“I was hungover that morning. I’d had an argument with my kids’ mum the night before and got drunk,” recalls Sam, 31, of his first encounter with a therapy horse. “Steve, a criminal rehabilitation case worker, had to drag me out of bed to take me to the farm.

“I just went for the BBQ and coffee; I wanted nothing to do with the horses – I was afraid of them.”

However, when he stepped into the yard where the horses awaited that morning in May last year, Sam says one of them seemed to lock eyes with him. “I felt drawn to it. I walked over, and it rested its head on my shoulder,” he remembers.

“It was surreal. That weight on my shoulder seemed to lift all my worries – I got goosebumps, like when my kids were born. I was emotionally lost, and this large animal seemed to guide me back.”

Sam, a repeat offender from Bristol, had arrived at Dials Green Farm animal sanctuary in Lottisham, Somerset, to join an innovative rehabilitation program aimed at reducing recidivism and easing Britain's prison overcrowding crisis.

Since the 1990s, the prison population in Britain has more than doubled, with two-thirds of prisons in England and Wales officially overcrowded. Judges are now asked to delay sentencing convicted criminals on bail, including those convicted of serious crimes like rape and burglary, due to full prisons.

Recently, the government instituted emergency measures that postponed hundreds of court hearings and released suspects on bail instead of holding them in prison. An "early release" scheme also saw prisoners released to home curfew to free up space.

A significant issue is the high reoffending rate among released prisoners. According to the charity that supports Sam's rehabilitation program, half of young men in prison serve less than six months for minor offenses like drug crimes or minor assaults, and 63 percent of those sentenced to less than 12 months will reoffend.

In October, Justice Minister Alex Chalk announced that sentences under a year would be scrapped for most offenders, arguing they exacerbate criminal behavior and trap offenders in a cycle of reoffending. “With the rising cost of living, many young men make tough decisions, risking punishment for trying to support their families,” says Ashleigh Wicheard, an equine therapist from Bath. “Short sentences entrap people in a vicious cycle as employers are reluctant to hire those with criminal records.”

However, there are alternative solutions, according to some experts. Key4Life, a crime prevention charity, rehabilitates young men in prison or those at risk of imprisonment, like Sam. The charity integrates equine and music therapy, neuro-linguistic programming, and emotional release sessions to help the men build resilience and eliminate negative behaviors.

“Key4Life bridges the gap between those with convictions and employment by partnering with companies willing to offer second chances,” says Wicheard. “The program provides personalized coping strategies, empowering individuals to shape a better future. Horses play a crucial role – without them, the transformative experience wouldn't be the same.”

‘I lost everything trying to be the top boy’

Eva Hamilton, Key4Life’s founder and CEO, has supported marginalized UK communities for 38 years, receiving an MBE in 2005 for her efforts.

One of the beneficiaries of her work is Sam, who spent his youth entangled with gangs and estimates he has been imprisoned 13 or 14 times for crimes ranging from shoplifting to drug dealing and robberies. Homeless at 14 after escaping abuse, he oscillated between prison and gang life in Bristol.

“I lost everything – including my kids to the care system – trying to be the ‘top boy’,” he shares. “I’ve since spent time alone facing my demons.”

In December 2022, at his lowest point, Sam's former drug-dealing associate Steve, now a mentor and case worker for Key4Life, invited him to the charity’s “At Risk” program.

“A few days earlier, I’d tried to commit suicide,” recalls Sam. “I was in a trap house (a place associated with drug dealing) with a lot of cocaine and money when Steve contacted me. That was it – I knew I needed a way out.”

In 2011, Hamilton founded Key4Life while battling depression after parting ways with another charity. Spending time with her horses, she found the strength to emerge from her “dark place.” Growing up around horse racing in Ireland, her family owned several racehorses.

The experience, combined with the shock of seeing children as young as eight rioting on London streets that summer after police fatally shot a 29-year-old Black man in Tottenham, north London, inspired her to start Key4Life. Hamilton's background includes three decades of founding charities for veterans, the homeless, and repeat offenders, particularly for addressing their emotional trauma. She launched the first Key4Life program at Bristol’s Ashfield prison in 2013.

“We worked with 23 of the toughest young men in Britain – all gang members – who initially showed zero respect,” she says. “But after 20 minutes, the military trainers I brought along were ready to leave until the horses arrived. The gangsters ran to hide in the gym, reverting to childhood. When we coaxed them out, they connected with the horses; some even cried. It was one of the most magical moments I’ve witnessed.”

Mirroring horses and men

The program has developed organically. Today it follows a seven-stage model in prisons like HMP Thameside in London, HMP Forest Bank in Manchester, and HMP Fosse Way in Leicester, and partners with various companies including Sony, KPMG, Thames Water, and Chelsea Football Club. “The first stages unlock pain and build emotional resilience,” says Hamilton. “The second stages focus on employability.”

Stages one to three begin with equine therapy, either within the prison or at an outside retreat.

“Horses are crucial to the program; they command immediate respect due to their size, unlike therapy dogs,” says Wicheard. “Reading a horse's body language is essential; if it dislikes something, it responds with a bite or kick. This mirrors interactions these young men have in prison, helping them understand misunderstandings arising from behavior and body language.”

During the equine therapy sessions, the men perform exercises designed to boost emotional awareness, build trust, create strong boundaries, and take steps toward a positive future. Activities include leading horses, navigating obstacle courses, and completing specific movements or tasks with the horse.

Participants work in pairs and are assigned a horse. One man leads while the other rides, navigating an obstacle course. “They quickly learn to collaborate and communicate to achieve their goals with the horse, which isn't easy,” says Wicheard. “They also need to trust each other.”

“They must be fully present in the task, temporarily shedding concerns about home or prison,” adds Wicheard.

In retreats, the process includes therapy sessions during the initial days, but there isn’t enough time for this within prisons.

Equine therapy is followed by emotional and behavioral workshops, music therapy, and non-contact football and boxing. “The workshops strive to dispel anger, fear, and pain, replacing negative behaviors with positive ones, fostering forgiveness, and equipping them with emotional tools for a positive path,” explains Hamilton. Football sessions with Pablo Blackwood from Queens Park Rangers (QPR) demonstrate how on-pitch skills apply to life. Similarly, boxing techniques teach control and grounding.

Participants receive mentors and engage in employability workshops, including mock interviews with companies within the prison. Each man devises an action plan encompassing future career goals, mental health therapies, and personal hobbies before leaving prison.

For example, KPMG conducted an employability workshop at HMP Fosse Way in Leicester, assisting men with mock interviews and CV preparation. Subsequently, Key4Life organized a "Meet the Companies" workshop, inviting representatives from 10 to 15 local firms to interview the men. Some secured job offers or three-day work placements, leading to employment opportunities.

In stages four to seven, a dedicated Key4Life caseworker supports the men's reintegration into society for about nine months. They receive new interview attire, complete a three-day work placement with a partnering company, and undertake a tailored employment search with their caseworker. Family engagement programs and residential retreats culminate in graduation, with the option to train as “Key Mentors.”

“We engage families to help them understand the men’s recovery process and maintain connections,” says Hamilton.

The prison-based programs usually last a year – three months inside, nine outside – while the community-based “At Risk” program runs for six months.

A cost-effective solution

Since 2012, Key4Life has supported over 1,000 offenders and conducted more than 35 programs with upwards of 100 companies, providing mentoring, attending “Meet the Employer” days, and participating in Dragons Den-style events to evaluate inmates' business ideas.

A 2018 Ministry of Justice report estimated that reoffending by adults in England and Wales costs the economy about 18.1 billion pounds ($23bn) annually, accounting for crime-related expenses, criminal justice system costs, lost productivity, healthcare, and victim support services.

The Key4Life model has demonstrated success in reducing reoffending rates at a significantly lower cost.

Bean Research, which assesses the economic benefits of social programs, found that only 4 percent of Key4Life participants reoffended within a year of release, compared to 63 percent nationally for men with multiple convictions and sentences under a year. Participants are also four times more likely to be employed a year after the program, with 73 percent securing jobs by its end.

The annual cost of a prison place in England and Wales is 46,696 British pounds ($59,371), according to the Ministry of Justice. The Key4Life program, however, costs just 4,820 pounds ($6,128) per participant – about one-tenth of the cost.

Bean Research reports that for every pound ($1.27) invested in Key4Life, there is a 13.46-pound ($17.11) return, projected to generate 4.08 million pounds ($5.19) in societal benefits over three years through economic gains, public spending savings, and reduced health costs.

“Shorter sentences have created a revolving door in our prisons,” says Hamilton. “The challenge is ‘How do you get them out and keep them out?’ Our model proves effective.”

The key is unlocking their pain, aiding their employment efforts, and having former prisoners as mentors.

Key4Life is extending its model to more prisons and seeking additional companies to join its Younited Flag campaign, committing to employing ex-offenders who have completed the program.

As for Sam, he is now a certified “equine facilitator,” having graduated from his equine-therapy course last month.

“Key4Life has transformed my life, and now I aim to help other young men like me,” he says.

“From a five-minute encounter with horses to where I am now, a year later, shows this program works – for mental health and future prospects. I feel like I won a million-pound scratchcard.”