Horses For Good
Helping horses, helping people
The Team
People who inspire
Our team of volunteers are dedicated, experienced, qualified facilitators and are here to help horses and people.
Nat
CEO
Having worked with horses for over 40 years, Nat's commitment to expanding her experience and qualifications has been a life-long vocation.
Through experiencing the life changing therapeutic value and ability of the horse/human connection, Nat set out to study and set up a provision for this work to become available to everyone.
Qualifications include BSc (Hons) in Creative & Expressive Arts in Counselling & Psychotherapy; EAGALA Certified; Advanced Certificate in Equine Business Management; Certificate in Equine Studies; Certificate in Horse Performance Development; BHS IV; BHS AI; Certificate in Understanding Autism.
Nat additionally studied Equine Psychology, Parelli Natural Horsemanship level 4, Carolyn Resnick Method on Liberty Training, The Trust Technique, TRT Method and regularly follows Warwick Schiller. Nat is a full member of the International Horse Agility Club UK and working towards becoming a certified agility instructor.
Previously Nat founded a local equine therapy organisation, which was set up to improve mental health and personal development through the use of horses and has now expanded that experience to set up Horses for Good.
Claire
Operations Manager
Claire’s involvement with horses began when she sought help for her daughter who has autism. Having personally experienced the many benefits of equine therapy and seen the amazing potential that could be offered to others, Claire is committed to helping to provide people with the opportunity to access therapy and spend time around horses regardless of their financial circumstances. This commitment, as well as a desire to see horses rehabilitated and given a permanent home in which they can live a happy and fulfilling life, led to her involvement with setting up Horses for Good.
Claire is a qualified information professional with experience managing data, resources, budgets and staff, and is now using this experience to manage the charity. Claire has an MA in Information Services Management, a BA (Hons) in Psychology and Sociology, a Level 3 in Teaching and Education and a Foundation Certificate in Team Leadership from the Institute of Management.
Sonia
Marketing & Communications Manager and Chair of Trustees
Sonia's involvement came from being a friend and former colleague of Claire who asked for some help to set up the website. From then she was hooked with the project. In addition, Sonia is an animal lover and believes the approach of natural horsemanship is important.
Sonia leads all areas of marketing and communications to increase project awareness and promote the amazing work of the organisation. She also manages and coordinates the digital media, website and SEO, content, social media, email and well, everything digital.
Sonia has an MSc in Digital Marketing, an MSc in Web Information Management, a PgDip in Internal Communications, a PgCert in Social Media and Digital Communications and a BA degree in Communication Sciences. In addition, she is a Level 3 UK Athletics Coach and volunteers with a London club with athletes from all ages.
Fiona
Fundraising Manager and Trustee
Fiona’s love of horses began whilst growing up on a Scottish island. She started riding Shetland ponies before moving on to her own pony which she used to ride on the beaches. Fiona’s involvement with horses continued after a move to the mainland as an adult and she found a love for the smallest ponies to the largest heavy horse breeds.
Moving away from horses to start a family in England, Fiona adopted her daughter, who has significant health and learning disabilities. Fiona subsequently became a foster parent as well.
As a big believer in the power of the horse for mental as well as physical wellbeing, Fiona then considered having a horse for her daughter. After finding Horses for Good on the internet, Fiona intended it to become her daughter’s thing but she got hooked too. Having seen the difference it has made to her daughter’s life, Fiona is committed to raising money for the charity and has become our Fundraising Manager. Fiona’s background in hospitality management, business administration and accounts are going to good use. Fiona is a trustee for the charity as well as leading the management of fundraising events, including niche car gatherings, mountain climbs and parachute jumps.
Darren
Fundraising Team and Events Coordinator
Darren had a fear of horses until recently when his daughter began sessions at Horses for Good. Having experienced the benefits this has brought his daughter, Darren is doing everything that he can to help the charity. Darren takes on repairs and maintenance as well as organisating the event planning and fundraising. Darren is also keen to raise more awareness of men’s mental health. This is something he hopes to work on with Horses for Good, as he finds being around the
horses very calming. His love of donkeys may make paths for a few donkeys to be taken on for adoption and rehabilitation by Horses for Good. Darren is an adoptive dad and a foster parent and sees the benefits of the work at HFG as well as the love shown for the horses and the people. Darren has his own business working long hours in architectural metalwork project management, Darren finds helping out with the charity in his downtime very rewarding and is committed to spreading the word of the wonderful work HFG does.
Catriona
Trustee
Catriona has been around horses since the age of ten helping to teach children and adults to ride. Catriona’s passion is in educating people to listen to the horse and become more compassionate towards their needs and feelings.
One of the horses at the riding school that Catriona worked with required a different understanding due to his non compliant issues towards riding school life. Having helped him through his issues, she then bought him. With the use of natural horsemanship techniques, his behaviour, confidence and interaction has improved so much that he is now her best friend.
Catriona has worked with children with special educational needs in a school setting for many years, including Riding for the Disabled. Cartriona's qualifications include HLTA Higher Level Teaching Assistant Level 4 and a Level 3 in Residential Child Care.
Bryony
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist in Training
Bryony started working life in the equestrian world, gaining experience on competition yards and riding centres before starting her own equestrian business where she particularly enjoyed starting, retraining and rehabilitating horses and ponies for their owners. She holds the BHS Stage 2 qualification and a Diploma in Equine Business Management.
Bryony's interest in psychology and mental health saw her pursue this as a career, leaving the equestrian world for some time. During this time, Bryony held roles in care and mental health support work, and as an Assistant Psychologist.
Bryony holds a BSc Psychology, MSc Forensic Psychology, and is a trainee Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist (HERD Institute).
Donna
Fundraising Team and Sponsorship Coordinator
Donna’s love of horses started as a child where learning to ride combined with horse-care became her passion until a back injury brought it all to a stop. Life continued with a career in administration and raising a family. Horses have helped Donna again in her adult life. Donna started attending Horses for Good with her daughter who has autism and has experienced the therapeutic benefits that interaction with rehabilitated horses have brought her family. This experience ignited Donna’s passion for volunteering with Horses for Good and Donna is now our Fundraising Administrator. Donna has an extensive background in administration and project management and is using these valuable skills to help us in many fundraising areas, particularly with our sponsorship.