Applied Equine Behaviour Workshop

4–6 September · Your weekend worksheets
Friday 4 September · Evening

How horses feel — and why it matters

A personal reflection to start the weekend. Take your time — your answers will shape what you look for tomorrow.

Welcome session

Your enabling environment

Think about the yard or setting where your horse lives and works. Use this sheet to honestly assess what it currently offers — and what it might be missing.

Part 1 — Rate your current environment
Score each area 1–5 by tapping, or N/A if it doesn't apply.
Space to move freely
Opportunities to explore
Choice of where to go or rest
Access to forage and variety of food
Social contact with other horses
Suitable sleep areas and shelter
Mental stimulation and novel objects
Ability to choose engagement or distance from humans
Predictable, low-stress routine
🐴Part 2 — What does your horse tell you?
Signs that suggest your horse is generally feeling well
Signs that make you wonder if something isn't quite right
🌱Part 3 — Your 3 priority improvements
Based on your ratings, choose 3 things you'd like to change or try when you get home.
Improvement 1
Why this one?
Improvement 2
Why this one?
Improvement 3
Why this one?
Saturday 5 September · Morning

Evaluating the environment and the herd

Use this sheet during the yard walk and herd observation. There are no right answers — just notice what you notice.

With the horses — session 1

Environment walk

As you move around the yard and field, jot notes under each heading. You'll refer back to these this evening.

🏡The environment here
What this environment does well
What appears to be missing or limited
One thing that surprised you
How does this compare to your own setting?

Watching the herd

Spend time watching the horses together before we discuss as a group. Record what you see in the rows below.

👁Herd observation — 4 moments
For each thing you notice, record what you saw, what you think it meant, and what it made you wonder.
Observation 1
Observation 2
Observation 3
Observation 4
Overall — how would you describe the mood of the herd right now?
Is there anything about one horse in particular you want to understand better?
Saturday 5 September · Afternoon

Enrichment and individual horses

Two parts: building and observing enrichment activities, then profiling your own horse using Equine Voice.

With the horses — session 2

Enrichment build and observe

Your group will build one enrichment activity. Record the build and your observations when the horses are introduced.

🛠Your activity
Activity type
What you used to build it
What you were hoping it would offer the horse

Observing all four activities

Once the horses are in, record what you see across all activity types.

Cognitive / foraging
Social
Physical / sensory
Novelty / exploration
Which activity generated the most genuine engagement — and why?
Did any horse surprise you?
🐎

Now open Equine Voice

Use the horse profile and enrichment planner to build a profile for one of your own horses and select an enrichment type to trial at home.

Open Equine Voice →
📋Your horse profile notes
Horse's name
Three words that best describe their personality
What this horse seems to enjoy most
What tends to cause them stress or discomfort
The enrichment type I'm going to try — and why I chose it for this horseReference their personality and what you know they enjoy.
What I'll look for to know it's working well
When I'll try it
Saturday 5 September · Evening

Group discussion prompts

Use these to jot thoughts before or after each discussion. There are no right answers — the conversation is the point.

Evening session 2

Enrichment and horse personality

Prompt 1When you chose your enrichment activity, what did you draw on?
  • Was it based on observation, instinct, or something you'd read?
  • How confident do you feel that you know what your horse actually enjoys?
Prompt 2Did building and watching the activities change how you see enrichment?
  • Was there a horse that responded differently to what you expected?
  • What's the difference between an activity that stimulates a horse and one that genuinely engages them?
Prompt 3What does it mean for your EAS practice if a horse is under-enriched?
  • How might that show up in a session?
  • What could you do about it before a session, rather than during it?

How horses and humans affect each other

Prompt 4Have you ever noticed a horse respond to how you were feeling?
  • What did that look like?
  • What do you think was happening?
Prompt 5What does 'following the horse's lead' mean to you in practice?
  • Can you think of an example where you did this well — or didn't?
  • What gets in the way of responding to what the horse is offering?
Sunday 6 September · Morning

Bringing it all together

A final morning with the horses, then your personal close-of-weekend reflection.

With the horses — session 3

Reflection after the practical

Prompt 6What did you notice today that you wouldn't have noticed at the start of the weekend?
  • Was there a specific moment with a horse that stood out?
  • What has shifted in how you observe?
Prompt 7What does 'the horse having real choices' look like in your setting?
  • Where do horses in your work have genuine choice?
  • Where might that be limited — and what could you do about it?
Close of weekend

Taking it home

A personal reflection to close the weekend with.

🌿Your next two weeks
Three things you'll actually do differently when you get home.
Change 1
Change 2
Change 3
Something that surprised me this weekend
A question I'm leaving with
Looking back at my enabling environment ratings from Friday — has anything shifted?
🐎

Keep using Equine Voice at home

Log your horse's behaviour, track the enrichment you try, and use the Behaviour Interpreter when something makes you wonder.

Open Equine Voice →
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