Audrey Slaughter Psychotherapy

The pressure of competition. The grief of losing a horse. The complicated relationships with trainers, barn owners, and teammates. The identity questions that come when riding is going badly — or when it's going well and something still feels off. The way this sport can take over your whole life, and the way that can feel both like a problem and like a gift. If you've ever tried to talk about any of this with someone outside the horse world, you probably know how much of your energy goes into explaining before you even get to the actual thing. This is a space where you don't have to do that. You might be dealing with: • Anxiety in the ring that has become hard to manage or predict • Burnout, ambivalence, or a complicated relationship with the sport itself • The pressure of competition at a high level and what it costs you • An injury — yours or your horse's — and what it's brought up • The loss of a horse — to illness, injury, retirement, or a sale • A difficult dynamic with a trainer, barn owner, or fellow rider • Life outside the barn bleeding into your riding, or the reverse • Simply feeling like something is off, and not being sure what You don't need to be in crisis. You just need to feel like something could be better.