It is my passion to help horses and humans learn in a playful and ethical way, and reach a whole new level of friendship. By stretching out comfort zones slowly and efficiently I cause as little stress as possible; making it a perfect learning environment where the horse gets a say as well.
What others had to say
Nienke
“(…) Ol spooks a lot, and new things are often way too scary. The same went for targets in the beginning. Everything I bring to the yard now is fun after creating a lot of positive experiences!”
Gaelle
Barefoot trimmer, vet student
“(…) I’m kind of a chaotic person and bad at planning; I often just start wherever and get stuck a little while later. To really make progress I have found a great trainer, coach, motivator and friend in Janneke.”
Merel
“(…) Janneke is one of the most thorough and driven people I know when it comes to positive reinforcement training. For years she immersed herself in studying the how and why of learning theory, making her very knowledgeable.”
How can I help you?
Services & bundles
lessons
Lessons at home with your horse. I’m located in the Netherlands, but willing and able to travel.
Online coaching
Discussing training plans, problems, homework or training video’s frame per frame using a webcam! You can now learn from the comfort of your own home… wearing pyjamas!
Clickstarter
Just starting out with positive reinforcement training, or would you like your training to get a boost? Click the button below to get a look at the bundles I offer.
Discounts & deals
I like to reward humans as well as horses, so check out some interesting deals I created for new and existing clients.
Get involved
I got in touch with R+ trainers all over the world back in 2015 by joining the Facebook group Empowered Equestrians. The group has been growing exponentially, causing the need for local subgroups. I manage the group for the Netherlands & Belgium where we regularly host challenges, meetings and bookclub.s
Calendar
wHAT'S ON THE AGENDA?
Click the button for more information
What others had to say
Silke
“(…) She has a way of explaining very clearly with lots of funny and relatable examples. What I like so much about Janneke is that she has a creative solution for everything. I now have a very strong bond with my horse thanks to Janneke’s lessons, and I’m so grateful for her!”
Sydne
Barefoot trimmer, equine podiatrist student
“(…) Her dedication to force and aversive free training is admirable; if there is anyone out there to find a way with a challenging horse, it is Janneke.”
Sammy
“(…) She is very involved; I can always send her a message when I need her help. I really like receiving a report after every lesson with an overview of the lesson, homework and some additional tips. It’s great to be able to whip that out and take a
My inspiration
Deejay
This horse has been and still is changing my life daily since 2010.
Foxy
My sweetheart who, despite her traumas, always spoils me with nickers and cuddles.
Noortje
I cannot imagine my life without this walking little ball of love.
Learning
Blogs & vlogs
Target training vs Free-shaping
By Janneke Koekhoven
Some people are of the opinion that there are three kinds of shaping: free-shaping, assisted shaping and structured shaping. Free-shaping being just waiting around for the behaviour to happen (e.g. by playing the “101 things with a box” game), assisted shaping being luring, prompting and target training, and structured shaping being somewhere in the middle; similar to free-shaping only with an actual plan and use of environment, but no use of actual targets, prompts or lures.
When Can I Stop Using Food?
By Alizé Veillard-Muckensturm
We all learned (except for the few lucky ones) to ride and train horses through coercion. Using food may feel alien at first and many popular trainers have criticised the use of rewards by calling it ‘bribery’, saying that the horse won’t ‘respect’ you and that it will teach him to bite. We also been told that horses should do things because we ask them to and that they should be happy to please us.
What I stand for
My mission
I stand for creating harmony in horse-human
By adding structure, clarity, understanding, goodwill, variety, fairness and fun into practice I hope to address any underlying emotional issues, and vice versa! I want to share my passion, knowledge and experience through any medium I can make my own.