I am looking for a herd of horses and suitable venue to work at on a regular basis at to deliver my 1-1 equine facilitated sessions, small group workshops and training courses for practitioners.

There is no riding and very minimal gentle horsemanship involved. Everything takes place on the ground and involves a blend of talking, meditations, connecting exercises, grooming, boundary-setting, working with or near the herd or 1-1 with a horse, and is all done in a respectful way which honours the horses and upholds their well-being throughout.

A little about me: Originally BHS trained at Berriewood, I then trained with best-selling author and trainer Linda Kohanov in Arizona, Linda is the founder of Eponaquest Worldwide and is one of the foremost leaders in the field of Equine Facilitated work. I now have over 15 years’ experience of delivering this work and am a lifelong equestrian with ample knowledge and experience of relating to and working with all types of horses. Read more here.

I am looking for the following:

• A quiet, peaceful and private set-up with a settled herd of a minimum of 2-3 horses who preferably live out all year round in a natural way, and who are happy and healthy; (a small permanent herd on the right sort of livery/other type of facility may also work if there is sufficient space and privacy for my work to take place in private and without interruption). Ideally the horses will already be familiar with these types of learning and therapeutic interactions with people, or at least show a strong desire to connect with people. Retired/non-ridden horses are often excellent for this type of work.
  
  
• An outdoor or covered arena; round pen or fenced-off area to work in is a bonus but not essential, as I mostly work with the horses in their own field/yard/barn.
  
  
• An indoor space to sit and talk with clients and to keep dry and warm is essential, this can be an office, room, caravan, barn, etc.
  
  
• Access to a toilet and parking are essential and facilities to make hot drinks is also helpful.

***Please note, most types of horses or ponies are potentially suitable for this work with the following exceptions: Stallions; very green youngsters; horse/ponies who are known to bite or kick humans; horses who are very pushy and don't respect peoples' boundaries.

* 1-1 sessions are 2 hours long, and occasionally longer as I sometimes run intensive private retreats or training for people coming from further afield.

* Group workshops, taster sessions and training courses range from between a half-day to a full day or several days in a row.

* Because this work is psychologically and emotionally sensitive clients need to feel safe and uninterrupted, the sessions are completely confidential and private and so need to take place when no other activity is happening on the facility, (unless we are sufficiently away from other used areas and horses). This is also to ensure that the horses involved aren't distracted or affected by other horses or people on the site.

The sessions I run are mostly reflective and involve: Gentle interactions to explore self-awareness and approaches to relationships; helping people learn to set and respect boundaries with horses; undertaking some simple leading and following exercises; relationship-based loose, round-pen activity; reflective grooming. I work from the perspective that the horses work best when they have full freedom to choose to interact or not at all times.

***Please note that I am fully insured to work with any horses and at any venue, and have full, comprehensive public liability insurance and professional indemnity; a copy of my insurance certificate can be given on request. 

I also offer a free, complementary session to any horse/venue owners so that you have a thorough understanding of what my work entails and how your horses would be involved. I also offer support and mentoring for other practitioners which could form part of our arrangement.

Please get in touch if you feel you have somewhere suitable.

Also, feel free to share this page with any friends or colleagues who may be able to help. You can read more about me and my EFL approach, background, experience and qualifications on the main website and in my book, The Horse Leads the Way.

Angela Dunning, Eponaquest EFL Instructor; LEAP EFL Practitioner. ACCPH Accredited Fellow member. Author, Mentor, Supervisor; Trainer.

If you feel you may have a suitable herd and facility please give me a call to discuss further on: 01588 630061/07583 726207 or contact me via the Contact Us form.