New BE Partnership Marks New Opportunities for Equestrianism

British Equestrian has announced a new partnership with leading mental health charity Sport in Mind in a pioneering move for the federation.

The two organisations recently collaborated on a project which transformed the lives of people experiencing mental health issues through riding, a first for Sport in Mind to promote an activity with animals. The success and positive impact of the project has been a catalyst for a more formal alliance which will provide a united federation wide approach to raising awareness of mental health and conveying the wellbeing benefits of interacting with horses to the wider public audience.

Sport in Mind CEO Neil Harris says, “I am very excited about working in partnership with British Equestrian again this year following our successful pilot. Sport in Mind prides itself on offering a wide range of sport and physical activity sessions for people experiencing mental health problems so to be able to team up again with British Equestrian and provide more opportunities for people to benefit from becoming involved is fantastic. We are keen advocates of the benefits of getting active in nature and understand the wonderful benefits of connecting with and interacting with animals too. As a charity, we are really excited by this partnership and the opportunities it presents our clients.”

OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, THE COLLABORATION AIMS TO:

• Work with the National Health Service to provide improved access to weekly equestrian-based sessions for more adults and young people struggling with mental health
• Provision of mentorship and training for the wider equestrian workforce around creating an optimal and accessible environment for those with mental health issues
• Creation of federation-wide e-learning resources to help with understanding around mental health and how equine activities can assist.

Adam Hughes, Strategic Lead for Relationships at British Equestrian added, “Having witnessed the rewarding experiences our previous work with Sport in Mind had for everyone involved, from the participants to the Sport in Mind staff and volunteers, I’m eager to see this partnership grow. This collaboration will open the community to so many people and demonstrate the vast range of benefits equestrianism can provide, from being active, connecting with nature and building relationships with horses for individuals as well as the wider public health sector.”

For more information on Sport in Mind, please visit www.sportinmind.org.