Why I Walked Away from the Rosettes

Behind every confident horsewoman… is a story no one talks about.

And here’s mine.

To this day, I still get asked the same question:

“Why did you stop competing? You were so good… so talented… you were winning so much!”

And honestly, for a while, I didn’t know how to answer.

You see, in my twenties, I couldn’t imagine life without riding.I was obsessed. Completely and utterly in love with it.Riding was my purpose, my therapy, my outlet.I remember thinking:

“What would I even do if I couldn’t ride anymore?”

I lived for the thrill of it. The discipline. The training.The high of competing. The adrenaline of the arena.Seeing my name next to 1st place — that feeling was unmatched.

So when I was presented with an offer to go all the way to Grand Prix with a horse that had the talent to take me there…You’d think it would be a dream come true.

But I turned it down.

Not because I wasn’t scared. I was.Not because I had another plan. I didn’t.But because something deep inside me knew…

I loved being with horses more than I loved being seen winning with them.

That decision changed everything.

I realised that what lit me up wasn’t the applause or the ribbons — it was the connection.It was the unspoken conversations, the moments of stillness, the trust.It was seeing a horse transform — not just physically, but emotionally.

That’s when I stepped away from competing and into something deeper.I became a chiropractor.I started working with horses around the world.And slowly, my mission became crystal clear:

To help riders and horse lovers understand their horse’s pain and behaviour — even when no one else can.

Because I’ve seen what happens when we start to truly listen.

I’ve seen horses go from shut down to switched on.From “naughty” to understood.From sore and disconnected to powerful and present.

So if you’re a horsewoman who’s ever felt unsure…If you’ve lost your confidence, or questioned your path, or thought “Why isn’t anyone talking about this?”...

Let me tell you this:

✨ You are not alone.

✨ You are not behind.

✨ And your horse is not broken.

You just need the right tools.

And someone to remind you that…

There is always an answer.There is always a way forward.

And I promise you — your horse is trying to show you exactly where to go.

Thank you for being here.This is just the beginning of our story 🐴

— Nika x