We are all very excited to be welcoming real horses back to BETA International 2026 in the form of Lunar Eclipse who you’ll find in The Pony Pause. Here’s more about this amazing CIC…
Tell me about Lunar Eclipse—how did you begin?
Lunar Eclipse began with a horse called Luna and a chapter of my life I never expected to write.
After being badly assaulted while working in the NHS, I was left with an injury and the loss of so much of the confidence that had once been part of who I was. Luna gave me somewhere to simply be. There was no pressure to explain myself or pretend I was having a good day.
Being with her helped me find my way forward. That connection became the beginning of Lunar Eclipse EFL Therapy Horses CIC.
Today, we are a not-for-profit company, supported by a wonderful team of volunteers, many with blue light or specialist backgrounds. We are working towards becoming a sustainable charity and developing our home near Callander so more people can experience time with our herd.
I could never have imagined where that first connection with Luna would lead.
What gap was Lunar Eclipse designed to fill?
I wanted to create somewhere people could come exactly as they are.
Some people struggle to put their feelings into words. Others are lonely, overwhelmed or have lost their confidence. Sometimes, being asked to sit in a room and explain everything feels like too much.
Our equine facilitated learning is ground-based and non-ridden. You don’t need horse experience, and you don’t need a diagnosis to deserve support. We make space for people to build trust, explore their emotions and find confidence at their own pace, alongside the horses.
We also take our miniature horses into care homes, hospitals and hospices, reaching people who might otherwise never have that opportunity.
Behind every bedroom door is a person with a whole lifetime of stories. We want to get to know that person.
What has been a moment for you and the ponies that has made you realise just how important your work is?
There are moments that stay with you long after you have taken the headcollars off and put the horses to bed.
For me, some of those moments have been with Teddy, our three-year-old American miniature horse, and the people he has accompanied towards the end of their lives.
His friendship with Yvonne at Strathcarron Hospice will always be part of our story. So will Jim, whom we came to know through our visits to Northcare Residences. Their families welcomed Teddy into deeply personal moments, and he later walked with them on their last earthly journeys.
There is an enormous responsibility in being invited into someone’s life at that time. You never forget the trust their family places in you.
Watching a hand reach out to his soft muzzle, or seeing recognition when someone realises their little friend has returned, reminds me why we do this. We cannot change what a family is facing, but we can bring comfort, companionship and a moment they can hold onto.
Teddy recently received Highly Commended recognition at the BBC Make a Difference Awards. I am incredibly proud of him, but it is those quiet moments, known only to the people in the room, that mean the most.
Can you tell us about the ponies that will be at BETA International?
Joining us will be Bubbles, our five-year-old British miniature horse, and Molly-Moo, our 13-year-old miniature Shetland—two much-loved members of our Hoofgang®.
Bubbles has a playful personality and a talent for making people smile. Molly-Moo is a gentle little soul who visits care homes and hospitals, bringing companionship to people who need it.
They each have their own personalities, and getting to know them is part of the experience. Their comfort comes first, and we pay close attention to how they feel, giving them time and space to rest.
We’re looking forward to visitors meeting them and discovering how special a quiet moment alongside a little horse can be.
This will be the first time horses or ponies have been at BETA International for a number of years. What are you hoping they will bring to the show?
We’re absolutely delighted to be joining BETA International and feel honoured to help welcome horses back to the show after so many years. Bringing Bubbles and Molly-Moo along for Pony Pause is a lovely opportunity to share the heart of what we do with the equestrian community.
I hope Pony Pause gives people permission to stop for a moment.
Shows are exciting, but they are also busy. There are meetings, conversations, stands to visit and people working incredibly hard behind the scenes. Bubbles and Molly-Moo will offer a chance to take a breath and enjoy the company of the animals that brought so many of us into this industry in the first place.
I hope they start conversations about the difference horses can make through companionship and equine facilitated learning, and about making those experiences accessible to more people.
Most of all, I hope visitors leave feeling a little lighter, with a lovely memory of meeting them.
Sometimes, amongst everything you planned to do that day, a little horse becomes the moment you remember.