About Us
Our Story
Welcome to Paintedhorse a Community Interest Company that offers Eco and Equine ReWilding to both adults and young people as individuals or groups. We aim to support people’s emotional and mental well-being with the help of nature and our healing herd. No knowledge of horses is required, this is not about horsemanship, it is about you, your connectivity and how you perceive the world around you. If you would like to book a private session(s) for an individual or group please contact us. Alternatively you may wish to look at our upcoming events which usually run between spring to autumn.
We support charity Key4Life and provide Equine Therapy for their year long programme to help reduce youth offending and gang warfare. We were recently featured on their documentary on BBC Two with Victoria Derbyshire which looks at how gang members can leave that life behind. If you are a service provider and wish to discuss any aspects about Equine ReWilding and how we could best tailor our programmes to suit your client please contact us to discuss more.
Meet our human team
LIVVY ADAMS
Olivia ‘Livvy’ Adams spent the early part of her career as a front line police officer in the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, working on the now defunct Police women’s Unit which helped women and children in abusive relationships, as victims of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Having left the police force to bring up her two children, Livvy subsequently retrained as an accountant, and continues to work with clients today.
After training with horse whisperer Franklin Levinson, EPONA instructors Rosie Withey from Horses as Teachers, Caroline Morgan, Mike Khan & Shelley Rosenberg at Telford Equestrian Centre, Leanna Millward of Flying with Horses and later with Ella Jones, Mike Delany and Jo Saunders at LEAP Livvy established an equine facilitated and experiential learning business called ‘Paintedhorse’ which became a CIC in 2017 and blended her Eco ReWilding skills with Equine Therapy to help people connect back to what is important in life.
AMANDA McCANN
Amanda is an Equine Facilitative Learning Practitioner, having trained with Mike Delany, Jo-Anne Karlsson and Sarah Watson at LEAP. Her experience and love of horses is life long, both in this country and in France, and she was involved in establishing a branch of Riding For the Disabled in Somerset. Currently working with Livvy Adams and Paintedhorse, supporting the charity Key4Life on their rehabilitation programs for youth offenders.
Amanda is also a yoga teacher, teaching yoga, mindfulness and meditation at an addiction therapy centre in Oxfordshire. Teaching a wide range of ages and abilities both privately on a one to one basis or in groups. She is interested in supporting people of all ages and needs, enabling them to adjust to change and further enhance their lives and wellbeing. Amanda is also is a registered Accredited Member of the Accredited Counsellors, Coaches, Psychotherapists and Hypnotherapists. (ACCPH).
NIKKI MILLARD
Nikki is a Transactional Analysis Psychotherapist (Metanoia Institute in Ealing, London), an Equine Facilitated Psychotherapist (EFP) Practitioner (LEAP Model) and has a private therapy practice called Wild Spirit based in Enfield, North London and also works via Skype.
Nikki is a Registered Member of the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP) and is Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) trained. Nikki works with Paintedhorse for large group work and supporting charity Key4Life.
JO FITZJOHN
Jo has an Equine Therapy business in Hewish, Weston-super-mare. Jo is an Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) Practitioner (LEAP model) and has had horses since the age of 11. Jo and her husband are foster carers supporting children from challenging backgrounds, young offenders, vulnerable adolescents, learning differences and those with mental health and trauma issues.
Jo has an interest in holistic health and is trained in Reiki, Shamanism, Alchemical Hypnotherapy (David Quigley), Theta Training (Kimberly Lovell) and Animal Healing & Communication (Elaine Tyley). Jo works with Paintedhorse for large group work and supporting charity Key4Life.