How Horses Have Helped Me

How horses have helped me

Hi, I’m Brandy, and through my horsemanship I share my experiences in the hope of inspiring and helping others.

I wanted to share a little more about why I am so passionate about what I do.

Horses have always been my greatest teachers.

By listening to them and building strong relationships, they have taught me so much about myself and the world. In return, they choose to work with me… and together we get to do some pretty special things.

Over time, horses have given me so much love and so many gifts, even when I didn’t feel like I deserved it. That’s why I continue to dive so deeply into this journey, always trying to build a better connection with them.

My life with horses started at a very young age.

My mum bred and trained her own racehorses and had a lot of success. My foundation comes from what she taught me, and I’ve since grown and evolved that into my own approach and program, something I am constantly learning and refining.

We couldn’t afford trained horses when I was young, so I grew up riding freshly broken or problem ponies we got for free, taking them through pony club and hacking. I’ve always had young, green horses… it’s all I’ve ever known, and it taught me a lot.

As I got older, I struggled with anxiety and found it hard to truly enjoy horses.

Eventually, I realised the horse was reflecting what was going on inside me… my fear, my frustration, my pressure.

I’ve always been quite shy, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform at a high level in everything I do. When you combine that with chronic anxiety, it’s a difficult place to be… especially around horses.

Over time, my mum moved from racehorses into breeding ponies, and then into Quarter Horses. She imported five horses from America as foundation stock and built what is now Rising Star Horses.

Those horses meant so much to me. I knew I had to be the one to train them… not because no one else could, but because I wanted to honour the work, the vision, and how special they truly were.

That decision led me into what has now been well over a decade of deep learning, horsemanship, and personal healing.

I’ve always tried to learn as much as I can and make the most of what I have.

I couldn’t go out and buy a finished horse, so I had to learn how to make them myself. By sticking it out and letting the horses guide me, I’ve learned more than I ever could have imagined… and I’m still learning.

If you never quit, you will eventually figure it out.

At one point, I realised something important.

When I sing, or when I work with a horse… it is the only time I am truly present.

For those moments, I found relief from my mind.

That feeling led me deeper. I wanted to understand more, not just about training, but about how I could show up better for the horse.

After a clash of opinions and many unhealed wounds, I went my separate way from my family and spent the next few years just trying to survive.

I’ve had some really tough experiences in life. While I don’t take them lightly, I can now look back and understand them differently. They’ve shaped me, and they’ve changed how I see both people and horses.

I have felt trapped.
Out of control.
Disconnected from my own body and life.

I’ve experienced fear so intense it became stillness… a kind of calm that comes when you think you might not make it.

I’ve run.
I’ve fought.
And I’ve frozen.

Now I understand that a horse can feel the same.

A horse can be completely overwhelmed, terrified… and still stand there, with no control over what is happening to them.

Because of that awareness, I’ve made it a priority to ensure my horses never have to feel that way with me.

I try every day to be better for them.

I still make mistakes… but now I am aware of them, and that changes everything.

I see each horse as an individual. I meet them where they are, and I listen to what they show me they need. Sometimes they don’t understand, sometimes they can’t do what I’m asking, and sometimes they simply don’t want to.

That’s not something to push through blindly.

That’s something to work through with them.

It’s my responsibility to find the missing pieces.
To build the foundation, the trust, and the understanding needed to move forward.

Not to force them.

Their wellbeing matters to me.

I want them to be happy, healthy, comfortable in their bodies and in their gear. When that is the priority, everything else improves. They learn faster, they trust more, and their personalities come through.

I don’t want robots.

I want horses who think, who feel, who express themselves… and who choose to work with me.

That’s where the magic is.

Horses have given me my freedom back.

They’ve helped me step out of survival mode and into something more present, more aware. It’s still a work in progress… but it’s a path I’m committed to.

Now my mission is to promote good horsemanship, continued learning, and open-mindedness.

To encourage people to look beyond the surface problem… and to start with themselves.

Because if even one person begins to think differently, that’s one more horse being heard… and one more person finding their way back to themselves.

I’m a very guarded person. I don’t naturally like sharing my story.

But I’m starting to understand why it matters.

Life is messy.
And beautiful.
And hard.

It takes work, sacrifice, and a willingness to keep learning if we want to heal and build something meaningful.

Horses have taught me compassion.

For them… and for myself.

They’ve shown me love, honesty, and presence in a way that is so pure.

They don’t pretend.
They don’t judge.
They simply respond to how we show up.

And that’s something I trust.

Because with a horse… I always know where I stand.

I want to keep growing and learning so I can continue to show up for them the way they have shown up for me.

I’m not here to tell anyone how to live or what to do.

All I have are my experiences… and the hope that they might help someone else see things a little differently.

If you take anything from this, I hope it’s this:

Look deeper.
Stay open.
And listen to your horse.

They will show you the way forward.

Take care,
Brandy xx