Horseback Riding and Entrepreneurship: Two Worlds, One Mindset
By Inga Gérard, MSc, Director Marketing, CEO & Founder, IG Scientific Marketing
When I think about horseback riding and entrepreneurship, they feel like two completely different worlds. One’s all about horses and gear; the other, business plans and strategy. But to me, they have a lot in common.
I recently left a long corporate career to start my own business. It’s a huge change and I love it. Every day brings a new challenge, a new topic, a new opportunity to apply my knowledge and passion for life science marketing. But I’m also doing much more than I expected: running a business means learning constantly, making decisions fast, handling uncertainty, and pushing past doubts. It reminds me a lot of when I started riding horses a few years ago.
I began horseback riding as an adult, which already felt like a bold move. I had to fight with my self-confidence, push myself to show up, even when I was nervous. I fell many times. And each time, I had to get back in the saddle. I learned to communicate with an animal that doesn’t speak my language, to be open to feedback, to adjust quickly, to be humble and patient. And through it all, I learned so much about myself.
Turns out, if you can handle 500 kilos of muscle with a mind of its own and a built-in flight instinct, you can handle a lot.
Today, my riding experience helps me daily as an entrepreneur. It reminds me to keep going when things get tough. To keep learning. To stay open. To have fun, even when the ride is bumpy.
And it’s not just my feeling, science also provides supporting research.
Studies show that horseback riding boosts self-confidence, emotional awareness, and even reduces stress and anxiety. It trains emotional intelligence because you’re constantly reading and reacting to another being’s cues. It also builds persistence, because trust with a horse doesn’t come easily.
On the other side, entrepreneurship is all about resilience. Research shows that entrepreneurs tend to have high self-efficacy and an internal locus of control, meaning we believe we can shape our outcomes, even in uncertainty. We adapt, we learn, we try again.
So yes, riding and running a business may look different, but they build the same muscles: resilience, self-trust, adaptability, and optimism. And maybe most importantly they both teach you to get up when you fall. Again, and again.
Obstacles? They’re just there to be jumped over 😉
Sources
- Burgon, H. L. (2011). ‘Queen of the world’: experiences of ‘at-risk’ young people participating in equine-assisted learning/therapy. University of Worcester. Link to PDF
- UC Davis Graduate School of Management (2022). Take the Reins: How Horses Can Increase Your Mental Health Awareness. Link to blog
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Burgon, H. L. (2014). Hypotheses about the Psychological Benefits of Horses. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Link to article
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Lessick, M., Shinaver, R., Post, K. M., & Rivera, J. E. (2004). Therapeutic Horseback Riding. AWHONN Lifelines. Link to article
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Smith, A., & Johnson, B. (2023). Equids in Equine Assisted Services: A Scoping Review. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. Link to article
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Brown, C., & Davis, D. (2024). Brief report: Impact of a horseback riding lesson on youth well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Equine Rehabilitation. Link to article
- Brandstätter, H. (2011). Personality aspects of entrepreneurship: A look at five meta-analyses. ResearchGate. Link to article
- Shepherd, D. A., & Williams, T. A. (2020). Integrating Theory and Practice: A Typology of Adversity and Resilience Strategies Among Entrepreneurs. Small Business Institute Journal. Link to article