It is of no surprise that equestrian sport is the perfect storm for facilitating insecurities of riders of all ages. Our apparel is fitted, performances are critiqued and competitions, equipment, training, and equipment are expensive. Fortunately, there are active equestrians that are actively seeking solutions to empower others within the sport. Once such woman is Kate Kosnoff, the founder of Riders for Well-Being.
Kate Kosnoff is a senior at Denison University in Ohio majoring and actively competes on the A/AA circuit with her three horses. She founded Riders for Well-Being in 2015 after realizing just how hard the equestrian sport is on self-esteem and body image. Her goal is to create a community of equestrians that is supportive, educational, and promotes healthy choices and positivity. Today, Riders For Well-Being is a popular website that includes an online store, blog and multiple social media accounts that each share motivational and relevant quotes.
I recently connected with Kate to discuss not only the insecurities of junior riders, but also the parallels of the adult equestrian competitor. You will find that regardless of one’s age, we all are challenged with similar issues and have the opportunity to be a part of the solution, not the problem.
SALUT!
OBSERVATIONS FROM KATE KOSNOFF
INSECURITIES
Some of the insecurities I hear are things like:
• "I don't look like _______ equitation rider in my breeches"
• "I don't show on the circuit or own multiple horses so I must not be a legitimate equestrian"
• "Ignore how bad my equitation is, just look at my horse!"
A lot of the things I hear and see on social media are self-deprecating which is probably the hardest habit for people to break. It's easy to redirect the attention elsewhere with humor instead of actually addressing those negative thoughts head-on.
Here's how I see it: we have to push through the "bad" and the "painful" to get to the good. If you think you look bad in a pair of breeches, try to trace that thought back to some sort of origin. Why do you feel this way? Once you understand where the negative thoughts come from, THEN you can start to change them. But, ignoring the problem (or even denying that there is a problem) in the way you think won't help anyone.
Instead of focusing on perceived flaws, I encourage riders to notice the things they like about themselves or the way they ride. You really have to retrain your brain and the way you think to banish those negative thoughts.
TURN SOCIAL MEDIA INTO A POSITIVE TOOL
I've said this since I've embarked on this journey with R4WB, but I think the changes that need to be made in the equestrian community need to come from the top down.
The riders who are fortunate enough to travel and frequently compete on the A/AA circuit need to be conscious of the image they are presenting on social media and at shows. Social media, especially Instagram, has become a really powerful tool for young equestrians to brand themselves and a lot of less fortunate riders tend to look up to the kids who spent their winters at WEF or Thermal. I would love for these riders who have a large fan-base to use their voices for good instead of portraying their lifestyle as "untouchable" or "unobtainable".
CONNECT
Riders for Well-Being aims to promote change in the equestrian community and to raise awareness about the prevalence of eating disorders, skewed body image, and low self-esteem among horseback riders everywhere. No rider should ever feel limited by the way he or she looks. Instead, they should feel strong, fit, and healthy for all equestrian pursuits. Beautiful comes in all shapes and sizes.
STORE: www.ridersforwellbeing.com
SOCIAL HANDLES: @r4wellbeing
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