Armed Forces Equine Charity

21/10/2026

🐎 🇬🇧 SOME FRIENDLY FACES NEVER LEAVE THE HORSEBACK FAMILY!

Back in 2021, Alan Nelson joined us on one of our very first Equine Wellbeing Courses at Tedworth Equestrian Centre, delivered in partnership with the Armed Forces Equine Charity (AFEC). 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Fast forward five years, and Alan is still getting his horsey fix! 🐎

Every Monday, during his holidays, or whenever he gets the chance, Alan returns to the yard to volunteer, lend a hand and share his skills. A fantastic example of how the connection with horses, people and a supportive community can continue long after a course finishes.

Today, while delivering another wellbeing course this time for serving military personnel from the Personnel Recovery Centre at Tidworth House, it was brilliant to catch up with Alan again.

And he came bearing gifts! 🎁

As a lovely gesture of thanks, Alan presented Emma with a plaque of his beloved Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). A gift that means a great deal and will be heading back to Scotland to take pride of place on our office wall.

Thank you, Alan! Not just for the thoughtful gift, but for continuing to give your time, skills and enthusiasm to the horses and the people around you.

At HorseBack UK, we say that the end of a course isn’t the end of the journey. Alan is living proof of that.

Once part of the HorseBack family, always part of the HorseBack family. ❤️

19/10/2026

More Than Just Horses | Connection, Confidence & Wellbeing

Sometimes, the most meaningful progress comes from taking time to pause, reflect and reconnect.

From 29th September to 1st October, five Armed Forces veterans supported by Fighting With Pride joined us at Shrivenham Equestrian Centre for a three-day wellbeing programme, in partnership with HorseBack UK.

Through equine-assisted learning, shared experiences and practical wellbeing activities, participants explored new ways to build confidence, develop self-awareness and support their wellbeing.

The feedback was incredibly encouraging, highlighting the value of working alongside horses, connecting with others who share similar experiences, and having the space to reflect and reset.

We are very grateful to HorseBack UK for their expertise and dedication in delivering the programme, and to Fighting With Pride for their collaboration and continued support of the Armed Forces community.

A special thank you to the Veterans Foundation, Army Benevolent Fund and Greenwich Hospital whose generous support helps make opportunities like these possible.

Swipe through to discover the experiences and impact of these three days.

16/10/2026

We’re proud to be part of Thrive Together, an initiative led by the Invictus Games Foundation and funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

Through this funding, we’ve been able to strengthen the support we offer veterans beyond our residential Veterans Recovery Courses.

The introduction of a dedicated Health and Wellbeing Manager has enabled us to provide more personalised, ongoing support, helping veterans build confidence, improve their wellbeing and access the services they need as they continue their recovery journey.

By working more closely with partner organisations, we’re helping ensure that the benefits of our courses extend well beyond the time spent with us.

Watch the video to see how Thrive Together is making a difference across the South West.

02/10/2026

02/10/2026

The Armed Forces Equine Charity (AFEC) and HorseBack UK are delighted to sign a Service Level Agreement to be one of our delivery partners for our Veteran and Serving Personnel Recovery programmes across the AFEC Equestrian Centres.

This collaboration brings together the experience and expertise of both organisations, using the power of horses to support members of the Armed Forces Community to build confidence, connection, resilience and wellbeing.

By working together, we can strengthen the support available to our beneficiaries and ensure our programmes continue to deliver meaningful and lasting impact.

14/08/2026

Our Summer Newsletter is here! ☀️🐴

From Equine Assisted Wellbeing programmes and the return of the Rundle Cup, to a busy summer across our Centres, our latest newsletter shares some of the work, partnerships and achievements taking place across AFEC.

Read the full Summer Newsletter on our website 👇

https://armedforcesequine.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Final_External-Summer-Newsletter.pdf

28/07/2026

A Look Inside: Behind the Wire

Recently, AFEC took Equine Assisted Wellbeing behind the wire at HMP Leyhill, delivering a five-day programme for Armed Forces veterans in custody, in collaboration with Horserenity CIC.

Horses, reflection, connection and the opportunity to look forward.

Discover what happens Behind the Wire and why we take our work into custodial settings: https://armedforcesequine.com/news/a-look-inside-behind-the-wire/

Behind the Wire is delivered in collaboration with Horserenity CIC. Find out more about their work: https://www.horserenity.co.uk/

17/07/2026

What does an AFEC Equine Assisted Wellbeing Programme actually involve?

It's about much more than horses.

Alongside equine-assisted learning, beneficiaries spend time in nature, try new experiences, explore creativity and build meaningful connections in a calm, supportive environment.

Every experience is designed to help beneficiaries slow down, reflect and develop practical tools that support long-term wellbeing.

Discover more: https://armedforcesequine.com/news/

03/07/2026

The Armed Forces Equine Charity recently delivered another successful Equine Assisted Services wellbeing course for military veterans at Tedworth Equestrian Centre.

Delivered over four days in collaboration with HorseBack UK, the course brought together veterans from all three Services to explore wellbeing through working in partnership with horses and engaging in nature-based activities. Participants learned to safely care for horses before progressing to practical groundwork sessions designed to build confidence in both horse and human.

Alongside the equine sessions, veterans took part in archery, photography, breathwork and wellbeing walks, while also learning practical techniques to help recognise and manage anxiety, promoting calmness, confidence and resilience.

Feedback from the course was overwhelmingly positive, with participants describing the experience as welcoming, grounding and empowering.

"Working alongside the horse felt therapeutic and gave me a different perspective on trust, confidence and connection that I can take into everyday life."

The Armed Forces Equine Charity would like to thank HorseBack UK and together with our dedicated staff and volunteers, and our funders, Veterans' Foundation, Greenwich Hospital and the Army Benevolent Fund whose continued support enables us to deliver programmes that help veterans build confidence, reconnect with others and take positive steps forward.

09/06/2026

Behind every number is a person.

A person who found support, connection and encouragement through the unique relationship between humans and horses.

So far in 2026, the Armed Forces Equine Charity has:

🐴 Supported 18 beneficiaries and 36 indirect beneficiaries

🐴 Delivered 84 hours of Equine Assisted Services

🐴 Worked across 3 delivery centres

🐴 Seen 100% of participants report improved mental wellbeing

These outcomes would not be possible without the dedication of our staff, volunteers, partners, funders and supporters. Thank you for helping us continue to support members of the Armed Forces community through the power of horses.

With further courses and sessions planned throughout the remainder of 2026, we look forward to supporting even more members of the Armed Forces community in the months ahead.

Together, we are making a difference.