Freelance content producer Mel Beale:
Horses, hacking and exploring the great outdoors could offer more benefits to your own physical and mental health and general wellbeing than you might think, finds Mel Beale
If I’ve had a rough day, I always feel better after a hack. I was happy to learn about the many ways that riding can benefit our mental health. Find out more on
WE ALL HAVE mental health, whether it’s good, bad, or in between — and it’s usually been all three at some point. More of us are beginning to appreciate how important it is to look after our mental health as well as our physical health, but it can be difficult to know how.
“Being around horses definitely helps you to develop resilience, which is very beneficial for mental health,” says sports psychologist Steffi Dampney. “You have the variable of the horse to consider, which is completely different from any other sport. If something goes wrong, you need to stay focused and remain calm for your horse, and this translates well into life.”
We’ve all been there — a particularly scary leaf has blown across the road, or perhaps a wheelie bin has been left out, and we’ve had to coax our horse past.
“Riding is thought of as an individual sport, but there is companionship between the horse and rider,” adds Steffi. “You can switch off and enjoy being with your horse. It’s underappreciated how difficult that is as a skill, but it shows mental strength.”
Heading out for a quiet hack is the perfect time to practise. You can start by matching your breath to your horse’s stride or chatting about your day.
“Horses provide a safe space to talk,” says Steffi. “They are so intuitive to our emotions, but you need to make them feel safe too. It challenges you in a
positive way to regulate your emotions. All these things help our mental health.”
‘I always feel good’
The benefits of physical exercise on mental health have been documented in research for some time, with studies demonstrating that exercise can reduce anxiety and depression1. This is because when you exercise, there is an increase in the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. These are both involved in mood regulation, which is why you are more likely to feel happy, accomplished, and productive after exercising. There’s no doubt that riding and caring for our horses are physical tasks, but we shouldn’t underestimate the way that they benefit our mental health too.
Our Hack 1,000 Miles riders agree that riding does them the world of good.
“I enjoy the fresh air and countryside, but you do always feel good after a good workout,” says Alison Muir.
However, it’s not always easy to find the motivation, particularly after a long work day, as Caitlin Kretzschmar knows.
“Horses are tiring,” she admits. “Sometimes I feel rubbish, but I make myself ride and invariably do feel better. You just have to make yourself do it.”
Grace Kirk agrees, having found herself in similar situations once arriving at the yard feeling a bit low.
“I got there and felt down, and not really wanting to ride. But I persevered, and ended up having a fantastic lesson,” she says. “Even the pouring rain halfway through didn’t put me off.”
‘A reason to get up’
An added benefit of horse care and riding is that for most of us, it is outdoors. Simply going outside, breathing in fresh air, and being surrounded by nature can boost our mood — in fact, it’s been proven to reduce stress2.
Exercise aside, just being in the presence of animals can provide benefits for our mental health. When compared with 20 minutes of reading, stroking a dog was found to lower stress3 significantly — not that we need any more excuses to give our horses a brush or scratch. Horses are particularly calming to be around, hence their use in programmes such as hippotherapy or for recovery from PTSD.
#Hack1000miles rider Jackie Williams feels that being around her horse relieves her anxiety.
“I can simply breathe Orlo in and feel the stress fade away,” she says. “He’s an affectionate chap, so if I need a pony hug he’s always willing.”
Fellow challenger Paula Needham found spending time with her horse was crucial when she was struggling with PTSD.
“The joy I felt when being with him was vital to my recovery,” she says. “I think he knew that I was unwell and responded to this by just being near me.”
“Throughout the years I’ve ridden and cared for horses they have helped me through some really tough times,” adds Claire Harper. “They’ve given me a reason to get up in the morning. Being with them is enough to clear my head.”
“You can switch off and enjoy being with your horse. It’s underappreciated how difficult that is as a skill, but it shows mental strength”