Horses & Riders

Training, equine behaviour, psychology, performance, and functional medicine support for horses and riders.

Specialist support for horses and riders across ridden training, groundwork, equine behaviour, rider psychology, performance development, rehabilitation, and functional medicine. Sessions are tailored to the individual horse and rider partnership, with options for one-off consultations, ongoing coaching, clinic days, and bespoke programmes.

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Explore Services:

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1. Dressage Training & Horse–Rider Development

2. Horse & Rider Psychology & Performance

3. The Horse-Human Relationship

4. Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy & Relational Work

5. Functional Medicine Support

6. Laminitis Recovery Support 

7. Yard Consultancy & Equine Management

8. Bespoke Coaching & Development Programmes

9. Clinics & Residential Intensives

10. Enquiries & Bookings

 

About Philippa

Philippa Williams is a psychologist with a background in Grand Prix dressage, horse–rider development, and clinical naturopathy, with over 35 years’ experience across professional equestrian sport, horse training, rehabilitation, and psychology. 

 

Early in her career, Philippa spent a significant period training and working in Holland and Belgium within high-level European dressage and performance environments, developing a strong understanding of Germanic and Dutch training systems alongside natural horsemanship and behaviour-led approaches, which continue to shape her work today. Her training has included study under leading figures including Dutch Olympian Arjen Teeuwissen and Ferdi Eilberg, alongside formative influences from Monty Roberts’ rider Dan Wilson, having originally trained through the BHS system and qualified as a BHSAI at the age of 21.

 

Alongside her equestrian career, Philippa has worked as a psychologist, clinical supervisor, educator, and consultant across a range of clinical, academic, and professional settings, with particular interests in trauma, relational practice, nervous system health, and interdisciplinary approaches to psychological care. She is published academically in the areas of human–animal relationship, trauma, equine-facilitated psychotherapy, and nature-based practice, and continues to contribute both clinically and academically within these fields, alongside her ongoing role as Clinical Supervisor for the Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy Master’s programme at Hartpury University.

 

Her work today integrates training, psychology, equine behaviour, performance development, and functional medicine to support horses and riders in developing confidence, resilience, communication, and sustainable performance.

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Dressage Training & Horse–Rider Development

Specialist ridden training and horse–rider development are offered across a wide range of disciplines and levels, drawing on over 35 years of professional equestrian experience within dressage, showjumping, eventing, rehabilitation, and performance sport.

Sessions may focus on:
 

• rhythm, balance, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection

• improving way of going, rideability, and responsiveness

• rider position, effectiveness, timing, and feel

• advanced preparation and bespoke support at competitions

• groundwork and ridden work to improve communication and trust

• equine behaviour and partnership development

• athletic development, rehabilitation, and longevity in training

• technical dressage work from foundational basics through to advanced movements

• improving test riding, harmony, and competition performance

Training combines classical principles with a strong understanding of behaviour, biomechanics, nervous system regulation, and horse–rider communication.
 

Whether working with a young horse, grassroots rider, or an established competition partnership, the emphasis remains on developing harmonious, capable horse and rider combinations through technically sound and thoughtful training.

Fees
 

• Initial assessment & ridden evaluation — £150

• Ridden or groundwork follow-up session — £125

• Block of 3 sessions — £350
   

For yards or shared training days with 3 or more riders booked consecutively, session fees may reduce to £100 per rider.

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Travel fees apply where relevant.

 

Horse & Rider Psychology & Performance

Performance reflects the interaction between technical training, rider psychology, feel, timing, communication, and the overall quality of the horse-rider partnership.
 

Support may be helpful for:
 

• competition anxiety or performance pressure

• emotional blocks following falls or setbacks

• communication or behavioural challenges

• tension, stress, or dysregulation within horse or rider

• difficulties progressing despite technical ability

• emotional shutdown, overwhelm, or frustration within training

• rider confidence difficulties

• behavioural or relational patterns impacting performance

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Work may integrate psychological formulation, behavioural understanding, nervous system regulation, somatic approaches, groundwork, ridden observation, and performance strategy.

Sessions are suitable for riders across disciplines and levels — from grassroots through to elite competition — with the aim of supporting stronger partnerships, improved confidence, and more sustainable, enjoyable training experiences.

Fees
 

• Initial assessment & formulation session — £150

• Follow-up sessions — £125

• Block of 3 sessions — £350

Travel fees apply where relevant.

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The Horse–Human Relationship

Horses often occupy a powerful emotional and relational place in human lives. They can become connected to identity, confidence, safety, purpose, grief, recovery, achievement, freedom, and belonging. For many riders and owners, the relationship with a horse is not simply practical or recreational; it can become deeply woven into how they understand themselves, their history, their confidence, and their place in the world.

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This matters in training, performance, behaviour, rehabilitation, and everyday horse ownership. A horse–rider partnership carries the influence of both beings: the horse’s experience, sensitivity, environment, health, and learning history, alongside the rider’s confidence, expectations, nervous system state, attachment patterns, pressure, and emotional responses.

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Philippa’s academic work has explored the human–animal relationship, including the psychological significance of horses in relation to attachment, trauma, emotional regulation, identity, relational patterns, and recovery. This research informs her work with horses and riders where the relationship itself is central to the presenting difficulty or goal.

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The importance of horses during periods of personal struggle, transition, grief, stress, trauma, or psychological overwhelm is also recognised within this work, alongside the realities of confidence loss, pressure within competition environments, injury, fear following falls, changes in partnership dynamics, behavioural difficulties, and the emotional impact of loss, rehabilitation, or performance expectations.

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Horses and humans exist within a responsive relational system in which both influence and attune to one another. Philippa’s published work explores aspects of attachment, co-regulation, and the horse–human relationship, including the ways emotional states, nervous system responses, empathy, and relational patterns may be communicated and experienced between mammals.

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The aim is to support healthier, more attuned, and ethically grounded relationships between horses and humans — recognising both horse and rider as emotional, relational, and responsive beings.

 

Related Academic Work

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Williams, P. (2026) Factors Affecting Horse Rider Relationships. [in publication]

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Williams, P. (2018). Working with relational trauma: Limbic restructuring through equine-facilitated psychotherapy. In K. Trotter & J. Baggerly (Eds.), Equine-Assisted Mental Health for Healing Trauma. New York, NY: Routledge.

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​Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy & Relational Work

Equine-facilitated psychotherapy and relational work offer a psychologically informed space in which horses, environment, relationship, and human experience are understood together rather than separately.

 

Horses are highly social and relational mammals, living within complex social groups and responsive relational systems. Within equine-facilitated psychotherapy, attention is given not only to verbal communication, but also to interaction, behaviour, emotional responses, nervous system awareness, relationship patterns, and the ways horses and humans influence and respond to one another within shared environments.

 

This may support greater awareness of relationship patterns, emotional responses, communication, self-perception, attachment, boundaries, and ways of relating, often in ways that extend beyond conversation alone.

 

Sessions are approached in a calm, ethical, and relational way, recognising horses as responsive participants within the therapeutic process rather than tools or techniques.

 

Sessions may incorporate observation, interaction, groundwork, reflective discussion, nervous system awareness, and relational exploration depending on individual needs, goals, and suitability.

 

Philippa has worked extensively within equine-facilitated psychotherapy, relational practice, and the human–animal relationship, integrating her background as a psychologist, clinical supervisor, educator, and equestrian professional.

 

She is published academically in the areas of trauma, attachment, the horse–human relationship, and equine-facilitated psychotherapy, and contributes to the Animal-Assisted Psychotherapy Master’s programme at Hartpury University as a Clinical Supervisor.

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Related Academic Work

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Williams, P. (2026) Factors Affecting Horse Rider Relationships. [in publication]

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Williams, P. (2024). Exploring an animalistic, trauma-informed framework to understand depression and the need for effective, non-traditional psychotherapeutic interventions that attend to physiological processes. InTechOpen.

Williams, P. (2022). Psychotherapy in Nature: Alternative frameworks to working in a traditional setting. In K. Fukao (Ed.), Counselling and Therapy: Recent Developments in Theories and Concepts. InTechOpen.

Williams, P. (2018). Working with relational trauma: Limbic restructuring through equine-facilitated psychotherapy. In K. Trotter & J. Baggerly (Eds.), Equine-Assisted Mental Health for Healing Trauma. New York, NY: Routledge.

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​Naturopathy & Functional Medicine 

Functional medicine approaches aim to support long-term health, resilience, recovery, equine behaviour, nervous system regulation, and overall health for both horses and riders.
 

Support may be helpful for:
 

• lameness and recovery support

• performance optimisation and recovery

• stress, anxiety, and nervous system regulation

• behavioural or emotional dysregulation

• digestive and gut health

• immune and inflammatory conditions

• muscle weakness, fatigue, and recovery

• hormonal and metabolic imbalance

• skin conditions and allergic presentations

• mobility, rehabilitation, and longevity

Support may include:
 

• nutritional assessment and supplementation

• medicinal herbalism

• homeopathic support

• lifestyle and management considerations

• nervous system and behavioural support

• hydrotherapy and recovery strategies

• integrative health planning

Animals often respond extremely well to integrative functional medicine approaches, with improvements that can be clear, measurable, and supportive of long-term wellbeing and recovery. Planning is often carried out in conjunction with farriers, trimmers and vets.

Functional Medicine Fees
 

Initial Assessment — £250 online
 

Includes:
 

• full health assessment

• detailed physical & psychological case history review

• written comprehensive health report

• homeopathic remedy and supplement prescriptions

• nutritional guidance

• environmental management recommendations

• psychological and behavioural support

• reduced fee follow-up sessions

In-person assessments available with travel costs added where relevant.

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Follow-Up Sessions
 

• Online follow-up — £50

• In-person yard follow-up appointments — £50 per session
  (based on a minimum of 3 horses/riders booked consecutively)​

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Laminitis Recovery Support

One of Philippa’s specialist areas is supporting horses experiencing laminitis, metabolic dysfunction, inflammatory overload, and chronic recovery issues.
 

Over the years she has developed an integrative recovery approach combining nutrition, herbs, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, detoxification support, movement rehabilitation, and nervous system regulation.
 

Many horses supported through this work have been considered “last chance” cases, including those on prolonged box rest, experiencing severe inflammation, shutdown, or ongoing relapse cycles.

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This work is collaborative, welfare-led, and designed to support both immediate stabilisation and longer-term recovery.

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Yard Consultancy & Equine Management

Consultancy is also available for yards, rehabilitation settings, and equestrian professionals interested in developing more sustainable, welfare-led, and species-appropriate approaches to horse management, behaviour, and performance support.

This may include:
 

• herd dynamics and social management

• environmental and behavioural considerations

• stress reduction and management systems

• movement, turnout, and enrichment

• rehabilitation and recovery support

• management approaches aligned with equine behavioural needs

• integrative approaches to performance and long-term health
   

Alongside the decades of professional, equestrian experience Philippa brings, her approach is also informed by wider experience across agriculture, land-based systems, equine behaviour, rehabilitation, and international approaches to horse management and training.

 

Her work has included exposure to multidisciplinary performance and rehabilitation teams within elite and Olympic-level equestrian environments, alongside leading vets, farriers, trimmers, nutritionists, trainers, and behaviour-led horsemanship professionals, contributing to a broad and integrated understanding of equine health, management, movement, and welfare.

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Bespoke Coaching & Development Programmes

Bespoke coaching programmes and packages are available, tailored to the individual horse and rider’s needs, goals, training level, rehabilitation requirements, and performance objectives.
 

These may integrate:
 

• ridden training

• groundwork

• rider psychology

• equine behaviour support

• performance coaching

• nervous system regulation

• functional medicine approaches

• rehabilitation and recovery planning

Programmes may be offered as ongoing coaching, intensive support blocks, clinic days, or residential formats where appropriate.

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Clinics & Residential Intensives

Bespoke clinics and residential intensives are also available for horses and riders, combining training, psychology, nervous system regulation, groundwork, ridden sessions, and functional medicine support within a more immersive format.

These may include:
 

• ridden training sessions

• groundwork and relational work

• rider performance psychology

• nervous system regulation work

• functional medicine assessment and planning

• rehabilitation and recovery support

• horse–rider communication and confidence work

• bespoke, individualised sessions and clinics led by your goals

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Clinics may be arranged privately, through yards, or via collaborative venues. Residential and multi-day formats are available in selected locations.
 

Pricing available on request.

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For Enquiries or Bookings:

 

hello@philippawilliams.co.uk

WhatsApp 07852426000

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Philippa is based in West Cumbria and works both nationally and internationally, with online consultations and travel available where appropriate.  Please feel welcome to enquire if you are unsure which service or format may be most appropriate for your needs.

Book a free initial 15-minute consultation video session