What does it mean to be “Ethical?”

It’s not about what we can do with horses. It’s how we get there that matters most…to them.

Our love for horses can gently guide us toward doing what’s best for them, as thoughtfully and wholeheartedly as we can.

Having an ethical mindset looks like responsibly prioritizing their physical, emotional, and physiological needs: nutrition, living environments, social needs, veterinary care, daily management, enrichment, and training are all important examples of areas to continuously improve our humane care for them.

Being ethical means choosing kindness in both equine care and training.

By embracing ethics in care and training, we can naturally see improved results in our connection, communication, and overall relationship with our equines. They offer us so much in companionship and deserve nothing less than optimal care from their humans.

This is why the word ethical means so much to me and what why I keep it at the forefront of everything I offer here at Ethical Equine Academy.

“What is Positive Reinforcement?”

Positive reinforcement can be commonly known as, “clicker training,” although it is not exclusive to using only clickers. You will also see people abbreviate positive reinforcement with “R+.”

When we use positive reinforcement in training, we are reinforcing our horse by adding an appetitive to the training equation. This means that we are reinforcing desirable behaviors with something that the horse really likes! We know we are successful in training with positive reinforcement as we continue to see these desirable behaviors increase. In almost all cases of training animals with positive reinforcement….reinforcing the horse with something they really like is often going to mean we train them with food.

My training and coaching centers around positive reinforcement because it has been proven to be the least intrusive and minimally aversive way to effectively and ethically modify behaviors.

When applied thoughtfully, ethically, and with genuine care, positive reinforcement fosters true compassion, deeper connection, willing cooperation, and lasting trust with our equine partners.

About Me

Hello, there 👋🏻 I’m Kelsey!

I am so glad you made it here!

I am a positive reinforcement-focused youth instructor, trainer, and coach for youth instructors based out of Cincinnati, Ohio.

A quick back story on where I started and why I am so passionate about helping others who are shaping the future generation of ethical equestrians –

My career started with a riding instructor certification from the Certified Horsemanship Association in 2016.

But I knew I didn’t want to be a riding instructor for just any program. I had worked at several barns by that point and could clearly see a trend of welfare being secondary to numbers and profit.

I always knew I didn’t want that….

I wanted to create a program that put the horses first, prioritized safety, and kept students engaged during their horse learning fun – the same way I felt as a young horse girl.

So, I started my own youth academy in 2018. It started with traditional-based equestrian program that was centered on natural horsemanship training methods.

It was just me, 2 ponies, and a handful of students in my backyard. Small crew, but never short on filling up my weekly spots with horse-living kids.

It was honestly going great until I ran into the same problem that a lot of lesson barn owners run into…

My lesson horses were quickly and clearly shutting down and burning out.

They stopped enjoying their “job” as lesson horses.

Their routine was monotonous, taxing, uninteresting, and even physically harming them (unbeknownst to be at the time) for them. They didn’t hide that they couldn’t wait to get it over with, get out of the arena, and go back to their herd mates.

I started questioning how I was falling into the exact trap I was trying so hard to avoid in the first place.

So, my search for something better and different began…

I stumbled across positive reinforcement training initially in 2019. By Spring of 2020, I was so curious about it and ready to dive in to learn more. I signed up for The Willing Equine’s 3-month Foundation Course and immediately fell in love with relearning about equine science and training in a way I had never been taught before.

I started implementing everything I was learning into my youth lessons right away…

and experienced life-changing results with my horses.

My horses were instantly more engaged. They were excited to meet me and my students at the gate. They were more curious than ever before to try new things!

What was better than that?

My students were having more fun than ever before!

Learning about positive reinforcement training also came with relearning how to take care of my horses from a more welfare-centered approach, too. So, not only did my horses enjoy learning and engaging in their lessons with both me and my students…but they felt better, too! I restructured their care protocol and management to make sure they were eating appropriately, moving more, had more enrichment activity opportunities, changed their tack, changed their hoof care strategy, and added bodywork.

I wanted them to be more supported physically, physiologically, mentally, and emotionally.

By 2023, I pursued TWE’s Positive Equine Professionals Behavior Consulting Mentorship Program. I improved not only my own training applications, but progressed in my coaching skills as well. Being a good trainer is only half of the puzzle! We need to be able to teach these skills well to the next generation of horse owners and trainers.

I have worked with many clients virtually and throughout the Cincinnati area, both 1:1 and in small group settings. I came into my own with both my teaching style and my goals. I also branched out to create a virtual learning academy for kids who want to learn positive reinforcement/clicker training with their own pets at home!

Now, I have a passion for something bigger than myself and my own program…

There are so many lesson barns and equine programs serving youth who miss out on the opportunity of:

• Lesson horses that go from burnout and shut down to curious and engaged in every session
• safer lessons
• more practical, fun ways to teach youth about horses that are not limited to riding them
• lesson plans that build themselves

My mission here now is to help others like me who need more welfare-centered management practices and protocols and are craving a lesson curriculum that does not put the horse or safety second to profit.

My R+ Lesson Program Transformation Mentorship is for instructors, lesson barn owners and managers, and nonprofit organizations serving youth through equestrian activities. It’s for everyone who is in this field and wants to create a lasting impact on the next generation of equestrians while saving time, money, and years of errors in their business.

This program is fully supportive of you, your goals, your horses, your staff, and your youth students—so everyone involved can grow, learn, and thrive together.

If you’re a barn owner, program manager, instructor, or staff member, book a Free Explore Call to get personalized insight, ask your questions, and determine if this mentorship aligns with your goals.

Ready to elevate your youth equine program with a more effective, welfare-centered approach?

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