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
👀 News This Week ‼️
We were extremely honoured to deliver another powerful Equine Assisted Services wellbeing programme for veterans in partnership with the Armed Forces Equine Charity, hosted by the incredible team at Shrivenham Equestrian Centre, based out of the MOD Defence Academy.
“This programme was coordinated by the Armed Forces Equine Charity, in partnership with HorseBack UK, providing specialist, trauma-informed support to veterans. Funded by the Veterans' Foundation through the Veterans Active Recovery Programme.”
During the course, veterans experiencing trauma, stress and the lasting effects of military service were given the opportunity to reconnect with themselves, each other and the environment through a unique programme focused on positive mental health and wellbeing.
The horses were at the heart of the experience. Horses have an incredible ability to help people regulate emotions, build trust, improve confidence and encourage calmness and presence. Working alongside them promotes emotional awareness, communication, resilience and connection without judgement. For many veterans, this creates a safe and grounding environment where healing and reflection can begin.
Participants also took part in a range of wellbeing activities designed to support both physical and mental recovery:
🏹 Archery sessions encouraged focus, patience, discipline and mindfulness. Helping to slow racing and intrusive thoughts, and remain present in the moment.
🌿 Breathwork techniques provided practical tools for managing anxiety, stress responses and emotional regulation, empowering attendees with strategies they can continue using long after the course.
🚶 Wellbeing walks offered time in nature for reflection, conversation and decompression, highlighting the proven benefits that movement and outdoor environments have on mental health.
📸 Photography sessions encouraged creativity, perspective and mindfulness, helping participants focus on positive moments, reconnect with curiosity and see the world differently.
🔧 Throughout the programme, veterans also learned practical anxiety and stress management techniques delivered by the deployable HorseBack UK team, giving attendees a personal mental health toolkit they can continue to build upon in everyday life.
This week Emma Hutchison CEO of HorseBack UK, Jason Hare Course Director, members of the HBUK Southern Team, Matt Ruddy AFEC’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer, and proffesionals from NHS Op Courage ran and facilitated a course that left attendees feeling hopeful, empowered, relaxed and inspired. This is a truly unique partnership within the Equine Assisted Services sector.
Most importantly, sincere thanks to everyone at Shrivenham Equestrian Centre. Your kindness, smiles, laughter, friendship and unwavering support created a welcoming environment where veterans felt safe, valued and encouraged throughout the programme. Your wonderful horses, knowledgeable team and fantastic facilities made a genuine difference to everyone involved, and your commitment to supporting your local community as well as the veteran community is something truly special.
Finally, thank you to the Armed Forces Equine Charity for continuing to champion and facilitate innovative, trauma-informed support for veterans and for helping make programmes like this possible.
Together, we are building pathways to recovery, connection and hope. 🫡 🐎 🇬🇧 ... See MoreSee Less
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😮 From combat engineer to uncovering Royal history…
This week on our Veterans Wellbeing Course, young former Royal Engineer Charlie Maughan experienced something truly special.
For generations, Charlie’s family believed they were connected to a historic figure closely tied to this local area. Recent DNA testing has now confirmed that Charlie is a descendant of John Brown, the loyal Scottish attendant and trusted confidant of Queen Victoria.
John Brown served Queen Victoria from 1861 until his death in 1883 and became one of the most influential and controversial figures within the Royal Household. Originally a ghillie at Balmoral, he became Victoria’s closest companion after Prince Albert’s death. A relationship that sparked endless rumours and resentment within royal circles in the Victorian period.
Today, during our pilgrimage to Balmoral Castle with the course, Charlie visited both John Brown’s grave and the statue commissioned by Queen Victoria in his honour. After her death, the late monarch’s son Edward VII, who often locked horns with the straight talking ghillie and disapproving of the relationship with his mother; relocated the memorial to a less conspicuous part of the estate after her death. Guided by our Course Director Jay Hare, Charlie stood where history and family legacy met.
And then came the moment none of us expected. Looking between Charlie and the memorial statue of John Brown (seen in the pictures below), Jay simply said:
“Oh my days… yep, you can see the family resemblance between you two.”
A powerful, emotional, and heartwarming reminder that wellbeing journeys are often about rediscovering identity, belonging, and connection, not just to ourselves, but to those who came before us.
Are you related to anyone from history? Let us know in the comments below 👇 ... See MoreSee Less
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Sunshine, horses, and a moment to breathe
☀️🐎 🇬🇧 🏴
We’re proud to be running our fourth military veterans course of the year here at HorseBack UK, and what a beautiful start it’s been. With the sun shining down, participants have been settling in, getting to know their incredible learning partners; the horses.
Equine Assisted Services especially in regards to wellbeing offers something truly unique. Horses are intuitive, responsive, and nonjudgmental, helping participants reconnect with themselves, build trust, and develop calm, grounded awareness. Simply being around them encourages mindfulness, you have to be present, steady, and clear.
This afternoon’s wellbeing activity was yoga. This helps regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and improve both physical and mental balance. Combined with time spent outdoors and alongside horses, it creates a powerful environment for reflection, relaxation, and renewal.
Days like these, filled with sunshine, connection, and calm offer a much needed respite from the stressors of everyday life. It’s no surprise this course continues to be one of our most popular.
Sunny days, happy times, and meaningful moments ☀️ 😊 ... See MoreSee Less
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