EquiScholars HQ
Our Team
Kate Blackmore
Founder, Equine Behaviour Consultant & Mentor
Kate Blackmore is the founder of our provision and an experienced equine behaviour consultant and mentor. She has worked for many years alongside children, young people, and horses, creating programmes that mix education, emotional growth, and equine welfare.
Kate’s expertise in equine behaviour is central to her work. She has supported horses through behavioural challenges, developed tailored modification plans, and shared her knowledge with others to ensure that equine care and learning remain ethical and compassionate. Her approach is grounded in ethology — the science of animal behaviour — and she is passionate about helping children understand how horses communicate, form relationships, and regulate themselves.
Kate is also the founder of EquiScholars, a modular curriculum that introduces children and young people to equine behaviour and welfare through creative, activity-based learning. Through EquiScholars, she has partnered with alternative provisions across the UK, supporting them to deliver the curriculum and embed equine-partnered learning within their own settings.
Kate's focus on connection — between people, horses, and the wider environment — underpins the EquiScholars ethos that prioritises trust, regulation, and resilience for both children and animals.
Kate’s vision has always been to create safe, nurturing spaces where children can thrive while learning in partnership with horses. By integrating behavioural science with therapeutic and educational practice, she ensures that our provision supports the well-being of every participant, human and equine alike.
Claire Cottrell
Head of Therapeutic Programmes, Polyvagal Informed, Thrive Practitioner & Mentor
Claire Cottrell leads our therapeutic programmes, bringing together her academic background in psychology with many years of experience supporting children and young people. Her First Class Honours Degree in Psychology gave her a strong foundation in how we think, feel, and connect, but it is her day-to-day work with children that has shaped her into the practitioner she is today.
As a Thrive Practitioner who is polyvagal-informed, Claire works closely with children to help them understand their nervous systems and discover ways to feel safe, calm, and regulated. She has a gift for creating spaces where children feel seen and understood, helping them to build trust, resilience, and the confidence to face challenges both inside and outside of school.
Claire played a key role in developing our 16-week Early Intervention Programme, weaving together insights from neuroscience, attachment theory, and trauma-informed practice. She ensures the programme remains flexible enough to meet children where they are, while also giving them practical tools they can carry back into everyday life and learning.
Alongside her work with children, Claire has consulted extensively with other alternative provisions, supporting their staff teams in client interactions and delivering training that helps ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery. Her ability to mentor others while holding space for each individual’s growth has helped shape a culture of reflection, safety, and compassion across a range of settings.
Her calm, steady presence underpins everything we do, ensuring that both children and adults experience the safety and consistency that are at the heart of our provision.