THE COTSWOLD PROJECT
Find Your Happy Place
Holistic CIC
HETI & OUR ETHICS
Helping humans & horses
When we decided to start The Cotswold Project, we did lots of research and visited numerous existing equine therapy yards. When we were discussing how important it was to us that the horses were treated with respect and dignity, the director of the Fortune Centre mentioned HETI or the Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International. HETI is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1974 with members in more than 45 countries worldwide.
HETI's mission is to facilitate the world-wide collaboration between organisations whose objectives are philanthropic, scientific and educational in the field of Equine Services (no pun intended!).
The most important part of all this is that it means we have signed up to a comprehensive Code of Ethics covering how both the humans and the horses are treated. As we have said before, it is of the utmost importance to us that both species benefit from our work. For full text, click the button below to link to HETI's website.
Code of Ethics & Conduct
We have adopted five fundamental principles from HETI to direct our work.
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Do no Harm
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Respect
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Integrity
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Competence
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Accountability
Each of the five principles underpin our daily practice and have been expanded to inform our actions on a day to day basis. As a result, we strive to adhere to the following in everything that we do:
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With regard to the horses, we will
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Ensure that equines are never subjected to any form of abuse or neglect, either physical or mental/emotional. Actual or potential abuse of equines is never permissible - the welfare of equines must be protected.
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Treat equines with care and respect, going beyond the avoidance of neglect and abuse; seeking to provide positive experiences both during and outside of therapeutic work.
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Properly supervise and structure all interactions with equines for the benefit of both the equines and service users.
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Provide ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour. Minimise thirst and hunger and enable eating to be a pleasurable experience.
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Provide shade/shelter or suitable housing, good air quality and comfortable resting areas.
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Prevent or rapidly diagnose and treat disease and injury, and foster good muscle tone, posture and cardiorespiratory function.
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Minimise stressful interactions and promote effective and humane equine training methods that are based on the processes underlying equine behaviour and cognition.
With regard to people, we will
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Ensure that we treat one another with kindness, empathy, and consideration. This includes respecting each other's diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and perspectives.
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Promote active listening and open communication,creating an environment where individuals feel valued and understood.
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Seek to continuously improve knowledge and understanding in order to establish the highest welfare standards for the equines in our sector, both during and outside of therapeutic work and to provide the best possible service to our clients.
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Properly supervise and structure all interactions with equines for the benefit of both the equines and service users.
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Ensure that all those interacting with equines do so within their competencies, in a manner which upholds the welfare of the equine, service user and staff/volunteer.
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Maintain a culture of care in which values and decision-making are reviewed and challenged openly.
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Act with honesty, fairness, and ethical conduct. Upholding our integrity means being truthful, acknowledging mistakes, and making amends when necessary.
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Encourage cooperation and sharing of ideas to create a supportive and dynamic community.
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We are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment for all, free from intimidation or harm. Bullying, harassment, and any form of discrimination will not be tolerated.