Our unique approach
Instead of therapy horses, we use Thoroughbred ex-racehorses and retrain them in partnership with our participants. The blend of human and horse connection, mutual healing, and second chances for both is fundamental to the success of our approach.
Our programs
Free of charge for participants
One Day
Introductory Program
The perfect opportunity to discover horsemanship skills under expert guidance, and determine whether the full Five Day Residential Program is right for you.
Five Day
Residential Program
Spend five immersive, transformative days learning horsemanship skills and experiencing the healing power of the human and horse connection.
DONATE
Help the heroes who have helped you—and the ex-racehorses—to each find a way forward.
We rely on you, the community, to make all that we do possible.
Every dollar donated will truly make a difference.
Watch The Healing
A feature-length, award-winning documentary about transformation and horses and heroes getting a second chance in life.
Broken horses. Broken heroes. Healing each other.
Find a screening near you or buy or rent or
contact us to arrange a local screening as a fundraising event for Horse Aid
Since 2016, we’ve helped hundreds of ex-serving and serving defence personnel and first responders across Australia take life by the reins again
About Horse Aid
Everything we do is about second chances for our heroes and horses—materially making their lives better.
Horse Aid is an Australian for-purpose and not-for-profit registered charity that provides free healing horsemanship programs for Veterans, Serving Defence Personnel and First Responders who are suffering from mental health challenges due to their work serving our community.
Developed by former Mounted Policeman, qualified instructor and horse trainer Scott Brodie, our healing horsemanship programs offer a second chance and support system for both heroes and horses who need help to heal from trauma, rebuild confidence and learn new skills–finding a path forward.
Fantastic experience—very humbled to be able to attend. Do yourself a favour—come spend tranquil time with the horses.
Participant
Learning useful and applicable horsemanship skills within training horses was a great experience and very empowering. Moving as a group and staying as a group really helped it feel like a safe and healing little bubble. The catering was fantastic! Really felt well looked after and welcomed the entire week.
Participant
I was a mess. Trauma, anxiety and depression ruled the day. My confidence was gone. I struggled to exist day-by-day and most days didn’t want to exist at all. The more I worked with these horses in the group, the more my confidence grew. Step-by-step, the program delivered something unique that helped me to get in touch with what was going on inside me. This saved my life.