ABOUT PAINTEDHORSE:

Paintedhorse is a Community Interest Company based in Meare, Glastonbury that provides Equine and Eco ReWilding for adults and young people. The team at Paintedhorse consists of a mixed herd of horses and ponies who provide Equine ReWilding and experiential/facilitated learning with their human facilitators. Together with the land and nature, the herd offer enriching and often life changing encounters which can bring about personal transformation, emotional resilience and well-being. Equines can help people gain clarity, perspective and the confidence to live the life the way they really want – being true to their real self.

Paintedhorse offers Equine and Eco ReWilding for individuals, couples, families and groups. We have worked with self referrals, counsellor referrals, Looked After Children groups, forces veterans, counsellor groups, spiritual groups and corporate teams. We also support charity Key4Life by providing equine therapy for their year long programme designed for young men from Somerset and London deemed ‘At Risk’, and within HMP/YOI Portland prison (Dorset), HMP Guys Marsh (Dorset) and Brixton (South London) with groups of young men on Key4Life’s pre-release programme.

PRACTITIONERS:

LIVVY ADAMS

Olivia ‘Livvy’ Adams spent the early part of her career as a front line police officer in the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, working on the now defunct Police women’s Unit which helped women and children in abusive relationships, as victims of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.  Having left the police force to bring up her two children, Livvy subsequently retrained as an accountant, and continues to work with clients today.

After training with horse whisperer Franklin Levinson, EPONA instructors Rosie Withey from Horses as Teachers, Caroline Morgan, Mike Khan & Shelley Rosenberg at Telford Equestrian Centre, Leanna Millward of Flying with Horses and later with Ella Jones, Mike Delany and Jo Saunders at LEAP Livvy established an equine facilitated and experiential learning business called ‘Paintedhorse’ which became a CIC in 2017 and blended her Eco ReWilding skills with Equine Therapy to help people connect back to what is important in life. Livvy has a life long interest in holistic health and healing for animals and people.

AMANDA McCANN

Amanda is an Equine Facilitative Learning Practitioner, having trained with Mike Delany, Jo-Anne Karlsson and Sarah Watson at LEAP. Her experience and love of horses is life long, both in this country and in France, and she was involved in establishing a branch of Riding For the Disabled in Somerset.
Currently working with Livvy Adams and Paintedhorse, supporting the charity Key4Life on their rehabilitation programs for youth offenders. Equine Therapy plays an important part of the path back to a meaningful and happy life for those who have found challenging times in their lives.
Amanda is also a yoga teacher, teaching yoga, mindfulness and meditation at an addiction therapy centre in Oxfordshire. Teaching a wide range of ages and abilities both privately on a one to one basis or in groups. She is interested in supporting people of all ages and needs, enabling them to adjust to change and further enhance their lives and wellbeing.
Amanda is also is a registered Accredited Member of the Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists. (ACCPH).

NIKKI MILLARD

Nikki is a Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist (Metanoia Institute in Ealing, London), an Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist (EFP) Practitioner (LEAP Model) and has a private therapy practice called Wild Spirit based in Enfield, North London and also works via Skype.

Nikki is a Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and is Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) trained. Nikki works with Paintedhorse for large group work and supporting charity Key4Life.

JO FITZJOHN

Jo has an Equine Therapy business in Hewish, Weston-super-mare. Jo is an Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) Practitioner (LEAP model) and has had horses since the age of 11. Jo and her husband are foster carers supporting children from challenging backgrounds, young offenders, vulnerable adolescents, learning differences and those with mental health and trauma issues.

Jo has an interest in holistic health and is trained in Reiki, Shamanism, Alchemical Hypnotherapy (David Quigley), Theta Training (Kimberly Lovell) and Animal Healing & Communication (Elaine Tyley). Jo works with Paintedhorse for large group work and supporting charity Key4Life.

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If you are interested in volunteering to help us, we would love to hear from you. Meet our current Volunteer Support Team. 

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OUR HEALING HERD

Our herd are a mixed group horses and ponies of all shapes and sizes, ages, breeds and requirements. There are 7 mares and 4 geldings, ranging from the smallest at approx. 10hh (or 1 meter) to 16.3hh (or 1.7 meters).

Our horses are considered therapists in their own right, they have a lot of different gifts and wisdoms to share with people. When they are working they are generally at liberty so they are free to volunteer their services or not; and there is always learning to be had from a horse that walks away from you. As a counsellor or therapist would professionally consider self care, it is no different for our horses. They have time off without people around and there are a number of complementary therapies between us such as The Equine Touch, Reiki, Zoopharmacognosy, Essential Oil Therapy, crystal healing and sound therapy. They tend to ask for these therapies to shift anything they haven’t managed to themselves by being in a herd, running around, playing and rolling on the ground (Earthing themselves). These are all helpful additions in the pursuit of caring for and keeping our horses healthy, connected and ReWilded.

How did we end up with the horses/ponies at Paintedhorse?

We won’t say too much more about this wonderful herd, as its actually all part of the learning experience to come down and meet them yourselves.  Although you can keep up to date with all the equine news on our blog posts.

Please note we are not a horse charity, sanctuary or rescue centre; we are a not-for-profit Community Interest Company designed to support people emotionally and mentally with help from our equine team.  We are at full capacity with our current herd and can not take any rescue cases.