Senior Lecturer in Equine Behaviour and Nutrition
I have been at WUC since 2009, lecturing in equine behaviour, nutrition and welfare.
I am also a certified equine behaviour consultant and work in industry, bringing real life experience and case studies to the classroom.I sit on various equine behaviour and welfare industry committees outside of WUC including for the BHS and NEWC.BSc (Hons) Equine Science, University of Essex, Writtle College
MSc Equine Science, University of Essex, Writtle College
Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice, University of Essex
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants Certified Equine Behaviour Consultant
Animal Behaviour and Training Council Accredited Animal Behaviourist
Behaviour
Welfare
Nutrition
Current research areas are cooperative care, ethical equitation, use of positive reinforcement to enhance equine welfare in management and training, positive and negative emotional states, emotional thresholds and arousal, and various other aspects of equine behaviour and welfare
Conference proceedings
Braybrook, Z. and Verwijs, R. (2017) An investigation determining whether there is a relationship between different equine types and their reactivity to a novel startle test Proceedings of the Equine and Veterinary Physiotherapy Mini-Conference, Writtle University College, Essex, 26th April 2017 11.
Gohery, L. and Verwijs, R. (2017) The effect of laterality on stride parameters in cantering equines determined by hair whorl (Trichoglyphs) direction Proceedings of the Equine and Veterinary Physiotherapy Mini-Conference, Writtle University College, Essex, 26th April 2017 6.
Murphy, N. and Verwijs, R. (2017) The impact of isolation on equine behaviour and heart rate when loading onto a horsebox Proceedings of the Equine and Veterinary Physiotherapy Mini-Conference, Writtle University College, Essex, 26th April 2017 9.
Bouquet, A. and Verwijs, R. (2015) 'Evaluation of two modified Butanol-HCL methodologies for the analysis of free condensed tannins in conjunction with their quantity occurrence in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) dried at various temperatures' 10th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Moulton College, Northampton, UK, 27th March 2015.
Maru, C. and Verwijs, R. (2015) 'An investigation into the relationship between intelligence and dominance rank in a herd of young horses' 10th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Moulton College, Northampton, UK, 27th March 2015.
Howie, J. and Verwijs, R. (2013) 'The effects of lavender oil and peppermint oil on stress in horses' 8th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, UK, 15 May 2013.
Foster, R. and Verwijs, R. (2012) 'Positive versus Negative Reinforcement: The effects of target training on measurable equine fearfulness towards a novel stimulus' RASE Eqvalan Duo Equine Thesis of the Year Award, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, UK, 11 November 2012.
Verwijs, R. (2012) 'Bringing teaching into the field – Futurity, young horses and integrating industry practice' CASTLe Learning and Teaching Conference, Writtle College, Chelmsford, United Kingdom, 18 July 2012.
Verwijs, R. (2010) 'The use of an extinction-learning paradigm to measure equine stereotypic perseveration' Equine Science Research at Writtle, Writtle College, Essex, UK, March 2010.
Tracey, S., Verwijs, R., Bland, I. and Whitaker, T.C. (2005) Social organisation and dominance in relation to resource ascendancy within a selected group of weaned foals British Society of Animal Science, Applying Equine Science: research into business. 20-21 September. Cirencester, UK 36.
Bouquet A., Amory J., Thompson A. and Verwijs R. (2016) Evaluation of two modified Butanol-HCL methodologies for the analysis of free condensed tannins in conjunction with their quantity occurrence in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) dried at various temperatures', Advances in Animal Bioscience Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 130.
Crockett, L. and Verwijs, R. (2014) A comparison of four hay nets in relation to feed intake and welfare in adult horses (Equus caballus) 9th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Writtle College, Essex, UK, 28 March 2014.
Rice, R. and Verwijs, R. (2014) An investigation into the effect of essential oils on behaviour and stress in rescue horses and ponies 9th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Writtle College, Essex, UK, 28 March 2014.
Pardue, H. and Verwijs, R. (2013) An investigation into the effects of different girths and girth sleeves on the behaviour and stress elicited by leisure horses in the UK whilst being tacked up 8th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Hartpury College, Gloucestershire, UK, 15 May 2013.
King, H. and Verwijs, R. (2012) Using a pseudoisochromatic plate test to identify colour vision deficiencies in horses 7th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Moulton College, Northampton, UK, 23 May 2012.
Meehan, R. and Verwijs, R. (2012) The effect of a commercial calming supplement on the behaviour and heart rate of horses during a temperament test 7th UFAW Annual Student Animal Welfare Conference, Moulton College, Northampton, UK, 23 May 2012.