Horses for Mental Health Campaign Expands Access to Mental Health Services with Horses

Horses for Mental Health collaborates with nonprofits to expand access to equine-assisted services

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The Horses for Mental Health Campaign (formerly Seen Through Horses Campaign) is about collective visibility, shared momentum, and expanding access to mental health services incorporating horses. For 31 days each May, Mental Health Awareness Month, Horses for Mental Health brings together programs nationwide to increase awareness, raise funding, and advocate for the integration of horses in mental health care and personal growth services.

The Horses for Mental Health Campaign Initiative

The campaign unites individuals, nonprofits, mental health professionals, celebrities, influencers, and businesses to create a cohesive community, empower nonprofits, and share impactful stories of healing and transformation through the horse-human connection.

Focus on Collective Visibility

The Horses for Mental Health campaign is dedicated to enhancing collective awareness regarding the profound benefits of equine-assisted mental health services within various communities and among potential donors. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between the therapeutic potential of working with horses and the individuals who could greatly benefit from such services.

Shared Momentum Across Communities

Collaboration with local mental health organizations, equine therapy practitioners, and community leaders is emphasized in each annual campaign. By forming partnerships, the campaign can amplify its message and reach a wider audience, ensuring that the information about these services is disseminated effectively. This collaborative approach not only enhances the credibility of the campaign but also fosters a sense of community involvement and support.

Expanding Access to Mental Health Services with Horses

Equine-assisted therapy has emerged as a transformative approach in mental health treatment, utilizing the unique bond between humans and horses to foster emotional healing and personal growth. By promoting this innovative therapy, the campaign seeks to educate communities about the various mental health challenges that can be addressed through equine interactions, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.

To achieve this goal, the campaign employs a multi-faceted strategy that includes community outreach programs, educational workshops, and engaging storytelling. These efforts are designed to inform individuals about how equine-assisted therapy works, the science behind its effectiveness, and the personal stories of those who have experienced life-changing results. By showcasing real-life testimonials and success stories, Horses for Mental health aims to create a relatable narrative that resonates with both potential clients and donors.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSILrEtZXsA

Supporting Mental Health in Rural Communities

Ways to Support the Campaign

Individuals globally are experiencing anxiety, trauma, stress, burnout, and a sense of disconnection. Horses provide a strong, grounding presence that enables people to feel acknowledged, balanced, and supported.

Worldwide, licensed therapists and trained facilitators partner with horses to assist individuals and families in improving their mental health.

Your support ensures more people can access these life-changing services. Every role — partner, ambassador, donor, sponsor — moves this mission forward. Below are four meaningful ways to get involved:

1. Advocate for Life-changing Programs

Help turn awareness into action by sharing the campaign with your friends, family, colleagues, and community on your social media accounts with a link to Horses for Mental Health's Campaign page.

2. Become a Fundraising Ambassador

Choose a specific Program Partner you care about and create your own fundraising page in support of their work.

3. Donate Directly

Select a Program Partner and donate securely on their campaign page. Every dollar raised directly supports local programs transforming lives in their communities. Participating organizations keep 100% of the funds they raise, so the impact stays where it’s needed most.

4. Become a Campaign Sponsor

Sponsors help power the campaign’s reach and infrastructure while aligning your brand with mental health, community well-being, and horses. To explore sponsorship opportunities, contact: Tyler Brklacich, Executive Director tyler@horsesformentalhealth.org

This is More Than Awareness. It's a Global Movement.

• Your support expands access to mental health and well-being services with horses

• Programs keep 100% of the funds they raise

• Every participating organization is vetted for safety, professionalism, and impact

• Your action stays local and strengthens community-based mental health care

When you participate, you’re not just giving. You’re changing lives.

Support the 2026 Campaign

Visit Website

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EquuStyle Art & Advocacy Magazine is proud to support the May 2026 Horses for Mental Health Campaign, especially during Mental Health Awareness Month. Please share the link to this article and consider ways you can support the Horses for Mental Health Campaign.

Special thanks to Tyler Brklacich Co-Founder & Executive Director of Horses for Mental Health, Lynn Thomas, Co-Founder & President, and Jacque Baumer, Co-Founder/Vice-President. The YouTube video is protected by copyright Horses for Mental Health and Zoetis Equine-all rights reserved.

#horsesformentalhealth #horsesformentalhealthcampaign  #equinetherapy #mentalhealthawrenessmonth #horseshelpingpeople #veterans #zoetisequine #therapyhorses #equustyle #equustylemagazine

Eddie’s Turn: How Equine Therapy Transformed a Burned-Out ICU Nurse and a Retired Racehorse

Writer/Director Annika Hylmö and crew on the set of the upcoming film Eddie's Turn. Photo: Ashley Covington

Swedish filmmaker Annika Hylmö had just completed her first short film, the film festival award-winning comedy Dr. Penelope, was enjoying the critical acclaim and looking forward to pre-production on her next two projects when the COVID pandemic in 2020 shut down the film industry. Gone were the movie theatre audiences and with them the funding – donations and grants – that independent filmmakers rely on. 

“It was very tough,” said Hylmö, who has been living in California for over 20 years. “I wrote scripts and made short films for many years, with the goal to make narrative films, something I’ve been working toward my whole career.” The shut-down left everything open-ended, with no clue how long it would last. Discouraged, worried about her career and her finances, Hylmö started experiencing anxiety and knew she needed to take care of her mental health.

Hylmö and Eddie on one of their afternoon jaunts. "I try to ride at least three times each week." Photo: Ashley Covington

As a youngster, the one activity that soothed her more than anything else was riding. As often as she could, Annika would make her way over to the stable and take one of the horses for a ride. “I realized I wanted to start riding again,” Hylmö said, who never formally quit riding but between getting her master's degree and her Ph. D in Communications she didn’t have time for something she once thought of as a hobby.

It took only a couple of weeks of riding regularly that made Hylmö realize this was much, much more than a hobby. Annika got back into riding three days a week, exploring new trails and vistas, and getting to know Eddie, the 10-year-old white gelding she rode regularly. Eddie had been a successful racehorse, who competed at Santa Anita and Del Mar racetracks before an injury forced his retirement. 

Eddie, who would soon be Annika’s horse, did more for Hylmö’s mental health than she could have imagined. “I experienced such a dramatic change in the way I felt about myself and about my life when I was around him that I wanted to learn what this was about,” she said, leading her to discovery a therapeutic school for treating anxiety disorders and trauma called equine therapy, where the presence of a horse in the therapy sessions give clients a sense of security as they reveal their feelings. She learned that former racehorses were among the best equine therapy partners, due to their temperament and self-discipline. “I became aware of this incredibly symbiotic relationship happening across species,” Hylmö said. “We have the capacity – and the desire – to help each other, to make both of us better.”

Facetime for Eddie and Annika

Annika share a close bond Eddie

Eddie and Annika share a sweet moment

All photos of Annika Hylmö and Eddie by Ashly Covington

Hylmö believes the narrative story-telling format will resonate more powerfully with audiences because of the emotional nature of the horse and human connection. “In a documentary, you can tell the audience what the problem is you’re trying to solve,” Hylmö said. “In a scripted story you have to make them feel it.”  Films like Seabiscuit, Secretariat and Robert Redford’s classic The Horse Whisperer, have gone down in history as forever changing the way humans understand horses and, how they understand us. Steven Spielberg’s War Horse gave us a closer look at the inner life of horses and the trust that is so vital to any meaningful horse/human dynamic.

Eddie's Turn Producer Betsy Pollock being interviewed about the challenges of bringing a short film to life. Photo: Ashly Covington

With her mission clear, Hylmö turned to her good friend and colleague, Academy Award®-winning producer Betsy Pollock, who was AFI’s head of production for 16 years. Together they produced a budget that included pre-production, principal photography and post-production, horse wrangling, ranch and stable rentals, cast and crew. One of Hylmö’s first hires was Bergitte Jorgensen of Bixi Communications to create and support an online and social media presence for Eddie’s Turn. “Fundraising for independent projects has always been difficult,” stated Pollock, “and has become even more so as the industry has contracted over the past few of years, as all independent filmmakers know. Fortunately, there are organizations like our fiscal sponsor, Film Independent, that partner with indie filmmakers to provide support, networking opportunities, outreach, etc.”

Pollock and Hylmö discuss a story point during rehearsal. (Photo: Ashly Covington)

Rolf Gustafsson previous owner of Eddie at Red Rock Riding Ranch. (Photo: Ashley Covington)

Red Rock Riding Ranch is located in the majestic hills north of Los Angeles. Photo: Ashley Covington

Hylmö gives Eddie his post-workout grooming. (Photo: Ashley Covington)

All photos of Annika Hylmö and Eddie by Ashly Covington

Annika and her team are investing in a concentrated social media and outreach campaign for Fall 2025 to support the EquuStyle article’s publication with racetracks, horse owners, breeding farms, horse clubs and more. “We believe that Eddie’s Turn can have social impact and make a difference in our world,” said Hylmö. “It’s our intention once the film is complete and we’ve finished our festival run to offer Eddie’s Turn as a fundraising tool to off-the-track thoroughbred communities and an educational tool for equine therapy centers.”

“We’re made aware every day that there’s a mental heath crisis out there,” Annika said thoughtfully, “and a need for more affordable care. It is our hope that Eddie’s Turn will help build awareness of Equine Therapy and its value, for people looking for help and for on-and-off-track racehorse owners as well.”

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Eddie's Turn Movie Trailer

EquuStyle Magazine expresses gratitude to Pamela Rodi for her captivating article on the forthcoming film Eddie's Turn and Ashly Covington's photography. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all those involved in the creation of Eddie's Turn, particularly filmmakers Annika Hylmö and Producer Betsy Pollock, who aim to highlight the advantages of equine-assisted therapy for people of all backgrounds.

All images are copyrighted by Ashly Covington and Eddie's Turn Movie - all rights reserved. Reproduction for any purpose is prohibited without permission from Ashly Covington and Eddie's Turn Movie.

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