Code of ethics & ethical considerations for the horse
Equine Affinity (EA) General code of Ethics:
Our Code of Ethics is continuously being reviewed and updated as necessary.
(a) We believe in working in a strong team, made up of individuals who are passionate and driven to take this work to as many people as possible.
(b) We believe in encouraging those individuals who work with Equine Affinity to listen to their intuition and follow their passion. Where there is a strong desire, the energy will follow in order to make it a success.
(c) At Equine Affinity we take an open minded, open hearted, authentic and transparent approach to the growth of our business, whilst taking care to build a robust, sustainable and professional organisation which focuses on giving the client an experience which is wholeheartedly for them and giving the client an experience they will not forget.
(d) Every Equine Affinity practitioner undertakes annual CPD as part of their personal interest and growth in the interest of continuing to provide a quality service for EA clients. This CPD is in some form of EGL/P related activity
(e) All members of the EA team work with integrity.
(f) Equine Affinity’s horse specialists not only have suitable experience with horses but they also have a good understanding of the psychotherapeutic process and experience and CPD hours in the field of EGP/EGL
The horses are a big part of our ethical considerations in this work (refer to our equine code of ethics below). We are continually developing our thoughts on this. We have the horses interest at heart – one of our personal beliefs is about offering choice to this horse. A fair amount of our work is done at liberty offering horses a chance to respond authentically. We also approach this work by means of ‘how can we relate to another animal’ rather than ‘what can we get from the horse’. We cannot deny that we are taking them away from their natural environment through domestication and then we are asking them to enter the pen and work with lots of different people who have different style of relating. We are mindful of this and ensure that the horse has sufficient, undisturbed breaks and the equine specialist observes closely to see if they are coping with the work at all times. Ultimately in this work, we aim to achieve authentic connections within ourselves and with others. If we can be true to ourselves we can have healthier relationships with horses allowing them to feel more at ease in relating to us.
Equine Code of ethics:
(a) The horses well being is held in high regard at all times during sessions.
(b) The equine specialists (ES) have suitable knowledge and experience of different displays of equine behaviours and physical health so that any changes are noted and acted on if necessary.
(c) The ES aims to be a voice for the horse if the horse is being clear and the client does not understand it.
(d) The EA team are trained to be aware and act upon any discomfort that may be displayed by the horse.
(e) The ES is aware of the horses well being and activities before and after each sessions.
(f) The physical and mental state of each horse must be fully assessed by the ES before every session and if there are any concerns, the owner of the horse shall be fully informed and the horse will not be used for EGL/P practices
(g) EA recognises the amount of ‘work’ or emotional energy that is required from an Equine therapy horse and therefore allows sufficient breaks in between sessions and keeps a close eye on the well being of the horse at all times.