How Do We Inspire Change in the Equestrian World?

By Being an Informed Effective Teacher!

If you are someone who has considered helping people with their horses, or you are already working with people as part of your job, then you may be interested in this course.

The most effective way to inspire positive change in the equestrian world is through education. However, for good education to occur we need people with excellent teaching knowledge and skills.

Horses are Easy - People are Tricky!

The equestrian world often focuses on horse training, their performance, problems, and so on. There is a tendency to be naive about the reality that the most significant influence on horses is the knowledge, skill, and experience of the human sitting in the saddle or holding their lead rope.

If you talk to equine professionals or organisers of equestrian associations, they will all tell you the same thing - horses are easy, but people can be difficult.

This course aims to change this perspective, because people become less difficult to handle when you understand how equestrians learn and are influenced.

Who is the Course Designed for?

This thoughtfully designed online program is for interested equestrians including horse trainers, instructors, coaches, equine health professionals, leaders of equestrian clubs, and enthusiasts keen on enhancing their instructional skills in influencing people.

What was the most helpful aspects of this course?

Would you recommend it to others?

Finding Direction and Inspiration

Milly, United Kingdom

“All of it really — just hearing Shelley share her expertise was the best part! I especially loved learning how to develop a plan (the route up the mountain) and how to create professional resources. The Zoom calls were my favourite — being in a small group gave us time to connect and learn from each other. I’d happily say I wish it was longer, but only because I could listen to Shelley talk for hours!”

Teaching with Empathy and Understanding

Rae, New Zealand

“The emphasis on how people learn was fascinating — especially identifying their barriers, challenges, and learner types. As a teacher, it helped me let go of frustration and meet learners where they are. I’d highly recommend this course to anyone teaching people to train their own horses. It opens your eyes to areas of teaching you might never have considered.”

Achieving What Once Felt Impossible

Jessica, Australia

“I absolutely loved this course. With Shelley’s help, I achieved what I once thought impossible and created my own path. The information and support were tailored to each student’s goals, making everything feel manageable and achievable.”

Discovering My Own Value

Jodie, Australia

“The biggest thing for me was realising there is a way forward — that I actually have something to offer. I discovered valuable resources I didn’t even know existed and found reassurance knowing others share similar challenges and aspirations.”

Relatable, Supportive, and Beautifully Structured

Anky, Australia

“This course was absolutely beautiful. I loved how the content was delivered in small, digestible pieces, always with relatable stories. It was one of the easiest courses to follow — not because it was simple, but because it was so thoughtfully structured. Shelley made everyone feel welcome and encouraged us to recognise our strengths. I wish it could continue!”

Understanding People — and Myself — Better

Katherine, Australia

“This course helped me understand people in a way that’s lifted my hesitation about teaching. It explained why I’ve sometimes found others frustrating or confusing and gave me strategies to navigate that. I’d absolutely recommend it — it not only helps you understand how others learn, but also helps you see yourself in the picture.”

Collaborative Learning and Idea Sharing

Nienke, Australia

“The sharing and generation of resources and ideas was incredibly valuable.”

What is the Objective of the Course?

The objective of this course is to equip participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively teach equestrians, emphasising the application of human learning theories, understanding and recognizing the barriers and unique challenges of working with horses, and the role of competence on learners' confidence.


What will you Learn?

Course Overview

This course has been designed to provide an in-depth and practical exploration of teaching people how to work with horses.  It will also demonstrate how enhancing education can improve performance, welfare and safety in equestrian activities.

Topics covered include:

Foundations in Human Learning Theories: 

Explore essential theories of human learning and expertise development, and learn how to apply these to equestrian teaching.

Understanding Equestrian Learning Barriers: 

Gain insights into the common misconceptions and challenges in horse training, and develop strategies to address these effectively.

Fostering Competence and Confidence: 

Focus on enhancing competence and confidence in learners, understanding their critical role in the learning process.

Strategies for Engagement and Relationship Building: 

Learn how to create and implement effective strategies for engaging with the equestrian community and building lasting relationships.

Creating Processes and Resources:

Learn how to develop your own resources to document and improve your effectiveness at helping equestrians learn.


How is the Course Delivered?

The course is delivered online and can be taken in two ways.

1. Fully online (self paced) - You can take this course at your own pace over a 12 month period. This means you can view the education material, resources and participate  in the assessments at a time that is convenient to you.

2. Fully online (structured delivery) - This will be available twice a year and will be delivered over a 6 week period. During this 6 weeks you will be invited to engage in Zoom tutorials and discussion. Assessments will be due on a schedule (however, this can be modified for each participant if necessary). The dates for the next delivery in 2025 are 1 November to 13 December. Please email [email protected] for any query regarding dates.

What is the Course Structure?

The curriculum is organised into 5 modules, each targeting a key aspect of equestrian education:

Module 1:

 Introduction to Human Learning Theories

Module 2: 

Effective Teaching Methods & Practices

Module 3: 

Overcoming Barriers in Equestrian Learning

Module 4: 

Developing Skills and Expertise in Equestrian Activities

Module 5: 

Develop Resources to Document and Improve Teaching Equestrians



Are there Assessments?

Yes, there are three types of assessments all designed to help you learn how to understand and apply what you have learnt.


1. Quiz -The course contains a quiz in Module 1 to test understanding of the various learning theories detailed in the module presentations.

2. Case Studies - There are TWO (2) case studies where you are given a scenario and asked to analyse and report on the situation from learning perspective associated with the Module topic.

3. Reflection - These are FOUR (4) reflection activities that require you to consider experiences from your own background and write a brief account for participation in tutorial events.

4. Program, Presentation, Course or Activity Plan (Optional) - Do you have an educational program, presentation or activity could you offer to your equestrian community?  You might be a coach, trainer, instructor or equine professional (or considering to be one) and this assessment will focus on you developing the plan this resource that will be designed to maximise learning and engagement. This assessment is optional as it might not be relevant for all participants.


What was the most helpful aspects of this course?

Would you recommend it to others?

Inspiration Through Shared Wisdom

Jenny, Australia

“The depth and breadth of ideas, hints, and tips were inspirational. I especially loved the spontaneous discussions during the Zoom sessions — sometimes the incidental insights were the most valuable!”

Confidence and Clarity to Move Forward

Jacqui, Australia

“I gained such insight into how differently people learn and how many ways knowledge can be shared. I now feel confident and clear in my own knowledge and ready to embark on a new venture.”

Learning Through Connection

Jennifer, United States

“Being able to discuss ideas with like-minded people was so beneficial. The Zoom sessions really helped solidify the material from each week. I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone wanting to work effectively with people in the horse industry.”

Seeing Differences as Strengths

Kathryn, Australia

“Learning how to better understand people by recognising our differences was the most helpful part.”

Clarity, Direction, and Connection

Fiona, Australia

“The ‘What, Why, Who’ framework gave me so much clarity and direction. I looked forward to our Monday morning chats about learning every week!”

Learning in Manageable, Meaningful Chunks

Rena, Australia

“I loved how the course was delivered in small, manageable chunks of content, while also giving us the chance to network and share ideas with peers.”

Engaging, Insightful, and Well-Designed

Karen, Australia

“The slides were a great focal point for discussion. I loved the peer interactions and knowledge sharing — all the book, research, and podcast recommendations were fantastic! Absolutely, I’d recommend it. The presentation style and discussion format were engaging and valuable. I can’t wait for the next part later this year!”

Transforming How I Teach and Connect

Samantha, Australia

“Learning how to meet people where they are, articulate my thoughts, and connect in ways that influence others was a game-changer. Already, others have noticed improvements in my teaching and their own results with their horses. Absolutely recommend!”

Tailoring Teaching to Every Learner

Lauren, Australia

“Learning about different learning styles has completely changed how I teach. I’m now more aware of how to adapt my approach to suit each person for better results.”

Deep Insight and Inspiration

Bek, Australia

“Shelley’s deep understanding and the abundance of resources helped me see horses — and teaching — in a whole new light. I gained insights I didn’t know I needed and found new inspiration. Absolutely recommend — this is one of the best horse courses I’ve ever done!”

Who is your instructor?

Dr Shelley Appleton

Dr. Shelley Appleton is the founder of “Calm Willing Confident Horses”. Shelley teaches people how to train horses by presenting online courses, training lessons and clinics throughout Australia. Shelley helps riders nurture partnerships with their horses whilst building confidence, trust, knowledge and skillsets. Shelley has an uncanny, highly experienced ability to recognise, problem solve and correct issues with horses. Her doctorate in Human Learning proves beneficial to all coaching scenarios allowing a deeper understanding of strategies helping people develop their awareness, thinking and skillsets to be more in tune with their horse. Shelley is a published author of books - Confidence & Trust, Solving the Human & Horse Equation and Buying & Supporting a New Horse, The Essential Guide. She is the co-host of the popular Canter Therapy Podcast and creator of the her program of teaching people to help horses called the Complete Reboot System. You can find out more about Shelley on her website: https://www.calmwillingconfidenthorses.com.au

Course Certificate & Benefits

Once you have completed the course materials and successfully completed all required assignments you will issued a course completion certificate.

You will then be invited to do the following:

1. Have your name be listed on my website of people that have completed this course. This will allow people to identify coaches, instructors, trainers or other enthusiasts that have increased their understanding and expertise in how to teach people in the unique realm of equestrian activities. 


2. Enrol in the second stage of my program to enter the pathway of becoming one of my  recommended trainers, coaches and mentors. This has 2 Phases:


Phase 1: Become the student & enrol in my Complete Reboot Program and work through my courses with my guidance & feedback submitting videos through the steps with two different horses. The time for completing this phase will take approximately 3-12 months.

Phase 2: After completing Phase 1 successfully, you can enrol in my Mentorship Program where you combine your human teaching and horse training skills. Where we work through real life cases & events together. The completion time for this will be approximately 12 months. .

This two phase program is designed to help you develop your competency at training horses through my Complete Reboot program (Round Penning, Groundwork, Building a Riding Foundation and Contact & Connection).  Once you have completed both phases you can be listed as one of my recommended trainers, instructors or coaches that I can direct people to that have enrolled in my programs and desire hands on help.  I have decided to create this recommended trainers, instructors, coaches or mentors list rather than have official CWC Horse Trainers, as I have seen this become problematic because each trainer etc. is an individual with their own unique set of skills and I wish to encourage this.  However, I need to be able to identify people from around the world that I have evaluated and assessed at being competent at my program before I recommend them to others.  For more information on my Mentorship Program please email [email protected] 





Pricing

Pricing Options Available.

What was the most helpful aspects of this course?

Would you recommend it to others?

Understanding Learners and Overcoming Barriers

Debbie, Australia

“Understanding different learning styles — and that each person is on their own path — was a huge takeaway. Recognising barriers and helping people overcome them was also incredibly useful. The practical prompts for creating resources were great too. Yes, I’d recommend it to anyone who teaches — understanding how people learn, and what gets in their way, is powerful stuff.”

Building the Foundations of Great Teaching

Barbara, Australia

“The course broke teaching down into clear, manageable components — one aspect at a time. It really helped me organise my thoughts and prioritise what matters most in teaching others. From understanding how people learn, to using effective teaching methods, identifying barriers, recognising my own strengths, and planning resources — it all came together beautifully. Thank you, Shelley — a terrific, well-structured, and motivational course!”

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long will this course take to work through?

    The course can be self paced or structured delivery. See "How this Course is Delivered" above.

  • How long do I have access to this course for?

    You have lifetime access to the course. However, if you are doing the self paced option, you only have 12 months from the time of enrolment to submit assignments.

  • Are there any assessments with this course?

    Yes, see "Are there Assessments" section above for more information.

  • Do I get any support when I do this course?

    In the structured delivery of the course you will be invited to attend 5 weekly Zoom tutorials over the 6 week time period of the course. However, there is also support available from Dr Shelley Appleton for the self paced version as well.

  • Do I get a certificate for completing this course?

    Yes, see "Course Certificate & Benefits" above for more information.

  • I have questions that are not answered in this section. Where can I get them answered?

    If you have any questions that are not answered here please email Dr Shelley Appleton via [email protected]

Bundle includes

Here are all the products that are included in your bundle.