Workplace stress is receiving a lot of attention with even the Government estimating it costs £530m in one year.

That is the financial value of the estimated 14 million working days forfeited.

Emotional problems in the workforce are difficult for most managers and employers to deal with. As a result. they are often allowed to go unresolved rather then be tackled, until eventually some disastrous event means they cannot be ignored any longer.

So there is a real demand for cost-effective solutions that can tackle and prevent meltdowns before they reach that point.

Experienced therapist Jo Corfield runs a business that delivers just that at her Equine Involvement Therapy facility.

Based in the countryside just north of Charlbury, Hopethruhorses is within easy reach of Oxford, Witney, Bicester and Banbury and the beautiful, peaceful surroundings form a major part of the therapy.

People who experience stress and emotional distress at work (or in their lives in general) can take time out at the centre to experience the company of horses and work with them and an experienced practitioner.

An important point that Ms Corfield stresses is that there is no riding involved, so people without riding experience will not be put off. Instead guidance is provided, alongside someone experienced in stress management, through simple interactions with members of the 16-strong team of horses and ponies.

The team was expanded last year with the addition of a number of mini-Shetland ponies, which are superb for those who might be anxious about working with horses in any capacity.

“At Hopethruhorses we feel it is of paramount importance to look at the whole person and not just the problem,” said Ms Corfield, who is the founder of Equine Involvement Therapy.

Using horses in the corporate world might seem a little odd at first but as Ms Corfield explained they can play a vital role in improving the performance of employees and executives.

“The horses act as a mirror to our inner state. Connecting and communicating with them and learning to both read their responses and adjust our own provides us with a powerful means of releasing stress, destructive and unhelpful thoughts and unwanted emotions.”

The gentle nature of the therapy is a complete antidote to the workplace, making the release from modern-day pressures quick and long-lasting.

With more than eight years of experience using horses to help both children and adults deal with stress and emotional problems, Ms Corfield is clear about the steps that can be taken to ease employees out of the negative states they can sometimes get into.

“Clients come to Hopethruhorses feeling stressed and overwhelmed — their lives feel out of control and their thoughts all over the place,” explained Ms Corfield.

“They feel an extraordinary sense of calm achievement and elation when, through silent communication and keeping their thoughts in the moment, they make a deep connection with the horses.”

The team at Hopethruhorses understands stress is a complex issue with a huge number of potential causes. These include unrealistic demands and expectations, pressures of work and difficult relationships or negative social conditions.

“Whatever the cause, our perception and responses to these events can be positively changed and we can learn to communicate our thoughts and emotions effectively, with guidance and in the company of horses,” said Ms Corfield, who battled her own issues with eating disorders before discovering the peace that comes through working with horses.

There is ample proof of the effectiveness of the courses and customers have even flown over from the United States to benefit from the company of the horses, which Ms Corfield keeps in as natural a state as possible.

She is convinced that being able to run as a herd and being kept in this natural environment makes the horses very good at their jobs and extremely sensitive to people's thoughts and intentions. This stress-free existence keeps them free from issues and makes them easy to handle.

For companies who feel stress is getting out of control for some of their employees, help is available from Hopethruhorses.

The accepting and thought-provoking approach to stress in the company of horses quiets the mind and helps people to see life from a calm, open and positive perspective.