About Reward Based Equestrian
Welcome to Reward Based Equestrian, where I believe in creating lasting partnerships between horses and their human companions through the power of positive reinforcement and clicker training! My mission is to teach you how to communicate with your horse in a kind, effective, and ethical way, and allow you to see your horse communicate with you, fostering trust and understanding.
My Philosophy
I believe that training should be based on two way communication and trust—rather than fear, force, or intimidation. That's why I specialize in clicker training, a method that uses positive reinforcement to encourage desirable behavior.
Clicker training is grounded in science and has been proven to be an effective way to teach horses new skills, shape behaviors, and reinforce learning. By using a clicker to mark the exact moment a horse performs a desired behavior, we provide clear and consistent feedback, followed by a reward—usually food. This method creates an enjoyable learning experience for both you and your horse, promoting enthusiasm and cooperation.
Clicker training goes beyond tricks and husbandry skills and can be used to train anything you want to teach a horse- including many disciplines of riding.
Why Clicker Training?
Ethical: Unlike traditional training methods that may rely on aversive tactics such as increased force or punishment, clicker training is based on positive reinforcement. We believe in rewarding horses for their willingness to learn and engage, rather than punishing them for mistakes or expressing themselves. This builds a relationship based on cooperation, not coercion. When our horses are truly heard, they become safer, more cooperative, and confident partners.
Effective: Clicker training is not only humane, but it’s also incredibly effective. Horses learn quickly and retain new behaviors longer when they are positively reinforced. By rewarding small steps toward a desired behavior, we help horses build confidence, problem-solving skills, and a deep sense of security.
Fun for Both Horse and Human: Training doesn’t have to be stressful for either horse or human. The clicker provides clear communication and immediate feedback, making it easy for both you and your horse to understand expectations and make progress. More importantly there is something in it for the horse to help them enjoy training.
Education
I consistently maintain my education through lessons and courses with my positive reinforcement trainers. As well as staying educated in other supportive fields that align with my philosophy of ethical and science based training practices.
2021 Willing Equine Foundation Course Graduate and Current TWE Academy Member
2023/2024 Haltwork Course with Angelica Hasselius
2024 EquiBow Horse Owners Course
2024 Positive Equine Professionals Graduate
2025 Positive Equine Professionals Auditor