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ACADEMY
The Willing Equine
Build the kind of relationship with your horse that you dreamed of as a kid.
The kind where your horse comes when called, puts their nose in the halter, relaxes for handling, and stays connected with you even when things don’t go according to plan.
One enrollment. Lifetime access. No monthly or annual subscription fees.
MAYBE THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW...
+ You love your horse deeply, but the day-to-day reality does not feel anything like what you hoped for.
+ Your horse wants nothing to do with you unless food is involved.
+ Training with treats started out exciting, but now your horse is pushy, frustrated, or obsessed with your pockets.
+ You end a session wondering if you made things worse.
+ You feel embarrassed because everyone else seems to have a calmer, easier horse.
+ You know pressure-based training does not feel right, but you do not know what to do instead.
+ You are tired of guessing, overthinking, and trying to piece together random advice from the internet.
+ You are ready for your horse to feel safer, softer, more engaged, and more willing - but you need a path that actually shows you how to get there.
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If any of this sounds familiar, you are not behind. You are not failing your horse.
You and your horse probably just need clearer communication, better structure, and support that actually understands the kind of relationship you are trying to build.
WHAT YOU REALLY WANT INSTEAD...
+ You want a horse who feels good about being with you.
+ A horse who comes to you when called instead of making catching feel like a negotiation.
+ A horse who can put their nose in the halter because they want to participate.
+ A horse who can stand with you, relax around food, and stay mentally present during training.
+ A horse who is calm for the farrier, the vet, the trailer, the arena, the trail, and all the strange little things life asks of them.
+ A horse who can tell you when something is too much - and a version of you who knows what to do next instead of panicking, pushing, or shutting down.
+ Training sessions that end with both of you feeling more connected, not more confused.
The Willing Equine Academy was created to help you build exactly that.
Step by step. Skill by skill. With science, compassion, community, and guidance all under one roof.
My childhood horse
As a child, I desperately wanted to have a relationship with a horse like I saw in the movies.
Those magical sunset rides, free of all tack and restraints.
Not because I wanted to ride tackless so much as I wanted that kind of relationship with a horse.
I wanted the feeling behind it. The horse who chose to be there. The quiet communication, trust, and sense that we were doing something together.
Boy, was I ever wrong. I wanted my horse to engage with me, and to have a choice in it. Instead I was taught to control, restrain, force, manipulate, manhandle, and dominate.
I learned to tighten the reins when things felt uncertain, push through when a horse said no, and force obedience when what I really wanted was trust.
Instead of it being an experience we did together, riding and handling horses turned into something I was doing to them while they just looked for the first opportunity to get back to their pasture.
It wasn’t until I was much older, married, with three kids, and decades of horse experience that I finally realized that things didn’t have to be that way.
It took a very special horse to show me that I was doing things all wrong, and missing out on so much.
I thought that when I started taking riding lessons it would be like that.
See, Tiger wasn’t easy. She bucked, reared, and bolted under-saddle. She was like riding a ticking time bomb.
She used to make me SO mad (and honestly, a bit scared).
ENTER TIGER
And maybe the most frustrating part was that I wasn’t without experience.
I knew the corrections, the pressure, the “ride it out,” the “don’t let her get away with that” kind of advice and techniques. I also knew to look for pain, poor saddle fit, and all the things along those lines. I had been working with difficult horses my whole life.
But Tiger made it painfully clear that knowing how to control a horse, even with the best intentions, was not the same as knowing how to help one.
The tools I had been given might have made her comply, but they weren’t creating the kind of relationship I had spent my whole life wanting.
I didn’t want to force her through it. I wanted to find a way through it with her.
I just didn’t know how yet.
But I loved her - so, even though nothing was going right, and I had no idea what I was doing...
I DECIDED TO CHANGE. FOR HER, I WOULD CHANGE
I would set aside all my expectations, all my goals, all my experience…and become that young student once again.
What she taught me was so profound. My entire life changed.
I relearned what horses want, how they communicate, how they learn, and how to reach their heart. How to achieve that relationship I had wanted once upon a time. For real this time.
The bucking, rearing, and bolting stopped. She started meeting me at the gate each day.
And I realized I had happened upon something I wanted to share with the world. So here I am, shouting it from the rooftops!
If this story resonates with you, let me share with you what Tiger, and countless horses since Tiger, shared with me.
YOUR HORSE WILL THANK YOU.
YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU.
ALL YOU NEED IS 20 MINUTES A DAY
And here’s the part I know you’ll appreciate if you’re a busy working parent like me. With just 20 minutes a day, you can begin building the kind of relationship with your horse that once felt like something you could only dream about.
The kind where your horse starts checking in with you, you stop guessing quite so much, and the messy moments become information you know how to work with.
Even if your horse is pushy around food.
Even if they have a history of biting, rearing, bucking, or bolting.
Even if they are *impossible* to catch.
Even if they make you REALLY frustrated on a daily basis.
I promise you. Together we can turn things around for you both!
The Academy gives you the curriculum, community, and support system to start off or start over with your horse in a way that feels practical, kind, and possible.
AT A GLANCE: WHAT YOU GET INSIDE THE ACADEMY
The Complete Foundation Pathway
Four foundation courses that teach the core skills everything else builds from.
Real-Life, Practical Training Guidance
Private Community Support
Not just theory - clear steps for food relaxation, handling, leading, catching, cooperative care, and more.
A calm space away from social media where you can ask questions and be understood.
TWE Coach Support
Guidance from coaches trained in the TWE approach for questions, troubleshooting, video feedback, and encouragement.
Regular Academy Livestreams
Ongoing education, discussion, demonstrations, and support from inside the Academy.
Lifetime Access, No Recurring Fees
Enroll once. Keep access. No monthly or annual subscription.
WHAT THE WILLING EQUINE ACADEMY OFFERS
Positive reinforcement is at the heart of the Academy's teachings. Adele Shaw teaches a thoughtful and effective approach to training using positive reinforcement and a marker signal, often a clicker, to support clear communication between horse and human. But it is more than just learning how to use a clicker. It is about creating a training foundation that supports real, lasting progress and a stronger partnership with the horse.
Students begin with training seven core behaviors that become the building blocks for everything that follows:
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Default Neutral - so your horse can relax around food instead of turning into the Cookie Monster.
Stand-Stay - so standing still becomes a skill your horse understands, not something you have to hold together.
Stationary Targeting - so your horse has a clear place to go or stay for grooming, tacking up, tying, and more.
Cone Targeting Patterns - so movement, rhythm, and focus can be introduced without adding pressure.
Back-Up - so space and body awareness can be taught with clarity instead of corrections.
Following a Target - so leading, loading, movement, and more advanced skills can be built from cooperation.
These skills are simple, adaptable, and incredibly powerful. Whether the goal is cooperative hoof care, groundwork, trailer loading, liberty, or performance, these foundational behaviors help create a shared language and mutual understanding. Every advanced skill can be traced back to these basics, making them essential for long-term success.
This isn't just another "clicker training how-to" though. The real difference lies in how it is applied. Rather than focusing on rigid methods or demanding perfect behaviors, the emphasis is on supporting the learning process in a way that feels safe, empowering, and effective for both horse and human.
More than anything, the focus is on doing positive reinforcement well. That means teaching with clarity, consistency, and compassion. It means reinforcing effort, not just perfection. And it means avoiding the common pitfalls that can lead to confusion or anxiety, such as withholding rewards when the horse is unsure or struggling to understand.
We're laying a foundation of understanding, calm, and willingness for the partnership of your dreams with your horse.
WHAT SETS THIS APPROACH APART?
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Unhappy facial expression. Pushing into your space. Nipping at your pockets.
Maybe you've decided that training with food reinforcement just doesn't work for your horse.
Trust me, I used to think the same thing.
Does your horse look like this when you train with food?
It’s not uncommon to see horses trained with treats or clickers still feeling anxious or frustrated. Frustration and anxiety often happen when reinforcement is withheld, or used as pressure, leaving the horse uncertain or confused. The Willing Equine Academy takes a different path.
Instead of relying on pressure or perfection, the focus is on understanding. When something unexpected happens, it is treated as information, not failure. The plan is adjusted, the environment is reconsidered, communication is clarified, and the effort is acknowledged.
This approach builds trust and helps horses feel secure and confident in the learning process. The result is not only improved behavior and achieved training goals, but a horse and handler team that feel good about it every step of the way.
See that soft, relaxed expression?
Every horse can feel this way around food rewards...with the right approach.
INSIDE THE ACADEMY, YOU WILL LEARN TO:
Read your horse so their behavior stops feeling random and starts making sense.
Build training plans that help you know what to do when things get messy.
Improve your timing, shaping plans, cue clarity, and reinforcement delivery so your horse is not left guessing.
Create training sessions where both horse and human feel heard, respected, and supported.
Ask the question you are scared to post anywhere else and know you will be met with empathy, not judgment.
Mistakes and messy moments are seen as part of the learning journey. With the right tools and perspective, those moments become opportunities for growth rather than setbacks. We welcome imperfect humans and horses!
This is horsemanship grounded in ethics, informed by science, and shaped by compassion. It is training that honors the horse, supports the human, and creates lasting, positive change.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Your one-time Academy enrollment includes the complete foundation pathway and the support system around it.
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Lifetime access to the four foundation courses: Foundations of Harmony, Foundations of Trust, Foundations of Cooperation, and Foundations of Consideration.
Access to the private networking platform and app, away from the noise and overwhelm of social media.
Community support from horse people who understand why this matters so much.
Support from TWE coaches who are trained in the TWE approach and available for questions, troubleshooting, encouragement, and feedback inside the Academy spaces.
Regular Academy livestreams for education, updates, demonstrations, and discussion. Access to exclusive Academy events and additional learning opportunities.
The option to purchase Virtual Coaching and Behavior Consulting Services when you want deeper, individualized support.
Adele is present through the course curriculum and during our regular livestreams, but enrollment does not include unlimited one-on-one access to Adele.
If you want personalized help, you can purchase virtual coaching or behavior consulting with Adele or the TWE coaches.
No recurring fees. No monthly or annual subscription. If you choose a payment option, those payments end when your selected plan is complete.
START YOUR ACADEMY JOURNEY
Each option gives you the same Academy access. These are payment options, not ongoing subscription fees.
Choose the plan that works best for you:
Full Payment
$547 USD
Save $40 USD
3 Payments of
$189 USD
Save $20 USD
6 Payments of
$98 USD
PLUS, SATISFACTION IS 100% GUARANTEED!
Try the Academy with zero pressure.
It can be daunting to fully commit and jump all-in to yet another program. If the Academy is not the right fit, you are protected by our satisfaction guarantee for 365 days from purchase date.
I’m SO confident in this path because I have seen time and time again how powerful it can be for horses and humans who are ready to learn in a different way.
MEET ADELE,
TWE'S HEAD COACH
My name is Adele Shaw and I’m a Certified Equine Behavior Consultant and a Horsemanship Mentor. I’m also a mother to three beautiful children, have my own personal herd of seven lovely horses from all backgrounds, and am a native Texan.
I’ve dedicated my life to improving the relationships between horses and people, and I have such a deep passion for helping horses that are struggling. I now specialize in working with highly fearful and aggressive horses around the globe in a way that honors the horse and focuses on relationships first.
I created The Willing Equine Academy to be a place where horse people just like you can find community, support, clear guidance, accountability, and ultimately… a safe haven.
Whether you're here because you are ready for something different for you and your horse...Or if you're here because you've been trying to do things differently with your horse but it's not going as well as you hoped...I hear you!
I've been in your shoes and want to help you and your horse...just like I've helped countless others.
MEET THE TWE COACHING TEAM
The Academy coaching team is not random support staff. These are the only people I would trust with my own horses and my own students. They are wonderful teachers, trainers, and human beings.
Brianna Ferguson is a trainer and equine bodyworker whose work is guided by positive reinforcement, LIMA, the Humane Hierarchy, and a deep commitment to looking at the whole horse. She brings a calm, thoughtful eye to training questions, body comfort, cooperative care, and the root causes behind behavior.
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Megan Young is a positive reinforcement-based trainer who uses clicker training, LIMA, the Humane Hierarchy, and a whole-horse approach that prioritizes choice, control, and emotional well-being. She is especially gifted at helping horse people slow down, clarify the training plan, and support the horse in front of them.
Inside the Academy, you can go to the TWE support team for questions, video feedback, troubleshooting, encouragement, and help finding the next step when you feel stuck.
MORE ABOUT THE ACADEMY CURRICULUM
The Academy is designed as one clear pathway, not a scattered library of separate offers. You begin with the foundations and build from there.
Foundations of Harmony:
Begin Your Journey to a Positive Equine Partnership
In this course, you’ll learn how to work with your horse in a new way that creates trust, communication, and understanding - so you can stop feeling like you are guessing and start building a shared language with your horse.
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Foundations of Trust:
Begin your clicker training journey with Adele's highly successful course that creates a cooperative partner, not a treat monster.
The Art and Science of Positive Reinforcement For Equines
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Foundations of Cooperation:
The Art and Science of Positive Reinforcement For Equines
Learn to apply an errorless learning process to trade frustration, anxiety, and conflict for a willing, calm, and confident equine partner.
Refine your understanding of the theory & discover how to apply the foundation behaviors to achieve all your training goals.
Foundations of Consideration:
The Art and Science of Positive Reinforcement For Equines
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THE SUPPORT AROUND THE CURRICULUM:
The curriculum gives you the foundation. These pieces help you apply it with support, clarity, and encouragement along the way — so you are not just learning the concepts, you are practicing them inside a community that understands the work.
Regular Livestreams
Ongoing education, demonstrations, and discussion where we slow things down, talk through real training questions, and deepen the “why” behind the work.
Community & Support
A private space to ask questions, share wins, work through the messy moments, and be understood by people who care about this as much as you do.
Private Networking Platform & App
A calm, ad-free space away from social media where your learning, conversations, and resources stay easy to access.
Optional 1:1 Coaching & Consulting
When you want deeper individualized help, you can purchase recorded or live coaching and behavior consulting with TWE coaching team.
WHEN YOU’RE READY TO GO DEEPER
Your Academy enrollment begins with the complete foundation pathway. From there, Academy students can purchase optional Academy-exclusive courses with lifetime access, so your learning can grow with your goals.
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MORE ABOUT OUR ACADEMY-EXCLUSIVE COURSES:
Available for purchase inside the Academy with lifetime access.
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More Academy-exclusive courses are in development.
SISTER & ERIN'S STORY
After a rough start in life, Sister landed with a wonderful family who took her in at a very young age. Initially her training and handling followed a method that focused on dominance and control, but that didn’t sit well with her humans and so they began exploring a different approach.
While Sister was young they dabbled with some clicker training and using food rewards successfully. That is, until Sister started unexpectedly acting out towards her humans and becoming very unpredictable. They couldn’t even be in the same space as her safely.
We connected and began working together. Together with her team of care providers and the TWE community, we saw an incredible change in Sister. She became more comfortable, consistent, patient, and happier. Her humans too also experienced a big difference in themselves, becoming more confident and enjoying spending time with Sister again.
IS THE ACADEMY FOR YOU?
Whether you are brand new to positive reinforcement or already a professional, the Academy is designed to explore the foundations deeply while still remaining accessible and practical.
You are new to positive reinforcement and want to start clearly.
You have years of horse experience, but you want a different path this time.
You love your horse deeply, but sessions feel emotional, messy, confusing, or unsafe.
You are a trainer or professional who wants to understand the why, not just copy techniques.
You want practical training that still honors your horse’s voice and emotional experience.
You have tried clicker training before, but your horse became anxious or pushy around food.
You want structure without losing softness, choice, or compassion.
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Frequently asked questions
IF YOU'RE READY TO...
Develop a willing partnership with your horse but don't know where to start
Find lasting success with positive reinforcement training
Join a program with a clear curriculum, community support, and 1:1 support
Start off or start over on the right foot with your equine companion
Embrace change for your anxious, fearful, reactive, or defensive horse
Finally feel at home in a community that celebrates every success
DON'T WAIT!
You don’t need to continue to struggle with your horse’s difficult behaviors, feeling alone and uncertain, or anything less than the amazing partnership that is waiting for you and your horse.
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