Heather Wallace's Blog

An Extraordinary Equestrian Journey from Deadly Diagnosis to the Paralympic Games by Sydney Collier and Heather Wallace Wow. I guess I’ve been pretty quiet on the blog over here. Sometimes I joke that I thrive in chaos. Perhaps, the busier I am the less I have to face the problems in my life. Of course, you probably won’t identify with that- wink wink. I’ve been working on a HUGE project behind the scenes and it’s finally coming to completion. My first traditionally-published book is now availab...

Yes!  For me, being a timid rider is a personality trait. I’m careful, I’m overthinking, and prefer to take the slow, steady approach.  My daughter was different. When she started riding at age 6, she was extremely timid. Unlike other children, she knew she could get hurt and was wary. Her first canter was an accident (like many others) and she panicked, resulting in her first fall.  For a time, she needed to rebuild her confidence.  She spoke up for her needs with her trainer, who agreed to go ...

On this special episode of Adulting with Horses, Natalie and I want to highlight some friends of ours with amazing small, women-owned businesses! Even better, they have each offered a special promotional discount, between 15-25% depending on the brand, for our listeners. We are joined in person by several of these wonderful brands so listen in to hear about them in their own words! Below is a list of our participants and what they are offering. For each website site, enter promo code AWH23 to ge...

I got on a horse that wasn’t mine today. It was a client’s horse that I had known and worked on for years. We had a little more time than expected so she asked, “Do you want to get on?” Now, I divide horses into two categories: ones that I would ride, and ones that I would never ride. Simple. This horse was one that I’ve always liked. So I figured, “Why not?” I donned her helmet and hopped on to do a little walk/trot around the arena. It felt great. As a timid rider that might seem strange, but ...

I’ve worked with a lot of horse owners over the years in my bodywork business. Something I learned very quickly was that riding is the priority for only some of them. In reality, most people who own horses give less priority to saddling up than they do every day care, grooming, and horsemanship.  So why the focus on riding we see everywhere on social media?  There is nothing like the feeling of being on a horse, connected physically and mentally to make you feel alive. My husband is an extreme s...

I’m a returning adult equestrian. I grew up riding, but decided to stop for a number of reasons. The latter was the final straw. I was a horse-obsessed child and for me to feel nothing but a pit in my stomach just before riding. Well- that wasn’t what I wanted in life. I stopped riding to focus on getting into college, going to school, starting a career in New York City, then getting married and starting a family of my own. When Is It Time to Start Riding Again? I dreamed of horses, waking in th...

Part Two: The Rider I’m a returning adult equestrian. I grew up riding, but decided to stop for a number of reasons. The latter was the final straw. I was a horse-obsessed child and for me to feel nothing but a pit in my stomach just before riding. Well- that wasn’t what I wanted in life. I stopped riding to focus on getting into college, going to school, starting a career in New York City, then getting married and starting a family of my own. When Is It Time to Start Riding? I dreamed of horses...

I always dreamed of having my own horse. I was an adult when I achieved that reality and knew from the beginning that any animal I had would be part of my forever family. No matter what. My experience as an equine bodyworker gave me certain advantages when I found out my little guy, Ferrous, had EPM previously and lived with anhidrosis (no sweat). I was able to work with colleagues in veterinary health to discuss supplements, boosting his immune system, and ways to reduce inflammation naturally....

Part One: The Horse I always dreamed of having my own horse. I was an adult when I achieved that reality and knew from the beginning that any animal I had would be part of my forever family. No matter what. My experience as an equine bodyworker gave me certain advantages when I found out my little guy, Ferrous, had EPM previously and lived with anhidrosis (no sweat). I was able to work with colleagues in veterinary health to discuss supplements, boosting his immune system, and ways to reduce inf...

When I was a teen there was a lot of pressure to fit in. Standing out made people a target. There was safety in following the crowd. I’ll be honest, that didn’t last long. I’ve always felt that being normal was a tad boring. Being myself meant embracing all the things that made me different and special. As I became an adult I gained more confidence to do my own thing, even if it didn’t fit the status quo.

The post I’m An Outsider In An Insider Sport first appeared on The Timid Rider.