Acre Lodge

18/07/2026

A slightly more personal post from me today. 💛

As of Monday 20 July, I am being made redundant from my role as an Assistant Social Worker.

It is a strange sentence to write.

I have spent years working alongside children, young people, foster families and professionals, while quietly building Equimotional around the edges of a full-time job.

For the next six to eight weeks, before life changes again with the arrival of our baby, I am going to throw myself into Equimotional EVEN MORE 🐴

I want to use this time well.

I want to create things that equine facilitators, alternative provisions, coaches and organisations genuinely need.

So I would love to hear from you.

What is missing in the equine facilitated sector?

What do practitioners need more help with?

Where are the gaps in training, resources, confidence, policies, safeguarding, session planning or professional support?

What would make your work easier, safer or stronger?

I am also open to:

🐴 Collaborations with equine businesses and practitioners
🎓 Guest training and workshops
📚 Resource and workbook projects
🏫 Partnerships with schools and alternative provisions
💬 Mentoring and consultation
🤝 Joint events, lives, podcasts and professional conversations
🧠 Trauma-informed and non-pathologising projects
✍️ Writing, course development and educational content

I bring experience from social care, fostering, mental health, equine practice, training development and running Equimotional.

I have ideas. Plenty of them. Possibly too many. 😂

What I want now is to make sure those ideas are useful.

So, if you have been thinking, “Someone really needs to create this,” tell me what it is.

If you run a business and think we could work well together, please get in touch.

If you know an organisation, practitioner or project that could use my skills, tag them below or share this post.

Redundancy was not part of the plan.........before maternity. LOL

Perhaps this little six-week window is an opportunity to build something valuable anyway. 🌿🐴

📩 Send me a message or email 📧 [email protected]

16/07/2026

Update: We have managed to find a gentleman called Mike Warwick and he can transport the horse for us. Thank you to everyone for trying to help.

Morning everyone,

I have a friend who needs to transport her horse from Woodbine Farm to Walnut Hill tomorrow morning, she has to be there at 10am. Is there anyone with transport who can help her please?

Many thanks

Emma x

09/07/2026

It amazes me sometimes, the sheer lack of consideration & empathy, given to our hardworking horses & ponies. As many owners/riders will still go off and compete their horses & ponies in this ridiculously hot weather. Is your horses well being really worth less than trying to win a piece of ribbon & so you can boost your Ego 🤦‍♀️.

In this prolonged dry spell, the ground is like concrete (would you set a course of show jumps on a concrete car park & jump your horse?). Your horse is wearing a fur coat (will you put a woolly jumper on and try and run & jump a XC course?). Most will mostly travel in a hot metal box, with no air conditioning. Even with windows & vents, if you get stuck in a traffic jam they will cook (you would not take your dog out in this heat, why do we not consider our horses in the same way?). Think how hot they often come off the horse box in normal weather!

Horse show venues, I know is it’s hard trying to make a profit, but is risking animal & human welfare, really worth not cancelling & trying to reschedule to another date? Is it not wrong to make owners make the decision to withdrawal in this extreme heat , yet you get to keep their hard earned cash really fare? It will put owners off using such venues in future! As many horse owners are already struggling financially, trying to compete & own horses right now is tough.

Let’s put our horses & ponies 1st, it’s not about rosettes right now, it’s about protecting our horses longevity. I am seeing far too many horses being exploited, worked way too hard too young and it’s heartbreaking…But YOU can do the right thing…❤️please feel free to share

17/06/2026

11/06/2026

⚠️ EQUINE INFLUENZA AWARENESS ⚠️

At East Lodge Equestrian Centre, the health and welfare of our horses and ponies is our highest priority.

Equine Influenza (Equine Flu) is a highly contagious viral respiratory disease that can spread quickly between horses. Symptoms commonly include a high temperature, coughing, nasal discharge, lethargy and a reduced appetite.

Whilst we are not currently experiencing any cases on the yard, we would like to remind all clients of the importance of good biosecurity practices.

If you own, loan, ride or handle horses away from East Lodge, please:

🐴 Change your clothing before visiting the yard.

🐴 Wear clean footwear and ensure boots are free from mud and manure.

🐴 Wash or sanitise your hands before and after handling our horses and ponies.

🐴 Please do not visit the yard if you have recently been in contact with a horse displaying signs of illness without first speaking to a member of staff.

These simple precautions can make a huge difference in helping to protect our horses and ponies from infectious diseases.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our herd healthy.

— The Team at East Lodge Equestrian Centre

29/05/2026

Hi everyone just letting you know that we’re thinking of putting pony camp days on, they will be held on the last week of July (29th, 30th and 31st) and the 2nd week of August (12th, 13th and 14th).

They will run from Wednesday - Friday from 9am - 3pm. It will cost £360 for all three days and lunch will be included (please let us know if there are any allergies).

The day will consist of poo picking, mucking out stables, grooming, bathing the horses, making up feeds, platting the horses manes, in hand work and riding. There will be a show for parents to watch on the last day.

We will have other activities on through the summer.

Please let me know if you’re interested?

21/05/2026

Something new is growing quietly in the background 🌿

Over the last few years, alongside Equimotional and my employment, I’ve spent hundreds and hundreds of hours doing direct work with children, young people, carers, schools, and professionals.

The bits nobody really sees.

The school refusals.
The “I’m fine” children who absolutely are not fine.
The young people sitting in cars because they can’t face going in.
The emotional explosions that usually start long before the behaviour.
The quiet conversations in fields, coffee shops, soft play centres, tack rooms and McDonald’s car parks where trust is built one tiny interaction at a time.

And honestly?

I think support works best in the spaces between.

Between crisis and stability.
Between childhood and adulthood.
Between services.
Between “coping” and actually feeling safe.

So in July 2027, after maternity leave and a slower season of life, I’ll be launching:

✨ The Between Space ✨

A trauma-informed mentoring and emotional wellbeing service for young people.

Relationship-led support.
Real-world support.
Non-pathologising support.

Built for young people who may not fit neatly into boxes, traditional interventions, or who "aren't struggling enough to warrant intervention" ( SIGH )

This will include:

🌿 1:1 mentoring
🌿 Emotional wellbeing support
🌿 Community-based direct work
🌿 Support around confidence, regulation and independence
🌿 Neurodiversity-affirming approaches
🌿 Parent and carer support
🌿 Creative and relational interventions
🌿 Equine-informed approaches where appropriate

The Between Space is powered by everything Equimotional , education and my employment has taught me over the years:

That safety matters.
That relationships matter.
That behaviour always makes sense somewhere.
And that young people deserve to be seen as humans first.

Building something meaningful feels far nicer than shouting into the void these days 💜

20/05/2026

Just letting everyone know that with the weather expected to be in the late 20’s over the next week, lessons will still be running unless I message you saying otherwise. But we may run them slightly differently, I will assess it on the day. As everyone is aware my horses are my main priority and they come first.

Thank you for your patience and understanding it is very much appreciated.