Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
When struggling with trauma, addiction, anxiety, depression, or profound emotional difficulty, finding a way through can feel overwhelming. Not everyone can articulate what they are carrying. Sometimes it helps to step back, and find a different way in.
Horses make excellent therapists. They do not try to fix us or make us feel better. They respond instinctively and without judgement, creating a space where feelings that are hard to name — or that we didn’t know we felt — can begin to surface.
For over twenty years, Operation Centaur’s equine-assisted psychotherapy programmes have helped thousands of people find that way through.
Our Proprietary Model
Our work is structured around four interconnected principles: Care, Connect, Move, and Direct.
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Safety is where we begin. We explore what is needed to feel genuinely safe — physically and psychologically — and what can quietly undermine it. In the presence of our horses, that exploration becomes immediate and real.
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How we connect with others reveals much about who we are. Working with our
horses, we surface insights into how we relate in the here and now — and what gets in the way of being truly present and authentic. We work through the shifts that come with time: what is gained, what is lost, and how we return to one another after absence or rupture.
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Paralysis is the enemy of progress. Our horses challenge us — evoking frustration, provoking reflection, demanding collaboration. Together, we progress from standing still to moving forwards, examining pace, regression, and what it truly takes to break through stasis.
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To set a direction is to find our purpose. We guide our horses, leading them along a path of our choosing. They test our resolve, encouraging us to check and correct our course. In doing so, we clarify not just where we want to go — but why.
Programmes & Retreats
We offer personal therapeutic programmes, conducted in our tranquil paddocks, as well as intensive residential retreats for those seeking deeper immersion. No riding is involved, and no prior experience of horses is required.
We also work in partnership with health and wellbeing providers — including hospitals, treatment centres and employee assistance programmes — to extend equine-assisted psychotherapy to those who need it most.
What people say
“The patients that attended equine assisted therapy said it was one of the most profound experiences they have ever had. It really improved their confidence and courage levels.”
“Andreas is highly competent, thoughtful and perceptive to the needs of clients. He is clearly very knowledgeable about the science behind and application of equine assisted therapy, but equally impressive is his ability to make it accessible to people with little or no experience of working with horses.”
“Operation Centaur is one of the most innovative and transformational interventions for mental health. Guided by Professor Andreas Liefooghe, a global thought leader in equine assisted psychotherapy, and supported by a world class team. This service provides an important adjunct to any effective clinical treatment plan.”