One-to-one Equine-Assisted therapy at our stable

Equi-Zen is the name we give all our onsite, one-to-one equine-assisted therapy courses. Typically the course is once a week at our stables for around 10 weeks. During this time there’s a range of therapeutic activities to take part in with the help of our four-legged friends.

The sessions are non-ridden and with a focus very much on mental health and emotional exploration. They are a great alternative to standard talking therapies as they provide the same supportive space with educated staff but in an outdoor, relaxed environment. This can be perfect for teens who might not be keen to sit in a room discussing feelings but are happy to playfully explore different thoughts and emotions while interacting with our trained therapy ponies

“Theres something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a man” - Winston Churchill

The Equine Skill Workshop

We involve the young people we work with in the desicions we make, because essentially this service is all about them, so what they need is our guide. Their feedback after completing three months of one-to-one equine-assisted therapy was that while they felt better, they didn’t feel ready to leave. We worked with them to create an extended pathway where they could continue to grow while remaining under our supportive environment. That’s where the Skills Workshop was born.

Young people who are reaching a point of stability but are perhaps still vulnerable and struggling with the thought of mainstream settings can transition from one-to-one support to group skills workshops. These workshops are designed to be supportive and fun by nature. They meet new people of a similar age and build interpersonal skills, employment skills as well as animal care hands-on experience.

We have been working to create long term outcomes from this course adding on a Peer leader oppotunity for those who wish to progress in-house, and oportiunities for our beneficaries to move onto work with other local organisations such as the RDA, Animal care FE courses with MK College and Moulton College, among other options.

Equine Facilitated Learning Group Courses

This can be onsite at our stables or we can take our horses into schools, prisons and community settings

This is a group activity for young people aged 8 and up. The course contains a series of challenge-based activities that require teamwork to complete. Keeping the focus on the horse’s reactions and the outcome of each challenge means the participants often lose themselves in the game and accept support from the team around them. 

It’s been known for a long time now that learning retention is far higher when discovered through play, particularly in the absence of judgment. Our courses are challenging yet fun, the perfect mix for self-discovery and growth. 

The course is 6 - 8 weeks long and can be tailored to each particular group. 

We offer a limited number of fully funded courses but additionally, the course can be purchased by schools and other youth organisations.