Matthew Ruddy Psy.M, GMBPsS
Health and Wellbeing Officer
Matt grew up in Suffolk on the East Coast of England and joined the British Army soon after education. Following initial training in the UK, Matt moved to Germany and took part in NATO peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. On return to the UK he volunteered for the British Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment as an Electronic Countermeasures specialist, deploying to Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan, eventually progressing to become a specialist advisor in this field.
During his final deployment to Afghanistan, Matt undertook secondary duties as a Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) practitioner, supporting personnel involved in traumatic incidents. This experience led him to return to education, studying mental health at the University of the West of England. He later completed an MSc in psychology, authoring a report on Post Traumatic Growth in UK Armed Forces veterans following equine assisted learning programmes.
Following engagement with Horseback UK as a military course attendee and peer mentor, Matt discovered a passion for working in partnership with horses and their positive impact on mental health. At the end of 2025, Matt took up his current role with the Armed Forces Equine Charity, using his lived experience and specialist knowledge to help deliver equine assisted programmes that are universally accessible, evidence based, and fit for everyone in the Armed Forces Community.
