A fully funded mental wellbeing coaching programme run in partnership with horses and aimed at the farming community is returning for the summer.

Building on its success last year, the programme has been approved for funding again for 2026 by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Based near Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, and at Kilcloon in Co. Meath, the equine-assisted learning (EAL) programme will take place for one hour per week over eight weeks from this month (June) to mid-October.

The initiative is open to farmers, farm families, and farm workers, and offers a choice of eight weeks of one-to-one EAL coaching, or participation in four weeks of small group EAL coaching programmes.

Participants learn through hands-on training delivered by working with horses about strategies and coping skills to manage stress, build emotional resilience, and improve their overall wellbeing, at no cost to them.

Melanie Downes, EAL coach at Horse Knowing, said the system is a ground-based coaching approach with no riding involved that "works with the natural sensitivity and responsiveness of horses to support emotional growth and mental wellbeing in humans.

Working alongside an experienced EAL coach in partnership with horses, participants engage in weekly sessions designed to:

Help manage stress, overwhelm, anxiety, and burnout;
Improve sleep and emotional regulation;
Build confidence and problem-solving skills;
Strengthen communication and decision-making;
Be with grief or loss in a supportive space;
Develop healthy boundaries and self-care routines.

"Horses are finely attuned to human emotions and body language," Downes said.

"Their honest, immediate non-verbal feedback helps individuals connect with what’s going on beneath the surface, often when words are hard to find."

Downes stressed that the approach is "confidential, non-judgmental, somatic and trauma-informed".

She added: "These fully funded mental wellbeing coaching programmes with horses offer tailored meaningful engagement through a flexible combination of one-to-one and small group formats, allowing participants to engage at a pace and level of comfort that suits their individual circumstances.

"This is particularly important in the context of the well-documented mental health challenges facing Irish farmers."

Research from organisations including Teagasc, University College Dublin and the National University of Ireland have indicated that these challenges include stress, burnout, isolation, and low help-seeking behaviours.

Participants

One participant said they noticed their mood improving and family had picked up on it too.

They said: "I am better able to deal with my emotions and not let them get out of hand.

Another said they realised that if they could control their anxiety by being present, they would be in a better position to trust their own judgments.

"I have learned patience and if I give new daunting experiences time, I can accomplish great things," they said.

"I learned not to give up on new things so easily but to persevere.”

Another participant contended that they could really feel the progress.

"I have found practices like sitting noticing sounds, views etc and feeling supported by a chair or the ground, really helpful," they said.

Melanie added: "Whether you're a farmer, a spouse, or part of the wider farm family, this is a space to take a breather, reset, and build tools to meet life’s challenges with greater ease."

Limited places are available so registering your interest early is advised.

Participants from all over the country are welcome and the programme is suitable for adults and young people of 12 years-of-age and over.