County Tyrone’s Sonya McAleer set up the Irish Equestrian Mental Health Project in 2020, and when I ask her about the inspiration for the project, she gets straight to the heart of it.

“There’s been loads of ups and downs with my mental health over the past five years and maintaining a good mindset is something I work on daily,” Sonya explains.

“Sometimes the depression and anxiety win; I’ve had times where I haven’t ridden or gone to a show because those stresses were at an all-time high. Deep down, I know that if I could find it within me to get in the saddle, it would make me feel better, but at times that’s just hard to push through. I wanted to do something positive to help other equestrians who struggle with their mental health, and setting up the project seemed like the perfect way to do that.”

Equestrian lifestyle

No matter what discipline, equestrian life is famously a tough one. It can be long days with little reward, hard physical graft and, more often than not, is a lonely occupation. It can be both a source of positivity and fear, and Sonya can pinpoint some of the issues that impact her and may also be familiar to others.

“As equestrians, we can encounter high levels of pressure – sometimes it’s the demands we put on ourselves to be successful that is the problem. It can also be the pressure of outside influences such as parents, owners or employers. Things like financial pressure and sick or injured horses can also cause a lot of stress.

“Unfortunately, I also think bullying spans the equestrian realm at all stages, and that’s something I want to focus on within the project.”

There’s a certain amount of yin and yang in managing a yard of horses. Our equine athletes are the source of both anxiety and joy and, as anyone who has owned a horse knows, they can be the cause of contradictory emotions.

“I find it particularly hard struggling with injuries or sickness within the yard,” admits Sonya. “It can feel like you’re losing time. However, I try to remind myself that all equestrians go through the same thing. Veterinary issues and their knock-on effects come hand-in-hand with owning a horse. Generally, horses keep me grounded through the highs and lows. They depend on me to look after them, giving me purpose and something to focus on. Being around them brings me a sense of being happy no matter what else. I especially love spending time in the stables first thing in the morning listening to them enjoying their breakfast; it’s very peaceful.”

Importance of support

Sonya is quick to point out that having a sound support system is vital, whether at home, riding clubs or just within your yard. She understands first-hand that you need people to listen and support you as a sportswoman. Sonya applied the ‘listen and support’ principle as the main aim of the Irish Equestrian Mental Health Project, which last year raised a substantial amount of money for the mental health charity AWARE NI. Sonya brought together a group of accomplished sportsmen and women, including Olympians Cian O’Connor and Heike Holstein, to raise money for the charity which delivers free mental health and wellbeing programmes into communities, schools, colleges, universities and workplaces.

The Irish Equestrian Mental Health Project

Sonya set up The Irish Equestrian Mental Health Project to help others and has broadcast some revealing webinar interviews with a number of prestigious equine professionals as part of that process.

“I feel it will help take the stigma away from talking about mental health within the sport. The project offers equestrians the skills they need to try and work through issues and gives much-needed support along the way. Even getting to share my story helps me from pretending my mental health struggles don’t exist and putting on the familiar brave face.”

Part of the reason for setting up her project is to pass on some of the excellent advice offered along the way.

“Reach out to someone and talk, don’t feel like you can’t ask for help. If you feel like you can’t speak to those close to you, so many incredible organisations can offer support. I know how hard it is to take that first step, admitting you need help, but once you do, you can begin to work on getting better for you and your horse.”

When I asked Sonya to describe what good mental health feels like, she was clear. “Good mental health is being content within my mind and my body, feeling confident in the decisions I make and having a high level of self-belief. Being happy, relaxed and in a position to see the positives in every situation. I work hard to achieve this through journaling, going to the gym, meditation, and making the best choices for myself. For example, I recently decided to cut alcohol out of my life as I felt the after-effects weren’t helping me be the best version of myself. In the last six weeks, I can honestly say my mind’s been a lot clearer and I am more focused on my future equestrian goals.

Sonya and the project team are currently working towards offering free mindset packs for all children riding in pony clubs across Ireland. Sonya explains that the aim of the packs is to build resilience, strength and set positive goals through riding horses and in all aspects of the young equestrians’ lives.

“Long term, I want the project to be a household name within equestrianism in Ireland. I want to be hosting a range of different workshops and events and providing support material for all ages to organisations across the equestrian community.”

For anyone who has met Sonya, it quickly becomes clear that her huge heart, steely determination and generous spirit makes that ambition more than likely to be a reality and then some. CL

For more information or to touch base with the project you can get in touch via their Facebook page.