JACQUELINE BILLINGTON
AAoR Squire, EET (Level 3)
Equine Behaviour and Positive Reinforcement Consultant, Rider Coach Specialising in the Academic Art of Riding, Equine Sculptor
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Location/Areas Covered: Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire
ABOUT JACQUELINE
Jacquie is a positive reinforcement trainer using the AAoR by Bent Branderup principles. She is also a professional bat ecologist and an equestrian sculptor. Jacquie is pictured here with her Purebred Spanish Horse (PRE), Uralita, who she started under saddle at the age of 8.
"A lifelong fascination with equine behaviour has made formalising qualifications in this area a delight. The Science of Behaviour makes total sense and resonates with me and I find it very enjoyable and satisfying to continue learning as new research unfolds.
Training the eye is the first step, developing observation skills in biomechanics, movement and critical observation of behaviour. The second step is interpretation of what is observed, referring to equine Behavioural Science, pain assessments, equine and rider biomechanics, environmental conditions, equipment comfort, training approaches and the horses’ age, breed, sex and the individual horse and riders’ histories. Most responses to queries by horse owners
regarding behaviour and training need “it depends” as a first response caveat."
Jacquie trains classical dressage movements using the AAoR by Bent Branderup principles having studied this since 2010 and she is the 1st person of only 2 in U.K. to have passed the Bent Branderup Groundwork and Lunge test, which is assessed only by him and is the prerequisite for his ridden Squire test, which Jacquie has since become the first person in the UK to pass.
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"Spending time well with my horses is a maxim I’ve adopted from Bent Branderups’ many wonderful quotes, and for me the definition of this is developing a friendly relationship with my horses as a priority over all other goals. My horses are the judges of how well I am doing.My approach aims to unite the physical and mental wellbeing for the horse, as training any movement or behaviour at the expense of physical or mental well-being is just not acceptable. The horse must feel empowered and proud by their own actions rather than disempowered or diminished by ours.Both the horse and the human must have their hearts in what they do together."