Paul is a riding instructor, veterinarian and ethologist. He is Professor of Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the University of New England. The author of over 300 peer-reviewed scientific publications and seven books, Paul has received numerous Australian and international awards for his research and teaching innovations. His PhD was in the behaviour of stabled horses but it was a chapter co-written with Dr Andrew McLean in his Equine Behavior textbook that coined the term “Equitation Science”. His co-authored article with Dr Bidda Jones coined the term "ethical equitation".