Horses and Mental Health problems/Depression

SatansLittleHelper

SatansLittleHelper

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 December 2011
Messages
5,789
Location
Shropshire
Visit site
This could be a sensitive subject and I guess quite personal so I dont presume that everyone will want to answer/comment but...

Im really just wondering how many people who own horses also suffer with mental health issues, ie: depression, stress, GAD, bi-polar etc.
I have mental health issues of my own and find that the horses can be both difficult and a sanity saver all in the same day. I have a severely disabled daughter which puts alot of emotional and physical strain on me so my animals are my sanity. However I do also find it hard sometimes to motivate myself to do even basic chores (they do always get fed etc)....luckily mine live out 24/7 so not as demanding as if they were on livery.
Im desperate to work with my 5 year old and get the most from him but also struggle to find the motivation to ride or get would up over silly things that, becuase of a serious confidence/self esteem issue, I just cant seem to get right.
I really just thought I would start this thread to see if there are others in my situation that have any motivational tips/hints, or just to share stories. Im happy to do it via PM if people dont wish to write here.

Please dont shoot me down, it has taken alot of guts on my behalf to write this :o:o:o
 
I have quite a few 'issues' and my mare is what gets me through :) It sounds sad but I know she'll always be there for me to talk to and cuddle when nobody else will. I get up in the morning just to walk onto the yard and hear that little whinny and have pony hugs, that's my motivation for keeping going with life :)
 
Yep! I don't have depression so much anymore but still suffer quite a bit with anxiety. Totally agree with you horses can be a huge help but a bit of a problem at times. When my mares even slightly upset/unhappy she sets me off (we are a right pair :rolleyes:) and visa versa!
Best thing I can suggest is routine, it really does help if you sit down for 5 minutes to get a plan in your head before you start then you know where you are, what's happening and you can get on with it :) I don't think my anxiety will ever go completely, and with medical problems that come and go and will probably lead to depression at times but being around horses helps me forgot all that for 5 minutes. Some nice weather is motivational although we could be waiting for that for a while :p
 
Hun through some dark dark times in my life (ended up at womans refuge and depression) my baby was my reason to go on. herself badly abused (why i bought her) she showed me with little steps you can start to trust. she gave me strentgh to get up everyday and inspured me on. her legacy will always be my life now with a good kind man. i cried many tears in her mane . take each day as it comes. everyday make a point of smiling at something and most of all love yourself. my self confidence was taken from me but slowly with babys help it came back. big big hugs x x
 
I bought my current horse when off sick from work with crippling anxiety. Unfortunately she is now my source of stress!! But she has helped me no end and gave me structure and purpose at a time when I was struggling to get organised to leave the house. I do still have some anxiety but it is much more 'under control' and I wouldn't be without her now xx
 
My horses have genuinely saved my sanity numerous occasions.

My beloved boy who i had for 15 years saw m through some very traumatic events including my baby boys passing.

4 weeks ago i lost him in a field accident and my world was turned upside down again. The thing that has kept me going this time is my mare. I HAD to get up in the mornings and see to her and i HAD to tend to her after work even though i felt like i didnt want to be near another horse for a long time. So she has pulled me through a very upsetting few weeks and will hopefully continue to.

I think thats whats great about them. When disaster strike you cant hide in a little black hole. You have to pick yourself up and carry on. They dont know what has happened, and i dont believe they care.

They do pick up on emotions which can be increadably comforting. I know my lad used to. His demenour would totally change and he would rest his head on my shoulder. The rest of the time cuddles were abolutely not his thing!
 
I would say for the most part my horses are the best medication for a sh** day/week/month. However having had one pts very recently, it has made life incredibly hard, but in the long run, there will be less stress (he had a lot of health issues), and less financial worry. Honestly don't think I'd be alive if I didn't have them though. I find writing lists of what I need to do as a bare minimum helps. I work through the list and once I've finished it, I feel much better about myself and with that comes a motivation to do the other stuff. When I go to the yard after work, quote often I'd rather go home and curl up in bed, but I get there.. go through my little routine, and often (moreso in the summer) find myself feeling settled and motivated enough to ride :)
I won't go into my dx's, but there are a fair few labels on this jar!
 
Ironically my horse is the cause and orginal trigger for my anxiousness and gad. However my younger brother had adhd, aspergers, mild autism and has had to deal with being bullied on top of this, this can make him unresponsive to humans and even aggressive. Yet you get him on my yard and he'll potter about, talking to the horses, respecting the rules i tell him and all round doing jobs that if you asked him at home, he'd get frustrated.

Unfortunatly he took it hard when i lost magic and he doesn't quite trust my mare enough yet.
 
I suffer with anxiety and depression on and off.

I get really nervous before I ride but feel much better when I'm on and afterwards, then I feel so much more motivated for the whole day. I don't have my own horse so I suppose for me it's a treat and something to really look forward to.

I do feel sometimes like my anxiety causes me problems, if something goes wrong, e.g a spook where I nearly lose my balance I tense up a lot and I think this usually makes things worse. It doesn't take much for me to go from completely calm to really panicky and don't really think this is very helpful :/ hopefully when I get more experienced I'll be less tense but I generally struggle to relax. It's worth it though because I always feel so good after riding :)

I find having goals and aims really helps me to keep going. I don't enjoy academic goals so much anymore so I focus on getting better at riding and trying to work hard so one day I can be a horse owner. (I sound like a child but nevermind)

I did an essay recently and looked at a BHS report of health benefits of riding. I can't remember exactly but lots of people said it helped with depression and anxiety. :)
 
I suffered severe depression during and after my father's terminal illness and it wasn't until after I got Loki that I started feeling better. It showed too, I went round with a permenant smile (a real one!) on my face for months and months! Athough horses can be stressfull he really makes me smile and even if (like today) I'm feeling a bit blue (recovered now so it's just regular feeling down not depressed down IYKWIM) after spending a bit of time with him I bounce back pretty quickly :)
I think in the main part it's having him but I also think it's a lot to do with getting out and active in the fresh air, when you're depressed you don't want to go out and do stuff but when you have a horse you don't have a choice not to and it really does make you feel better!
 
An interesting thread. I thought you might like to know that locally there is a farm specifically run by and for people with mental problems. It has been proved that for people suffering with mental health problems, working with animals can really be a great help to them. Here is the link http://www.potsfordfarm.co.uk/
 
That looks like an interesting place Superhot. I have a few problems but mostly anxiety related. I think there is certainly a correlation with horses (well, animal keeping generally) and these sorts of problems, sadly sometimes caused by horse related accidents! My anxiety has been exacerbated by a fall.. but have had problems since I was a teen. In some ways it provides another source of stress (I do not know how I would cope if my horse was sick for instance as I worry a lot at the best of times!). They also give me a reason to leave the house, something to focus on and motivation etc :-)
 
Yes,I take medication for depression and anxiety and have done for years now.However,since we've had the ponies I've been a lot better,even when they have caused me stress.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top