Read Em's story about how joining UOP Equestrian club and building new friendships helped her to gain confidence and motivated her to reach out.
Our Sporting Minds campaign is running throughout the entire month of March 2025. This campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health issues through sharing stories from members of our Sports Clubs. These stories are honest, open, and extremely helpful, showing readers that they are not alone in their struggles and giving examples of healthy coping mechanisms and outlets for dealing with complex feelings. We hope that this campaign inspires conversations between you, your friends, family, and teammates. We have also supplied a number of resources below.
Em is a member of Team UOP Equestrian Club and this is her story
Tell us about yourself and your story
I have been riding horses since I was 4 years old and was extremely lucky to have a family that supported my passions from a young age. During high school, I was bullied badly in person and online for two years, which left me with depression and suicidal thoughts. During college, I witnessed a traumatic event which led me to develop non-epileptic seizures due to a functional neurological disorder, preventing me from riding horses for nearly a year.
How has sport/exercise helped you with your well-being, perhaps academically and socially?
Being around horses allowed me to be able to escape and allow myself to stop worrying about personal issues while riding. Horses are very empathetic, understanding creatures and don’t judge you when you make mistakes. Not only this, but the people within my sport allowed me to develop my confidence, which has only skyrocketed since being part of the university team. The friendships I’ve made in the Equestrian Club have allowed me to build a strong, supportive group that is always there for me. Riding has given me a purpose to power through tough times and believe in my capabilities as an athlete as well as a student. Without riding, I wouldn’t have gained the confidence and the motivation to reach out and access therapy.
Is there anything you're particularly proud of that you've overcome or have learned to manage well in a well-being sense?
I am really proud of reaching out to access help when I need it. I have been in therapy twice, during high school and then in college. By having riding, it allowed me to motivate myself to heal and get better so I could return to the sport I loved. My family and friends were all nervous about my choice to move four hours away for university, however, they were surprised and proud of the dramatic improvement in my well-being.
What advice would you give to other students concerning well-being?
Don’t be afraid to reach out. There is no shame in realizing you can’t do it alone and admitting you need some help. Sometimes times seem really tough, however, if you persevere, you can overcome difficulties.
Sporting Wellness
Sporting Wellness (previously Sporting Minds) is a charity dedicated to helping athletes stay strong mentally and perform at their best. They focus on the mindset side of sports, offering support with things like confidence, focus, handling pressure, and staying motivated. Whether you're struggling with nerves before a big game or just want to sharpen your mental game, they provide practical tools and techniques to help. From one-on-one coaching to group workshops—Sporting Wellness is there to make sure athletes have the mental strength to match their physical skills.
- Sporting Wellness is a learning, sharing, and networking platform that was created to:
- Provide convenient and relevant access to people, ideas, practices, and innovations.
- Connect those who are serious about progress and passionate about their work.
- Build a community that is open to challenge and promotes consistent action.
Resources and Support
If this story resonates with you or someone you know, remember that support is available. You are not alone, and there are people and resources ready to help.
- Sporting Wellness – Free professional mental health support for sportspeople aged over 16 in the UK.
- Sport in Mind – A UK-based charity offering free sports and physical activity sessions to improve mental well-being.
- Samaritans – 24/7 support for anyone in distress (Call 116 123).
- NHS 111 – In a mental health crisis, call NHS 111 to speak with trained professionals.
Let’s continue to support each other, create safe spaces for open discussions, and celebrate the strength found in both vulnerability and resilience.
If you need some support with your mental health at this time, the student wellbeing service has many resources to help.