Can your horse teach you valuable lessons about your mental health?

There’s something about the outside of a horse that’s good for the inside of a man – while there’s some disagreement about who to attribute the popular quote to, the author was definitely on to something – even if just to score extra hours at the yard or wriggle out of evening plans we’d forgotten.

Whether it’s their unapologetic ability to live in the moment, act honestly or simply not dwell on mistakes of the past, using horses as our inspiration and taking on the lessons they can teach us every day can help shift our mental position and create a happier life for ourselves and those around us. So, how can you push through and feel more positive day-to-day? Here are some of my tips.

Today’s a new day

One of the greatest principles in good horsemanship is working with the horse you have on that day. Horses have moods, emotions and needs just as humans do. So, always ask yourself what your horse needs form you today. Then, do the same for yourself.

It may be that yesterday your anxiety, low mood or difficulty in connecting with others might have improved, and you were getting that lovely sense of a light at the end of the tunnel. Then today, you feel that all your progress has disappeared. It’s easy to feel like calling it a day, just as you might want to give up when your horse’s training regresses. But one of the most important things you can do is accept that you’re working with the person you are today, then you can take a gentler and more helpful approach.

Use small steps to move forward again. Remind yourself that it’s still worth making the effort, building helpful mental habits and doing your daily practices. You’d do that for your horse, so you can do it for yourself, too.

All humans are flawed – we all get things wrong. There are days when it seems nothing will come right. But, if you keep trying, hold on to hope and take the smallest steps forward, you can move on and rediscover your rhythm. Remember that one setback doesn’t define you. Today might be a bad day, but tomorrow can be better.

Horses love honesty

Denying feelings of anxiety, shame, grief and despair only makes them worse. They twist themselves up inside and paralyse you. So, being able to step into difficult emotions and confront them is key.

Admit if you feel vulnerable, overwhelmed or hopeless. Sit with those feelings instead of fighting them. Then, see what you can do with them – write them down, share them with a trusted friend or take them to a mental health professional. The more emotions are felt and released, the less power they have over you. Know them, name them, face them and then let them go. The more you practise this the better you’ll get at it.

Top Tip

While they might not be able to offer a horsey perspective, your GP will have useful contacts who’ll have ways to help you get a handle on your emotions and deal with them more effectively.

Grab your copy of January Horse&Rider, on sale 2 December 2021 to learn more useful tips from CEO and Co-founder of Horseback UK Emma Hutchinson