Animal Allies: Claudia and Belle

I’m Claudia, and I’m a Corporate Responsibility Advisor. I’ve worked at AXA since January 2020, starting in the Retail Customer Contact Centre and progressing from there. My animal ally is my horse, Belle. 

Tell us a bit about your animal ally. 
Belle is a three-and-a-half-year-old Cob x Irish Draught. I bought her as a foal as I was desperate to get back into horses but was too heavy to responsibly ride at that point. I bought a foal to motivate me to lose weight so I could start riding her as a 4-year-old.  

I've had her for just over 3 years, and I’ve taught her everything she knows. Our time together consists of teaching her how to safely navigate the world. She’s recently started her formal education in preparation for being ridden. We enjoy going on long walks exploring the woods and learning new things.  

Her absolute favourite thing in the world is a good scratch! She’s like a big puppy, she loves humans, and we can often be found having a quiet cuddle and snooze in the stable! 

How does Belle impact your physical wellbeing? 
Having a horse is a really active hobby, so it’s great for my physical health! Belle has been a huge motivator for me to look after my health – I’ve currently lost over six stone in preparation to ride her, with another couple of stone to go.  

It's important for me to make sure I take care of myself for her wellbeing. I need to be fit enough to be able to teach her the groundwork ahead of riding her. Our farm is on a hill, so that means lots of trotting up hills with me running behind her! It’s also important to me as a rider that I put her wellbeing first – it’s not fair for me to ask her to safely carry me without me doing everything I can to also put myself in the best position possible, hence the huge weight loss! 

Does Belle impact your mental wellbeing? 
Absolutely! Horses are so non-judgemental – she is my safe space away from the hectic challenges of life. She accepts me exactly as I am, and given that she can’t talk back she is a perfect listener! There’s something so soothing about being out in nature surrounded by a herd of horses quietly munching on grass. Taking her for a nice long walk after a stressful day always clears my head and puts me in a great mood. There’s a lot to be said about exercise, fresh air, and a horsey cuddle! 

There’s a huge social aspect to owning horses too which is great for my mental wellbeing. I have her on a livery yard, and this is where I’ve met some of my best friends. We all go through similar challenges with owning horses and generally stick to similar routines so it’s easy to form friendships with other equestrians. There’s always a friendly face to chat to! 

What’s the funniest thing she does? 
She’s a big clumsy baby with limited spatial awareness so there have been lots of funny moments over the past 3 years! With her being so young, everything is new to her and she loves to explore! She’s a very brave horse so she likes to investigate new things all the time.  

She’s also obsessed with wheelbarrows, so regularly tips it over when I’m mucking her out!  

Do you feel like your wellbeing is supported at work too? 
AXA definitely supports my wellbeing! Whether it’s the flexibility to work around my life commitments, or the excellent employee benefits we all get, there’s something for whatever challenge I’m facing. I recently used the counselling provided by the Employee Assistance Programme to help me navigate a few big life changes like getting divorced and remortgaging my house.  

For the last 2 years, I’ve also had the privilege of chairing our Employee Disability Network, Able, which is an amazing safe space for disabled and neurodiverse colleagues to come together. Knowing I have a network of 200+ colleagues who have similar life experiences is a huge comfort, and we all provide support to each other when needed. 

Would you recommend a career at AXA?  
100%! AXA is a great place to work. Because we’re so big, there are so many opportunities to develop into whatever area you want. The people who work here are amazing, and our values shine through everything. No two days look the same, and there is always someone willing to listen if I need a friendly face.  

I never thought someone like me (a person from a low socioeconomic background in the Northeast of England without a degree) would have access to the opportunities I’ve been fortunate to get through working for AXA.  

I’ve gone from a 21-year-old who didn’t really know what I wanted to do, to having a thriving career that I love that allows me to make a difference to colleagues’ experiences across the country and the communities we operate in. I’ve completed an apprenticeship, received mentoring from some of our top execs, and even got to go to Paris to work on a global disability inclusion campaign! I didn’t think any of this would have been possible 5 years ago, but working at AXA has taught me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it! 

We work hard to support our colleagues' mental, physical and financial wellbeing. Keep an eye on our latest vacancies to find a role that’s right for you. Or follow us on LinkedIn to find out more about life at AXA.