🐴 What If Your Horse Is Just Reflecting You?

I used to believe that the harder I worked, the more I’d succeed.

Early mornings.

Riding five horses before lunch.

Scrubbing water buckets, mucking out, sweeping the yard twice (because heaven forbid there be a shaving out of place).

Then—maybe—some lunch, if the farrier didn’t turn up.

I lived on tea, biscuits, and adrenaline.

I thought that was just part of being a professional rider.

Show weekends started at 4am, ran through late evenings, and ended with burger van meals and no time to breathe.

Painful periods?

Bloating?

Constant fatigue?

I pushed through it all, believing this is what it takes to “make it.”

Until my body said no.

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The Crash I Didn’t See Coming

At 29, I developed adult acne so severe I couldn’t even lay on my side at night.

My skin burned from the inside out.

I felt ashamed. Exhausted. Weak.

Doctors told me I had PCOS.

They said painful periods and fatigue were just “part of it.”

Something I’d have to live with.

But deep down, I knew this wasn’t just about hormones.

It was about burnout. Nervous system overload. Years of putting myself last.

And here’s the thing that hit me the hardest:

I would never treat my horse the way I treated myself.

I would never ask my horse to perform without proper fuel, rest, and care.

So why was I doing it to myself?

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The Turning Point

That was the moment I began listening.

To my body.

To the signs I had been ignoring.

To the connection between my health… and my horse’s.

When I finally started prioritising my wellbeing—everything changed.

✨ My skin cleared.

✨ My energy returned.

✨ My periods became pain-free (yes, even with PCOS).

✨ The sugar addiction? Gone.

✨ No more bloating. No more crashes.

But here’s what I didn’t expect…

What My Horse Was Trying to Tell Me

As my nervous system healed,

So did my connection with my horses.

I could see more.

Feel more.

Communicate more clearly—without pushing, forcing, or doubting myself.

It was like I had unlocked a new level of sensitivity and clarity I didn’t even know I was missing.

And I realised something:

Your horse feels everything you’re holding onto.

Your stress.

Your tension.

Your anxiety.

Your overwhelm.

They’re not just reacting to your aids—they’re responding to your state.

So when you’re burnt out, wired, bloated, hungry, foggy, tired…

They feel that.

And when you’re clear, calm, regulated, energised…

They meet you there.

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This Is What I Know Now

I used to say, “My horse comes first.”

But now I understand—

My horse gets the best version of me when I start with me.

Prioritising your health is not selfish.

It’s not a luxury.

It’s a necessity.

For your performance, your peace of mind, and your partnership with your horse.

If you’ve been pushing through pain, fatigue, or stress, hoping it’ll all “just get better” one day—

Let this be your invitation to do something different.

Because the version of you that your horse is waiting for?

She’s not the one who sacrifices herself to show up.

She’s the one who’s strong, steady, and whole—because she chose to show up for herself first.

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You can start today.

It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.

Small shifts lead to powerful changes.

And I promise—your body, your horse, and your entire life will feel the difference.