Being an equestrian is a huge part of my life! I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different things with it. I’ve taught riding lessons, rehabilitated rescue horses, co-managed a barn, competed in the hunters, and have been a casual rider. But I am also a mental health therapist, endometriosis warrior, wife, mom, music lover, and book nerd. All of these are a part of me, but being an equestrian is who I am at my core. It is a lifestyle more than it is a hobby. 

I became a mom about a year ago, and it has shifted my equestrian world a lot more than I realized it would. I have equestrian friends who have kids, but I never heard them talk about the juggling or the shifts that happen. I don’t think it’s discussed enough in the equestrian community. It starts with decreasing riding while pregnant and even feeling more cautious while at the barn. I am so thankful for ground work! It kept me and my horse active.

No one prepared me for the postpartum struggles though. The normal transition to having a newborn at home while healing physically. It makes it tricky to find time to go to the barn and even trickier to find time to ride. I have finally found a balance but it took a while and I wish more equestrian moms spoke about this. For me, my riding has taken a back burner, but my time at the barn has not. I still spend a lot of time at the barn, but it looks different now. I often have my baby with me so we go on walks, get creative with ground work, work in the round pen, or just graze in the sunshine. Many of us are raising families, and working non-equestrian jobs, while being an equestrian. I have learned these things can coexist in a balanced way. I’m thankful for a good stroller and carrier! (Amateur mom tip: cold carrots are great for teething!) 

My relationship with my horse has grown stronger because of this shift. I was worried and felt guilty about our relationship changing. I’m thankful to have an already strong bond with my horse, Casanova. He’s been amazing and has taken to having a little human around quite well! If you are in a season of change, remember that your horse wants your love and connection. I released the pressure of having to ride and train or that I wasn’t keeping him in tip-top shape. At the end of the day, he wants a relationship with me. I am part of his herd. I’d rather spend quality time with him than be rushed because I am trying to get in a ride. Sometimes a good grooming and a hand walk is good for his soul and mine. 

Experiencing postpartum brought a lot of changes; if you’ve ever been through it you know what I mean. It’s just months of constant changes. My body changed, my hair changed, my sleep changed, my skin changed. It’s amazing, but also overwhelming. Having a horse kept me grounded and gave me a reason to leave the house. Sometimes I just needed to walk in the barn, pause, close my eyes, and take a deep breath of barn smells. 

I stopped wearing makeup during my pregnancy. Partially because my skin liked pregnancy and partially because I was too tired. Then, here comes postpartum with a reality check and some brown spots and adult acne. I had struggled with my skin before because of endometriosis. I had hormonal acne that was often painful. Balancing my hormones helped a lot, but finding skincare and makeup that worked for me was a STRUGGLE. My skin is sensitive and fair, so that’s a fun combo. Being fair-skinned means every blemish shows up and stands out. I used pregnancy as a time to have a reset and just take a break from any makeup. I kept my skincare routine super simple during this time too. I am also very minimal when it comes to makeup. I’ve never been very good at it and I was often outside and at the barn so I never saw a reason to learn. I did my best when I needed it as a professional, but I’m not a makeup girlie. 

Scrolling through Instagram one day, I came across makeup for equestrians. I was thinking maybe it was for competitions or something. I followed the brand and just kept scrolling. The next few weeks I kept seeing URGO Beauty pop up. It caught my curiosity, so I reached out and found out more about it. When I realized it’s gentle skincare-infused makeup made for equestrians by an equestrian and donations are made to animal rescues, I had to take a closer look! During my endometriosis journey, I learned a lot about endocrine disruptors in skincare and products that come in contact with our skin. I focus on keeping clean products in my home and reducing those chemicals that impact my hormones. It’s difficult to find clean skincare and makeup that also works well. I decided to give it a try with the BB Cream. I love a good BB Cream, but I’ve never found a GOOD BB Cream. As in one that didn’t cause more redness and more breakouts. And your girl has one makeup brush and one eyeshadow brush so the fact that I can use my hands was a plus for me! 

Let’s just say, now I have never NOT had URGO's BB Cream at home. And I have since tried every product and love every single one! The best part is that my skin loves it; no painful breakouts or redness. I also understood the part about being made for equestrians. I can sweat in it, go to the barn, play with my baby, jump on a work video call and it stays on. The CC cream is my newest obsession though! It’s the makeup for the no-makeup girlies! 

I’ve learned throughout different experiences in my life that the little things matter. Sometimes little things are the big things. I had a lot of changes happening in my life. I experienced postpartum anxiety. I transitioned out of my job and shifted my entire career. I was healing from childbirth as someone with endometriosis which posed some different challenges. Finding skincare/makeup that didn’t make my skin angry and that made me feel confident was a game changer, especially during this season of life. It might sound frivolous, but it made me feel excited to get ready in the mornings, even if I had only two hours of sleep. It made me feel put together. It was the start of this new me. It has become an integral part of my self-care as I’ve transitioned into motherhood. I can wear all of the “hats” and juggle all of the things while feeling confident in my skin.