Off-the-track horses are a familiar sight in Pony Club, but transitioning from racehorse to riding horse involves much more than simply teaching a new set of skills.
Pony Club Australia is pleased to present a free two-part webinar series with Dr Kate Fenner, exploring how we can better understand off-the-track horses and support them as they adapt to life after racing.
Whether you ride an OTT horse, coach riders who do or are considering taking one on, this series will provide practical, evidence-based information to help you understand the horse behind the behaviour.
About Dr Kate Fenner
Kate is an equine scientist, published researcher and horse trainer with more than 25 years of experience specialising in off-the-track retraining.
She holds a PhD in equine behaviour and training from the University of Sydney, is a Pony Club Australia Board Member and Horse Welfare Lead, and serves as Honorary President of the International Society for Equitation Science.
Kate’s work focuses on translating equitation science into practical, evidence-based approaches that support horse welfare and rider safety.
Webinar 1: Decoding the Off-the-Track Horse
Wednesday, 2 September 2026
7.00pm AEST
An off-the-track horse is not a blank slate, nor is it necessarily “green”. Racehorses already have a well-established education, but the signals they have learned may not mean the same thing their new rider expects them to mean.
In the first webinar, Kate will explore:
- What racehorses have already learned during their racing careers
- How racing cues can differ from those used in general riding
- How to recognise tension, arousal, confusion and discomfort
- What behaviour can tell us about a horse’s emotional state
- What a successful early transition from racing can look like
- How riders and coaches can reduce confusion and better support learning
Webinar 2: The Transition Framework
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
7.00pm AEST
The second webinar will move from understanding the horse to the practical process of teaching clear new responses.
Kate will explore learning theory in action, including:
- Pressure and release
- Reinforcement
- Timing and consistency
- Breaking training into achievable steps
- Helping an OTT horse confidently develop the skills needed for its new career
Join us for one webinar or both
Each webinar will offer valuable information in its own right, while together they provide a broader understanding of the OTT horse and the transition from racing to a new riding career.
Both webinars are free to attend and open to the Pony Club community.
