Equine facilitated intervention for frontline workers

A brand-new initiative will offer 4,000 frontline workers equine facilitated intervention

UK members of Horses in Education and Therapy International (HETI) have joined forces to offer 4,000 frontline workers extra support in the form of equine facilitated intervention.

Named #HopeForCovidHeroes, the initiative will deliver specialist horse intervention, which involves ground and ridden sessions. The pilot will help 50 frontline workers in the next six months, with workers encouraged to get in touch if they’re interested in getting involved.

Jessica, a newly qualified teacher, was one of the first to take part: “It felt as if I was carrying the weight of so many people, and now I’m being carried.” She said the initiative transformed her mental health and helped provide her with the tools she needed to care for young people during such uncertain times.

Paramedics, nurses, teachers, carers and police officers are just some of the frontline workers who can get involved. Horses are believed to offer huge benefits to our wellbeing, and members of HETI hope this initiative will offer extra support to those who need it most. Gul Outdoor Therapy has already begun sessions, and the Mare and Foal Sanctuary hope to begin theirs in July.

Dr Celia Grummitt from Gul Outdoor Therapy, who’s leading the HETI(UK) initiative says: “We know that frontline workers are experiencing overload and exhaustion, and this may worsen as the pandemic continues. We’re looking to provide an effective horse-based intervention to allow accrued fatigue and unprocessed memories of very challenging work through the pandemic to begin to be processed.

“Evidence shows us that equines help us to process our emotions. Spending time with a horse can give frontline workers time out to reconnect with themselves through connecting with horses and ponies and their sentient and sensitive interactions. These animals mirror emotions and moods and help people notice their own emotions, so allowing processing to take place.”

For more information, visit mareandfoal.org