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Burnout in the Equestrian Industry

What is burnout?

Burnout researcher, Megan Lane, looks at burnout, how to recognise it and what can be done about it.

Sometimes it can be hard to spot that you are burnt out, especially when you are so busy that it’s hard to make time for yourself. However, it is important to be able to notice whether you are burnt out, to enable you to take steps towards reducing burnout and improving your well-being.

Signs of burnout

A key indicator that you may be experiencing burnout are feelings of emotional exhaustion, resulting in a lack of motivation and low mood, with these feelings occurring over a prolonged period. You may also feel physically exhausted, be finding it hard to sleep and relax, and be finding it difficult to cope with stressors in life.

An important indicator of burnout for equestrians especially is a reduction in enjoyment in the sport. One of the key theories among burnout in sport states that a risk factor is when your sporting commitment changes from being based upon enjoyment, to entrapment – i.e. you find yourself feeling like you must go riding or competing, instead of genuinely wanting to. These feelings can arise based upon prior investments in the sport, including the money spent on horses, as well as the responsibility that comes with horse ownership. If these feelings of entrapment continue over a long period of time, you are at risk of becoming burnt out.

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Acknowledge your feelings

Burnout is a very individual and complex phenomenon, because of differences in the stressors experienced, or the different abilities people have to cope with stressful experiences. If you think that you are experiencing burnout, an important first step is to acknowledge how you are feeling. While you may think the negative feelings you’re experiencing are never ending, or that you will never not feel this way, there is a way out. 

What can you do if you are feeling burnt out?

In the burnout literature, it is often suggested that time away from the stressors can be beneficial, with time being dedicated to rest and recovery. For busy equestrians however, there is not a simple answer to this question

It is important to know that you are not alone in the struggle of being burnt out – it is common in athletes, especially in equestrians. Equestrian sport and horse ownership place unique demands upon us, as well as all of the normal stressors of daily life.

Burnout can be particularly prevalent in winter, due to the reduction of daylight hours. It can be useful to talk to people in similar situations as you, such as a friend at the yard, or your coach. They will likely be dealing with similar stressors and will probably resonate with how you are feeling. Sometimes, simply sharing what you are going through with others can help you get it off your chest and help you to look at it from a different angle and perspective.

It is also important to sit down and really think about what is important to you, and why you are doing the things you are doing.

During burnout, you really need to put yourself first. This may lead to you having to reduce or cut out some demands if you can, which might be uncomfortable.

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The impact of burnout on your health

Burnout can lead to further health problems, so it’s important you try and reduce your demands. If you feel you can’t reduce your stressors, learning how to cope and incorporating small and regular amounts of self-care will be vital. These strategies can include making sure you are getting enough good quality sleep, eating well, prioritising yourself sometimes and finding stress management strategies that work for you.

It is tempting to spend the rare hour you get free doing some task that has been waiting to be done, but sometimes you need to prioritise yourself – spend that hour resting, watching a movie, or have a relaxing bath. It is also about managing your daily load as best you can. If you are having a particularly bad day, and you feel exhausted, try to adjust your daily plans accordingly. It may be that you skip riding that day and spend your riding time relaxing and resting.

Remember – your horse won’t mind! As long as they are cared for they are happy.



These things are easier said than done, but it you have noticed you are feeling burnt out, it is important to try and take action sooner rather than later, before the burnout gets worse.

All of the Riders Minds services are free, 100% confidential and accessible 24 hours a day. If you would like to talk to one of our trained team please call the helpline on 0800 088 2073, or text 07480 488 103, or access the web chat through the website.

To read Megan’s research on burnout click here.

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