harmonise…
Every day I help people enjoy their lives with their horses, whether that’s happy hacking, dressage, showing or horse trials.
Whatever your horse’s behaviour problem, if there’s anything your horse is doing that you’re not happy with, I can help you, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
I’m fully qualified, registered (CCAB, ABTC-CAB, APBC Full Member) and insured and I know what needs doing to resolve your own horse’s behaviour problem, however serious.
As one of the UK’s leading behaviourists my services are in high demand and I am sometimes fully booked. If so I will add you to my waiting list and I will give you first aid advice to help you in the meantime and to prevent further worsening of the problem.
How can I help?
Level 1: Hmm. My horse is becoming a bit of a problem…
Harmonious Horse Essential
Your Harmonious Horse Essential behaviour package gives you all the help you need to resolve your behaviour problem in a detailed assessment, behaviour modification programme and follow up session.
I will visit you at your yard or field, or we will “meet up” online on Zoom, and I will do a full behavioural assessment, which means that I will know what support you need, and I will give you the right advice to solve the problem you are having with your horse, including a detailed training plan and training guides that you can refer back to while you work through your programme.
Your behaviour package includes:
- Initial telephone or email advice
- Behaviour consultation at your yard or online, lasting approximately 1 to 2 hours
- Training and behavioural advice
- Full and detailed assessment report and behaviour modification programme
- All training plans
- All advice sheets
- Coaching support
- Report provided to your veterinary surgeon
- Follow up session by telephone, email or Zoom
Harmonious Horse Essential behaviour package. Price £197
Additional follow up sessions (extra training plan plus one month coaching support) are available at £45/session
Level 2: Eeek. This is serious! Who moved my perfect horse?!
Perfect Horse Formula
When you feel that you have lost the horse of your dreams, when you have had to stop doing many of the activities you used to love to do with your horse, or when these activities have become very difficult and challenging, perhaps you have even stopped riding or you can’t take your horse off the yard, you need my three month behavioural rehabilitation programme.
I will provide a full assessment, at your yard or online using Zoom. I will explain why the problem is happening so that you can understand your horse a lot better and I will develop a step by step behaviour change programme tailored uniquely to the needs of you and your horse so that you can get back to the life you used to have.
During this time I will give you my full support with regular follow up meetings using phone/Zoom/email/Skype, including any additional advice or coaching in training techniques. Occasionally some complex problems take longer to resolve and we will discuss any further support that you need.
Perfect Horse Formula. Price £497
Level 3: Yikes! All of the problem and none of the time
Perfect Horse Intensive
When your busy life is already full of work, kids, study or caring and your horse’s behaviour is stopping you riding or handling them safely but you don’t have a spare second to deal with it, I will visit your horse at your yard for five days, one hour per day, to carry out my full behavioural assessment and behaviour change programme for you, followed by four follow up meetings via Zoom or Skype over the following four weeks.
I will develop the unique programme you need, tailored to resolve the problem you are having, I’ll explain it to you and keep you updated, and at the end of five weeks your life will still be busy! but your difficult horse problem will be under control.
Perfect Horse Intensive package. Price £1,750
Where do I work?
I cover the whole of the UK for equine cases and I can travel internationally to advise you how to resolve your horse behaviour problem. I also consult online worldwide. In the UK, visits outside 30 minutes from Cheshire CW6 incur a charge of £15/hour travelling expenses, capped at £75/visit.
For other consultancy services e.g. expert witness, lecturing, workshops, speaking engagements: please contact me to discuss. Supervision/mentoring for new consultants and students: please contact me to discuss. Sanctuaries and welfare organisations, please contact for details of reduced price or pro bono consultations.
How do I work?
Your horse’s unwanted behaviour took time to develop and it takes time to undo. These are clear psychological principles. I take a whole horse, whole of life approach and my advice will stand you in good stead for years to come, as well as helping you overcome the problem behaviour you are seeing right now.
I offer the following services:
- Clinical behaviour consultations under veterinary referral*
- Behaviour assessments
- Welfare assessments
- Expert witness
- Supervision/mentoring for new behaviour consultants and undergrad/postgrad students
- Remote consultations via Skype or Zoom
Unlike vets or doctors, animal behaviour work is not regulated by law and this can make it very difficult for horse owners to know who to choose. It’s essential to ensure that your adviser will not make matters worse by using unsuitable or unsafe methods, or even techniques that will cause your horse pain or fear. The Animal Behaviour and Training Council is the only regulatory body working closely with the UK Government to rectify these risks and it sets and maintains the standards of knowledge and practical skills needed to work in the animal behaviour industry. By making sure that you work with a Registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist like me, you can be assured that you are being advised by one of the UK’s most qualified and experienced behaviourists.
All animals are unique and no two behaviour cases are the same. In cases where your horse is showing unwanted behaviour it is essential to look for the causes of the problem and treat those causes; this involves going beyond simply reschooling; it means taking a psychological rehabilitation approach specific to each individual horse. The recommendations I will give you will help you to change your own horse’s unwanted behaviour.
*Veterinary referral means that your veterinary surgeon formally consents for me to consult with you. Potential clients are free to contact me directly, or your vet can get in touch in the first instance. I consult on behavioural problems only, not physical or medical issues, and I always work under referral from your registered veterinary surgeon so that if we do suspect an underlying medical issue we can refer back to your vet.
What happens at a behaviour consultation?
When you first contact me we will arrange a 30 minute initial no-obligation consultation where you can give me details about the behaviour problem you are having, and I can tell you more about the way I work.
If you decide you would like to go ahead, I will obtain a formal referral from your veterinary surgeon; this will advise me of any physical or medical conditions relating to your horse that I need to be aware of. The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 lays responsibility with vets for the diagnostic health and welfare of animals registered in their care.
Following approval from your vet, I will come to your yard to visit you and your horse; my visit will usually last around two hours, or we will have an online consultation using Zoom or by phone.
I will:
- make an assessment of the behavioural problem
- explain to you why it is occurring
- discuss options that will work for you in your situation
- work with you to develop a personalised retraining plan that you will be able to carry out to help resolve the problem
- coach you in how to apply my recommendations correctly
After my assessment I will send you a written summary of all my advice and recommendations.
I will prepare your individualised step-by-step behaviour change and retraining plan and information pack, which may include changes to your horse’s routine or management, I’ll set out my recommendations to you in a written report explaining your horse’s behaviour and the treatment plan I have recommended, and I’ll write to your vet with a summary of my assessment and recommendations
The treatment plan I develop for you will be based on sound psychological techniques to establish the behaviour you want. They are scientifically validated and effective. I will not ask you to make any changes that you feel uncomfortable with. If you follow my recommendations you will see the positive changes you want in your horse’s behaviour, and I will give my full support while you are putting these changes into place.
Get in touch
info@animalbehaviouralclinics.com
(+44)007748369424
Debbie Busby - Registered and Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist for Horses and Dogs 