equine systems, professional ecology and evidence-led welfare
Switch Equine was founded by Laura, a Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) with a passion for ecological restoration, animal welfare and more species-appropriate approaches to equine management. With a background in zoology, evolutionary biology and behavioural science, Laura's academic and professional expertise spans years of work as an ecological and environmental consultant, tackling projects from landscape recovery to on-farm interventions.
Switch Equine brings together this professional ecological experience with equine science and an evidence-led approach to welfare, recognising that horses do not exist separately from the environments and management systems in which they live.
laura’s story: from a childhood affinity to a life’s work in equine and environmental Care
Laura's love for horses began early in life. Growing up in a non-horsey family, she was captivated by the horses at the local mounted police yard, where she spent time with her father as a child. Even as a baby in her pram, the sight of these magnificent animals brought her comfort and peace.
At six years old, Laura's parents decided to give her a riding lesson for her birthday, unknowingly setting the stage for a lifelong passion. That first ride was just the beginning and, before long, Laura was spending her weekends and school holidays working on the yard in exchange for riding and handling lessons from the yard owner and instructors.
Inspired by the horses and their care, she was encouraged to channel her thirst for knowledge into something more than just mucking out stables. She pursued degrees in zoology, evolutionary biology and behavioural science, where she developed a deep understanding of the natural world, animal behaviour and broader ecological contexts.
After completing her studies, Laura worked as a research assistant at the University of Exeter, studying species interactions under varying environmental conditions. Her career continued as an ecological and environmental consultant, advising on sustainable practices and natural capital assessments for large projects. Through her work, she became increasingly aware of the importance of ecological systems and the relatively limited attention often given to equine land and management outside the conservation sector.
Although horses had been a central part of her life, Laura eventually took a break from riding during her academic journey. It wasn't until later, when she decided to reconnect with the equestrian world, that her path back to horses began.
That journey led to the purchase of her first horse, Oisin. Initially labelled a "challenging" and "dangerous" horse, Oisin's behaviour prompted Laura to question whether the problem lay solely with the horse — or whether the way he was being managed and understood was part of the picture.
Determined to understand more, Laura began exploring equine behaviour, welfare and management from a different perspective. Oisin became an important part of her learning journey and helped shape the approach to horse welfare that underpins Switch Equine today.
It took Laura many years to begin to understand Oisin.
He had struggled in ways that were not always easy to explain, and for a long time the answers she was given focused on individual pieces of the puzzle. Pain was not always recognised as a possible explanation for his behaviour, while physical problems were sometimes interpreted through a different part of his body.
As the problems continued, Laura began to question herself. If the interventions weren't working, was she failing him as a trainer?
Eventually, through her own research, further learning, observation and — importantly — plenty of mistakes, she began to see the connections she had previously missed. It was a slow and sometimes painful process of learning to ask different questions.
Oisin wasn't a collection of separate problems. He was one horse, living within one interconnected system.
Understanding him meant looking beyond individual symptoms and asking how pain, behaviour, movement, training, management, nutrition and environment could be influencing one another.
Some of those lessons came at Oisin's expense, and Laura carries that experience with her. But they fundamentally changed the way she thinks about horses.
Switch Equine exists to help other owners have the opportunity to see those connections sooner.
To provide Oisin with the best care, Laura and Steven made a significant decision: they purchased a smallholding in North Wales and adopted two more horses, Django and Jake. This move marked the beginning of Switch Equine.
Living alongside a range of other animals, the horses provided a remarkable opportunity to explore how land, forage, movement, social relationships and management interact with equine health and welfare. Over time, these experiences helped shape Laura's understanding that horses cannot be considered separately from the systems in which they live.
Veterinary care, physiotherapy, training, nutrition, behaviour and environmental management all have an important role to play. But horses experience them as one life, not as separate professional disciplines.
Switch Equine exists to help bridge those gaps — bringing together the different pieces of the puzzle and asking how they fit together.
We don't replace veterinary, physiotherapy, nutritional or behavioural expertise. We help owners understand how the different parts of a horse's life may interact, and where the environment and management system may be contributing to the picture.
Because sometimes the missing answer isn't another specialist. It's understanding how all the answers fit together.
In November 2025, the smallholding welcomed two unhandled Fell pony colts, brought down to Wales from the uplands of the Cumbrian fells.
As a rare native British breed shaped by life in a challenging upland environment, the colts have provided another opportunity to explore what happens when young horses are given the time, space, social environment and management needed to develop in a way that respects their behavioural and biological needs.
Their progress is becoming part of Switch Equine's real-world case study — helping us observe, question and learn from species-appropriate management in practice.
In September 2026, we expanded the smallholding by acquiring a further 13 acres of land. This additional land gives us new opportunities to explore how different approaches to grazing, habitat creation, movement, forage and biodiversity can work together at a larger scale. As the land develops, so does our understanding. We will continue to monitor, adapt and learn from what works — for the benefit of the horses, the wider ecosystem and the people managing it.
our philosophy: practice what we preach
At Switch Equine, we believe that horse welfare and environmental health are interconnected. Our smallholding in North Wales provides a living environment in which we explore how land management, grazing, movement, forage, biodiversity and horse welfare can work together.
We don't believe there is one perfect management system for every horse. Every horse, piece of land and management situation is different. Instead, we use ecological principles, equine science, behavioural understanding and the available evidence to explore what works, why it works and where changes could make the greatest difference.
We believe that supporting healthy horses and restoring healthy environments don't have to be competing goals. With thoughtful management, they can support one another.
why choose switch equine?
Switch Equine sits at the intersection of professional ecology, equine science, behavioural science and evidence-led welfare.
Laura's background combines professional ecological consultancy with postgraduate study in evolutionary and behavioural biology, formal equine science training and continued professional development in equine welfare and management.
This combination allows us to look beyond individual symptoms or isolated interventions and consider the wider system around the horse — including the land, forage, movement, social environment, management and practical realities of the people caring for them.
We don't sell one system. We help you understand the system you have, identify where it isn't working, and explore what could work better.
qualifications
- Highfield Certificate - Essential Equine Nutrition
- PgCert - Equine Science from University of Edinburgh (The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies)
- MRes - Evolutionary and Behavioural Biology from University of Liverpool
- BSc (hons) - Zoology from University of Leeds
professional memberships
- Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) with Chartered Institute of Ecological and Environmental Managers and Society for the Environment
- Full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecological and Environmental Management
- Associate Member -International Society for Equitation Science (ISES)
- AnimalWeb Expert
continued professional development
- Equidemia Masterclass, The Trainer Training Course
- Equitopia, How to Recognize the 24 Behaviours indicating Pain in the Ridden Horse
- Thirza Hendricks, Equine Breathwork
- Equine Studies, Passive Physio
- Equine Studies, Body Basics
- Soil Food Web, Essentials
- Ecosystem Restoration Centre, Becoming a Regenerative Farmer
- among various other webinars, lectures, workshops and dissections!
Whether you're a horse owner, landowner, farmer or livery yard operator, we're here to help you understand and improve the systems in which horses live — creating healthier environments for horses, more resilient land and practical solutions that work in the real world.
