Monday, 22 December 2025
Working in partnership with mental health charity Sport in Mind, British Equestrian has today launched a new Mental Health Toolkit at the London International Horse Show at ExCel, in London, where the charity is the official show partner.
The dedicated resource for is designed to help anyone involved in equestrian activities better understand mental health and wellbeing and feel more confident supporting others who may be struggling.
With around one in four people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem each year, the toolkit, with an easy to access digital version online, provides essential, accessible guidance for equestrians in every setting. Whether you’re a coach, volunteer, parent, participant or centre manager, small actions and greater awareness can make a meaningful difference.
The toolkit offers clear, practical information on a range of common mental health problems, including:
By increasing knowledge and understanding, equestrians can better recognise when someone might be struggling, approach conversations with confidence and empathy, and create a more supportive environment for all. Taking part in sport has wide reaching benefits for mental health, equestrian activities in particular, but we should all be there to support those who may need help, including ourselves.
The Mental Health Toolkit is designed for everyone across the equestrian community. It’s a starting point for developing awareness, learning how mental health issues may present and understanding how simple, compassionate actions can help.
Anyone in any role or at any level who’s involved in equestrian activity will find practical tips, signposting, interesting facts, case studies and guidance to help build a more inclusive, mentally healthy community.
Speaking at ExCel where the tool kit was unveiled today, Adam Hughes, Strategic Lead for Relationships at British Equestrian, said, “It’s incredibly fulfilling to produce and share information that can help everyone across the equestrian community support each other with mental health. The more background knowledge we have, the better we can understand one another and help create environments where everyone feels comfortable, included and able to enjoy their time with horses.
“We’re grateful to the organisers of the London International Horse Show for selecting Sport in Mind as their official show charity for 2025. It’s been a great chance to showcase their work around the power of sport to transform mental health and the programmes they run, including equestrian activities – and raise much needed funds to continue their life changing work.”
Neil Harris, CEO at Sport in Mind continued, “I’m incredibly proud of our long‑standing partnership with British Equestrian, which has enabled us to expand and strengthen our core services within the equestrian world. Together, we are now going further by creating a dedicated mental health toolkit for the equestrian community.
“This resource is designed to support riders, coaches, and volunteers in better understanding mental health, highlighting how sport can play a vital role in wellbeing, and ensuring that those on the ground have the tools and guidance they need to help the people who need it most.”
Working together since 2024 under the powerful joint mission ‘to transform lives through the harmony of equestrian activities and mental wellbeing’, British Equestrian and Sport in Mind are proud to unite our strengths. The dedicated equestrian toolkit is a great example of their combined expertise and is the first of a number of resources planned.