I am looking for a herd of horses and a suitable venue to work from on a regular basis to deliver my Equine Facilitated Services, which include 1-1 private client sessions; small group personal development workshops, and training courses for practitioners.

A little about me:

I am a lifelong horse lover with ample knowledge and experience of relating to and working with all types of horses. Originally BHS trained, I then trained in Equine Facilitated Learning with best-selling author and trainer Linda Kohanov in Arizona. Linda is the founder of Eponaquest Worldwide and is one of the foremost pioneers in the field of Equine Facilitated work. I now have almost 20 years’ experience of delivering this work and I now also support other practitioners in their learning and development. I also have experience of observing and engaging with feral herds in the UK. 

The sessions I run involve a combination of talking and time with the horses and can involve any of the following:- 

• Observation of a herd
• Mindfulness practices with/near horses
• Gentle interactions with horses to explore self-awareness and approaches to relationships
• Helping people learn how to set and respect boundaries with people and horses
• Reflective grooming
• Undertaking some simple leading exercises for confidence and leadership development
• Loose groundwork with a horse, including free-longing, gentle join-up and reflective time with a horse.

I work from the perspective that horses work best and can simply be their natural selves when they have freedom to choose to interact or not, at all times. There is no riding involved and very minimal, gentle horsemanship involved. Everything takes place on the ground and is done in a respectful way which honours the horses and prioritises their well-being and enjoyment at all times. This kind of work can also be therapeutic and healing for the horses involved as they sometimes release old traumas themselves in the process. 

Ideally, I am looking for the following facilities:- 

• A quiet, peaceful facility with a settled herd of at least 3 horses, who preferably live out all year round in a natural way and are happy and healthy. 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 and preferably also be used to free-schooling/natural horsemanship type activities. Retired and non-ridden horses can often be very suitable for this type of work. 

• An outdoor or covered arena; round pen or flat fenced-off area to work in. Some of the time we work with the horses in their field, barn or stables, and sometimes we go into an enclosure for a more focused 1-1 interaction. 

• A private, warm, comfortable indoor space to sit and talk with clients is essential, this can be an office, room, caravan, shepherd's hut, barn, etc. 

• Access to a toilet and parking are essential and facilities to make hot drinks is also helpful. 

• Because this work is of a therapeutic nature and is often emotional, clients need to feel safe and sessions need to be free from interruptions. The sessions are completely confidential and private and so need to take place when no other activity is happening on that part of the facility. If you imagine it as being the same as going to see a therapist or counsellor, then you can see how the space needs to be uninterrupted and private for the duration of the session. This is also to ensure that the horses involved aren't distracted or affected by other horses or people on the site as far as possible.

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

* Regular 1-1 sessions are usually 2 hours long and take place either weekly or fortnightly. I also offer one-off private intensives or training for people coming from a distance, which would include longer 1-1 sessions and sometimes held over 2 or 3 days. 

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

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

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 my contact page.

Thank you.

 Angela Dunning
The Horses Truth
Eponaquest EFL Instructor & LEAP EFL Practitioner
EASP Register and ACCPH Accredited Fellow member
Personal Development Coach, Mentor, Supervisor, Trainer and Author