'Heartwarming' horses help military veterans

For Al Strudwick being around horses has proved to be an unexpected lifeline.

After serving with the army in Bosnia in the 1990s, he developed delayed-on-set post tramatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lost the lower part of both legs to sepsis.

He is one of the veterans who have worked with charity Warrior Equine which uses horses in sessions to help former service personnel with mental health conditions.

The charity introduces veterans to horses in a pen, allowing them to talk to and spend time with the animal.

Strudwick explained his view of horses beforehand was as "hairy, scary creatures".

"I had no history with horses apart from being picked by the back of my jacket by one when I was about four.

So, I didn't go in with the best of mindsets about horses. I knew nothing about them.

During the sessions, participants enter a pen with a horse and an instructor and are shown how a clam nature, slight movements in body language and tone of voice can influence the animal.

"I had deep distrust of horses, people, social situations. Once all that dissipates and your self-confidence grows, your spontaneity grows, it's led to so many other things that I've done in life."

"I lost track of time in the pen with the horse."

"When the horse would join me of it's own accord - I don't know how it works, psychologically, it was just heartwarming."

Ele Millwright, founder of Warrior Equine, said: "Horses have the most extraordinary ability to help us grow and heal and reconnect with ourselves.

"To be able to share that is incredible rewarding. Watching people reignite that confidence, that zest for life, that they may have just lost for a few months or even a few years."

Capt Dean Hughes is the unit welfare officer for the First Battalion Welsh Guards admitted he had been "pretty sceptical" about the scheme.

"It's one of those things you have to see to believe."

"I've had some soldiers that have come here that have been experiencing anger.

"They've started to turn their life towards alcohol to deal with those problems. The way Warrior Equine has enhanced their ability to regulate their emotions has prevented them from going down those sort of routes."

Equine Warriors has been chosen as the official charity for the 2026 Royal Windsor Horse Show.