Lectures & Workshops: Mental Stimulation & Scentwork for Horses

Lectures & Workshops

You can invite Rachaël for lectures, workshops or combined educational weekends about Equine Mental Stimulation & Scentwork. Enclosed a sum up of Rachaël’s lectures/workshops that evolve around Equine mental stimulation & Scentwork. To get more information on each lecture, do scroll down.

• Mental Stimulation & Scentwork for Horses
• Scentwork for Horses
• Scentwork a new discipline in human-equine interventions
• Addressing behavioural challenges with calming signals and scentwork (More information will follow suit).
• Horse Empowering (Re)Socialisation
• Scentwork Lessons: from start to Equine Search and Recue (SAR)

If you are interested in combining lectures/worshops on equine calming signals & mental stimulation & scentwork, do have a look at suggested combinations under subchapter theme combinations.

Mental Stimulation & Scentwork for Horses

1-day theory with films and pictures or 1 day theory with films and pictures & live demonstrations

“A reduction in stress, less spooky reactions, a feeling of wellbeing and pleasure, a better socialisation, better use of the body. These are some advantages of the use of mental stimulation and scentwork for horses. Speaking is Rachaël Draaisma. During her day lecture ‘Mental Stimulation & Scentwork with horses’ she will show you how you can use both disciplines in your life and work with horses. You will get theory and are shown many photos and films (or live demonstrations) . After this lecture you are able to start yourself. This day is a logic follow-up from the lecture Calming Signals of Horses’. Some topics we cover:

Part 1: Mental stimulation

• What is mental stimulation
• What effect does it have on the development of the horse, his behaviour and brain• How can you optimize exercises, what are pitfalls.
• How to use mental stimulation as a primary tool when (re)socialising and training horses
• How to use mental stimulation when solving behavioural issues. A study case of a horse with separation anxiety is being shown on film

Part 2: Scentwork with horses
• Why is scentwork so beneficial for horses?
• From scent molecule to brain signal, what happens when you scent?
• Advantages from scentwork on the behaviour and wellbeing of horses
• Bio mechanic; the advantages of scentwork on the development of the horses’ body
• How to get started? What do you need
• How to lay a track
• What challenges do I encounter? How do I solve these
• We follow several horses that are taught to follow a footstep track.

This lecture is full of pictures and films to make sure you get a varied  and broad spectrum of domesticated horses who are taught to do scent tracking or are offered mental stimulation. 

 Scentwork for Horses

1-day filled with theory and practical sessions

During this day you will emerge yourself in ‘Scentwork for Horses”. You will get theory and are shown many pictures and films, but we will also be working with live horses. The theoretical parts will alternate with those practical parts. After this lecture yo are able to start scentork for horses by yourself. Some of the topics we cover:

• Why is scentwork so beneficial for horses?
• From scent molecule to brain signal, what happens when you scent?
• Advantages from scentwork on the behaviour and wellbeing of horses
• Bio mechanic; the advantages of scentwork on the development of the horses’ body
• How to get started? What do you need
• How to lay a track
• What challenges do I encounter? How do I solve these
• We follow several horses that are taught to follow a footstep track.

After this lecture you will know more about the scent abilities of the horse. You know more on the several advantages scentwork has for the horse, on his wellbeing, his body and brain, You are able to start doing scentwork with horses yourself.

Scentwork: a new discipline in human-equine interventions

1-day theory with films and pictures or 1 day theory with films and pictures & live demonstrations

Teamwork, letting go of control, being physically near without being to close, practising impulse control, paying attention to the other, fun for horse and human. 

These are only a few advantages of incorporating scentwork in your work as equine therapist or coach.

This day is specially aimed for professionals who work in various forms of equine facilitated interventions and learning. Who want to discover this new discipline and incorporate it in their equine-human interventions. This day consists of theoretical and practical parts. This day has multiple goals.

During the practical’s:

• Show you how you can teach your horse to do scent tracking
• Show you, and have you experience which scent exercises are very usable in your sessions

During the theoretical session’s:

• The advantages scentwork has for horse and human and their relationship are discussed
• We discuss why and which scentwork exercises lend themselves very well with particular clients

After this day you are ready to explore scentwork exercises with your horse(s). Or do this together with your clients. You have also experienced several scentwork exercises, which you can implement tailor made to a client in sessions.

Addressing behavioural challenges with calming signals and scentwork

1 to 5 days filled with films and pictures and practical working sessions with horses

"Using tracking for a horse with separation anxiety, or a horse that is frequently startled. Resocialising a horse with people by using calming signals and tracking. These are just a few examples where you can use calming signals and/or tracking as a full carrier within a behaviour plan. In fact, a tracking exercise or a calming signal can be so much more than just a fun activity. (Although it remains fun!) They are full-fledged tools that can be used in very many variations at different times."

This day to days is all about the horse that has a behavioural challenge. How do we help that horse with calming signals and scentwork? To give you an idea of this, during the theory blocks, Rachaël shows film material of a number of horse-human combinations she has coached. The following behavioural challenges are covered:

• A horse with separation anxiety
• A horse that is reluctant towards contact with people
• A horse that frequently startles and runs away while riding outdoors
• A horse/dog resocialisation program

Topics discussed include:

• Which elements of scentwork do you choose for different challenges.
• How to turn these tracking exercises into a logical program that helps the horse step by step in its development.
• What is helpful, what is not? 
• How do you use calming signals?
• What is the progression over time of these exercises.
• What do you take into account?
• What is helpful, what is not? 

During the practical blocks, we make a start with some of the horses at home in the barn.  We hear what behavioural challenges the horse is facing. Discuss a plan of approach together and perform the first exercise(s) during the practical blocks. Which are then discussed in class.

Using scentwork and calming signals methodically with a horse that has a behavioural challenge is not widely done. The focus of this day(s) is to change that and give you as a participant an idea and enthusiasm about the employability of scentwork activities and the use of calming signals.  In that way you expand your toolbox by adding these activities in your current work and life with horses. 

This day is very suitable for:

• Behavioural therapists
• Trainers
• Staff at equine rescue centres
• Horse owners interested in behaviour
• Horse owners who have a horse with a behavioural challenge
• Horse owners who want to know more about calming signals and scentwork
• Physiotherapists, osteopaths , manual therapists, ed

During this day, the focus is on application. This day is therefore only open to those who have already followed the days introduction to calming signals and tracking. These basics will not be repeated during this day or days. For an overview look at theme-combinations.

Horse empowering (re) socialisation

2- day’s filled with theory and practical sessions

Program:

Day 1:

Morning program:

In classroom: Assessment of emotional state of  horses. Looking at features and behaviours on a detailed level. How can we asses when they are in their comfort zone, when outside. If they experience tension, what level of tension is that? Many photos and films are being used to practice.

Goal: Set in a shorter time frame a baseline for assessing the horses wellbeing, motivation and tension level, in films and practical sessions of exploration and scentwork, we are going to see in the midday on Saturday and Sunday.

Lunch

Midday program:

In classroom: short introduction why horse empowering socialisation (HES) is so needed. Followed by what you need to know about the horse and owner before getting started in practice. Followed by

Practical sessions with horses:

With a different variety of horses we establish a good starting point for the horse empowering socialisation. With each horses we make a setting that starts and stimulates their exploratory behaviour. We will we doing that by using scentwork & building customised enriched environments.

In classroom:  summary of the midday practical sessions.

Day 2: 

Morning Program:

In classroom: Diving into the world of exploration and scentwork. I talk about the effect it has on the development of the horse, his behaviour and brain,  How can you optimize exercises, what are pitfalls. How to use mental stimulation and scentwork as a primary tool when (re)socialising and training horses.

Lunch

Midday Program:

Practical sessions with horses

In classroom:  summary of the midday practical sessions and take home messages.

When you have followed this weekend, you will:

• You have a good starting point on how to get started with HES with your own horse.
• You know the basic positive effects it has for your horse and you
• You know pitfalls you have to keep in mind and ways to expand the explorative behaviour of your horse
• Likely can’t wait to get started with your own horse.

Scentwork Lessons: from start to Equine Search and Recue (SAR)

1-day, multiple days or combined weekends full of practical lessons

This day, or multiple day’s or combined weekends are all about practicing scentwork. In small groups of maximum 10 attendants we will guide combinations into the level of scentwork they are at. It might be when you are just starting out and want to have support in the beginning stages of scent tracking. Or further down the line, when you feel like you encounter a challenge and you need live support.
It is also a possibility to book multiple days and weekends to further educate your horse, with the goal to find missing persons. (Equine search and rescue).

General Information

Costs

For a full day:  between 750,- and 900,-  euro  (excluding VAT) depending on the travel distance.  Travel costs, sleeping accommodation and costs for food and drinks should be taken care of by the host.

Equipment needed

An overhead projector, a whiteboard or flip chart and a table and chair. The time table can vary, but never more than 8 hours per day, and ending no later than 6 pm. 

When working with horses, these horses are at home at the  venue the event is taking place. The number of attendants should be to that amount that the horses can handle them and viewers have good sight at the arena’s. The horse is always leading in the programs.