Personal Development through horsemanship
HorseBack UK inspires positive change, encourages confidence and self-esteem, and promotes recovery in an individual. Using horsemanship and outdoor activities, we deliver nationally accredited personal development and wellbeing programmes which offer our participants new coping strategies, life skills and the tools to build resilience.
HorseBack UK is a charity set up to empower service personnel and veterans suffering from life-changing injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and to aid them on their road to recovery.
The success of the first five years of courses for military personnel has allowed HorseBack UK to extend its remit and is now able to focus on the wider community.
Teenagers participate in a 15-day SQA Level 4 Certificate in Personal Development Through Horsemanship.
Over the past three years HorseBack UK has established a unique leadership and team building experience.
In the late summer of 2020 whilst chaos and fear reigned due to the COVID 19 pandemic Jock wanted to help those who had specifically been affected by it within the NHS and Care Home Systems.
We deliver the Team Programme, a twelve week course for young people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five.
Our Patron
"I am delighted to be Patron of HorseBack UK, whose work clearly demonstrates the extraordinary physical, emotional and mental support that horses can offer to us all."
Our Supporting Partners
🇺🇦 Yesterday at HorseBack UK, we were honoured to host 33 people out here for another Ukrainian Family Day 💙💛
These special days are designed to bring our Ukrainian community together after completing the HorseBack UK Online Wellbeing Programme, offering a chance to reconnect, have fun, and explore practical ways to support wellbeing and positive mental health.
Throughout the day, we shared a range of activities, each chosen with purpose:
🐎 Horsemanship – Working with horses encourages mindfulness, trust, and emotional awareness. Horses respond to body language and energy, helping participants build confidence, regulate emotions, and feel grounded in the present moment.
🏹 Archery – Archery promotes focus, patience, and controlled breathing. It provides a powerful way to release tension while developing concentration and a sense of achievement with every shot.
🤝 Team Games – These activities foster connection, communication, and laughter. By working together, participants strengthen social bonds, rebuild trust, and experience the joy of shared success.
Most importantly, the day offered space for rest, connection, and simply being together, something so vital for wellbeing.
We are incredibly proud to work alongside our East of Scotland Ukrainian community’s and to welcome them into the HorseBack UK family. 💙 🐎 🏴 🇺🇦 ... See MoreSee Less
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Yesterday at Hartpury University, Emma Hutchison was doing what she does best, working alongside horses and sharing her deep knowledge of how to prepare them as Equine Assisted Services learning partners. 🐴
As the driving force behind HorseBack UK, and wearing more hats than most of us can count (including the rather eye-catching fancy dress outfit pictured 👀, used to demonstrate how horses build confidence with different stimuli) Emma led an engaging, hands-on demonstration. Her focus: developing confidence, resilience, and adaptability in horses, the key qualities that underpin this life-changing work.
The session formed part of the Equine Assisted Services Partnership CiC AGM and #LoveEAS Symposium an inspiring day for members to learn, share, and collaborate. With support from Godolphin Lifetime Care and hosting by the Hartpury equine team, the event brought together passionate professionals committed to raising standards across the sector.
A powerful theme ran throughout the day, “Are we truly listening to our horses?” Do we understand their needs, recognise their signals, and respond appropriately? From Emma’s live demonstration to the fascinating laboratory equine brain dissection, guests were encouraged to deepen their understanding of horses as intelligent, sentient partners in this work.
The AGM also highlighted just how far EASP has come, growing membership, expanding resources like e-learning and newsletters, and strengthening its role in shaping professional standards, scope of practice, and social impact across the UK. The HEIR Kitemark continues to gain recognition, helping bring Equine Assisted Services further into the mainstream equestrian and health sectors.
With Hartpury’s fantastic facilities, it was a brilliant opportunity to showcase best practice and continue strengthening the future of Equine Assisted Services. 💪🏻 🐎 ❤️
Thank you to everyone involved in making the day such a positive, collaborative success.
#LoveEAS #EquineAssistedServices #HorseBackUK #Hartpury ... See MoreSee Less
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🐎 Welcoming NHS Grampian to HorseBack UK
Yesterday we were delighted to welcome Heads of Department from NHS Grampian to HorseBack UK for a hands-on visit to truly experience what we do.
The day was an opportunity to step away from the pressures of the workplace and into a unique learning environment, where our horses play a central role in delivering Equine Assisted Services. Through direct interaction, leaders gained insight into how we use this powerful approach to support:
* Stress management
* Mental wellbeing
* Building resilience
* Strengthening communication
* Developing team cohesion
Our horses provide immediate, honest feedback helping individuals and teams better understand themselves, how they communicate, and how they lead under pressure. No riding involved just real, impactful learning.
We also shared how HorseBack UK has successfully supported NHS staff through online wellbeing and resilience courses, particularly during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. These programmes have enabled us to reach people wherever they are, offering practical tools to manage stress and maintain wellbeing in demanding roles.
It was fantastic to explore how we can continue working together to support NHS teams both on-site through immersive experiences and remotely through accessible, high-impact training.
Thank you to NHS Grampian for taking the time to understand our work and the difference it can make to your people.
#horsebackuk #NHS #wellbeing #Leadership #resilience #mentalhealth #teamdevelopment #EquineAssistedLearning ... See MoreSee Less
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