Orla Doherty qualified as a veterinarian from University College Dublin in 1992 before completing a Master’s Degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare at the University of Edinburgh. In 1994 Orla set up the Animal Behaviour Clinic in Ireland, a veterinary referral behaviour clinic treating problem behaviours in horses, dogs and cats. Orla completed a PhD at the University of Limerick in 2016 on tack usage in horses, and an Australian Diploma in Equitation Science (completed in 2017). She has numerous peer reviewed publications in scientific journals, and provides expert opinion in legal cases regarding animal behaviour and welfare. Orla provides an Animal Behaviour and Welfare consultancy (to Dublin Zoo, 2016-2019 and Wild Ireland, 2022- present).

Orla lectures and gives workshops and clinics to veterinary surgeons, horse owners, riders and trainers and farm staff in Ireland and abroad. Orla is an Associate Lecturer at University College Dublin, and was Hon President of the International Society for Equitation Science from 2019-2021. Orla competed in showjumping, dressage and eventing and continues to ride when time permits.

Andrew is a clinical and forensic ethologist with specialist academic areas in animal cognition, equine learning/training and welfare science.   

As an independent scientist, Andrew has authored and co-authored in excess of 80 research and review papers and conference presentations and 10 horse and elephant training texts. In 2020, he co-authored the most recent Five Domains Model of Animal Welfare, focusing on human-animal interactions. Andrew has been co-winner of the Eureka Science award and the Premio Flambo Award for Animal Welfare (Italian Equestrian Sports Federation). In 2014, he was awarded the John H Daniels Fellowship from the USA National Sporting Library, Virginia and in 2016, he was King Scholar invitee at the University of Arkansas.  

Andrew has dedicated the past couple of decades to teaching evidence-based horse training and management in workshops across Western Europe as well as the USA, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. In doing so, he has coached four Olympic medalists, seven National Equestrian Federations and in 1996 he coached the Indian Eventing team to win its first ever medal in international competition using techniques that he derived from and understanding of equine learning and cognition. Andrew founded and directed the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre in 1995 and is currently the CEO of Equitation Science International. He is Patron of Pony Club Australia and as a former Director, he has instigated a revolutionary syllabus that leads the world in equestrian education for young riders. Andrew is also Founder of the Human-Elephant-Learning Programs Foundation, a not-for-profit charity that delivers evidence-based elephant training, management and conservation education across South and Southeast Asia and is supported there by various government organisations. He is also the Australian representative of the IUCN Asian Elephant Specialist Group. 

A winner of the Advanced section of the famous Gawler Three-Day-Event in 1989, Andrew has enjoyed a decorated and very diverse equestrian sport career. He has represented Australia in three-day eventing and competed in State and National titles in FEI dressage, eventing and showjumping and more recently was Australian National Champion in Tetrathlon in 2018 in the 32+ age group.