‘We must not rely on quick fixes'

Laura Tomlinson on staying mentally healthy via horses and FEI proposals

- Polly Bryan

MY horses have enjoyed a lovely October holiday with lots of hacking and paddock time as I am now in the final countdown to my due date. I’m at that stage of pregnancy where my organs are being frequently rearranged by boisterous kicks and my number one horse, Betty, has gone from loving nuzzling to little nips at my bump.

I completely understand her sentiment; I am ready too. I want to get on with the impending birth, sleepless nights and feeling like an oddly shaped dairy cow in order to get to the other side and reconnect with the “old me” – the one who was not in demand 24/7 and had control of her own schedule.

I know how lucky I am to have my horses just a few steps away from my kitchen, so that I can keep a small part of “me” alive when many new mothers struggle with their sense of self. Finding a way to make the new self and the old self meet in the middle is so important for the mental health for any new mother.