The Behind the Brand series shines a spotlight on some of the companies exhibiting at The National Equine Show 2026 – digging deeper to reveal the stories behind them.
Lunar Eclipse EFL Therapy Horses CIC is a UK-based, non-profit organisation dedicated to providing non-ridden, equine-facilitated learning (EFL) and therapeutic experiences to individuals of all ages and abilities. Lunar Eclipse can be found on various spaces at The National Equine Show 2026 – on stand A120, at the Equine Meet & Greets and live on the Saracens Horse Feeds Inspiration Stage on the Sunday of the Show.
Cherene Robertson, Founder and Accredited EFL Practitioner of Lunar Eclipse EFL Therapy Horses CIC, answers our Q&A to explore the organisation’s journey from its early beginnings to its current impact. She shares the heart of their mission and offers a preview of their upcoming presence at The National Equine Show 2026.
1. How did the business start?
Lunar Eclipse began long before it was a registered organisation. It started with one mare – Luna – and a woman who found something life-changing in her presence.
Horses had always been part of my life, but through my own personal journey, alongside my professional background within the NHS, I recognised something profound: horses regulate us. They don’t judge. They don’t rush. They meet you exactly where you are.
What began as one horse and a belief, slowly grew into Lunar Eclipse EFL Therapy Horses CIC and our beloved Hoofgang – a herd of miniature horses and ponies helping people rediscover calm, confidence and connection.
2. What would you say was your biggest obstacle in the start-up phase?
The biggest obstacle in the early days wasn’t the horses – I never doubted them. It was building something heart-led that was also professionally credible and sustainable.
Equine Facilitated Learning can be misunderstood. Establishing governance, safeguarding, accreditation, welfare standards and infrastructure – while protecting the soul of the vision was challenging. But every obstacle strengthened our foundations.
3. Where or who do draw inspiration for the brand from?
Inspiration always comes back to the horses. Luna remains the heartbeat of everything we do. But inspiration also comes from the people we serve – the quiet child who finds their voice, the young person who learns to regulate their emotions, the older gentleman who hasn’t smiled in weeks until a tiny Shetland lowers her head into his lap.
The brand was never manufactured. It was lived.
4. What does success mean to you and do you have some specific success stories so far?
For me, success is not measured in profit.
Success is a parent standing at the gate with tears in their eyes because their child felt seen for the first time.
Success is a care home resident leading a pony and rediscovering independence.
Success is watching someone walk taller than when they arrived.
We’ve worked with schools, families, carers and care homes across Scotland, and the transformation we witness — quiet, steady, lasting — is what success truly means.
5. What advice would you give another brand who was just starting out in the equine space?
If I were to give advice to another brand starting out in the equine space, it would be this: protect your ethics.
The industry can be noisy. Stay anchored in welfare. Invest in proper training. Build strong safeguarding. Let integrity lead every decision. Build slowly and surround yourself with people who strengthen and challenge you. Authenticity will always outlast trends.
6. How long have you been involved with The National Equine Show and what aspects do you particularly like about it?
This is our fourth consecutive year exhibiting, and it holds a very special place in our journey. Four years ago, we arrived with absolutely nothing but belief and a small herd. We weren’t an established brand. We simply took a chance.
That Show launched us as a company. The conversations, the unexpected connections, the belief from strangers who saw something in us – it shifted everything. We will always be forever grateful to the National Equine Show for giving us that platform.
7. Why is exhibiting at the Show important to you?
What I love most about the Show is the diversity. Elite sport sits alongside grassroots riders, welfare conversations sit alongside innovation. It reminds people that horses are not only athletes – they are healers, teachers and partners in wellbeing.
Exhibiting isn’t just about selling. It’s about networking, listening, building genuine connections. Planting seeds. Having conversations that don’t feel transactional. Sometimes one brave decision – one stand booked when you don’t quite feel ready — can change the entire direction of your journey.
We are living proof of that.
8. Do you plan to launch anything new at the show this year or have any exciting developments with the brand?
This year feels like a full-circle moment. Fingers crossed, we will be launching our brand-new website at the Show – a reflection of how far we’ve come and the vision ahead for Lunar Eclipse and our future Wellness Centre.
Sometimes you need to take a chance. Embrace every opportunity.
Don’t just expect to come and sell — build your connections.
Because you never know which conversation will launch the next chapter.