Helena Harris, MSc, is an applied equine behavior clinician with academic training in animal welfare and behavior science from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Her work focuses on the study of equine emotion, behavior, and welfare. With more than 25 years of hands-on horse and stable management experience, she helps horse owners, trainers, and professionals improve their horse’s performance and emotional wellbeing by using applied animal behavior methods. She is a member of the Animal Behavior Society, the International Society of Equitation Science (ISES), and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC). She also volunteers on the Horses and Humans Research Foundation’s Education Committee.
Prior to her work in animal behavior, Helena provided stable management and business consulting services to equine professionals for 15 years, guiding them toward efficient horse management practices that support sustainable businesses without compromising horse welfare. Her undergraduate work focused on wildlife management through environmental conservation and public policy. She also spent several years as a small animal veterinary technician in New York.
Foxhunting is where Helena spent the most hours in the saddle, but she has groomed and dabbled in novice eventing, equitation, and dressage. Based full time in Aiken, South Carolina, she rides and trains her two OTTB mares as pleasure mounts, while her retired field hunter, Brody, enjoys life as the resident Good Horse Ambassador to the World.
Your questions and emails are most welcome; contact Helena here.
Research:
Harris, H. G., & McDonnell, S. M. (2026). Positive Reinforcement (R+) Horse Training in Practice: Evaluation of Online Trailer-Training Demonstrations. Animals, 16(11), 1667. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16111667