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More and more women are returning to horse riding after years of a break or starting this adventure only as adults. Often with stage fright, sometimes after an injury, usually with the question: am I good enough to be here? We talk about the space where this question ceases to matter with Malwina Przyśliwska, a trainer and author of the "Jump into Equestrianism" project - a pioneer of equestrian camps created with women in mind. A conversation about returning to passion, overcoming fear, well-chosen equipment, and why a female group can be so supportive.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- From childhood fascination to profession
- Where did the idea for "Jump into Equestrianism" come from?
- Why camps for women?
- Equestrianism without judgment and pressure
- Different levels of advancement, common passion
- How to build a supportive group?
- Returning to equestrianism after a break
- Working with fear - tools, not promises
- Women in equestrianism - stereotypes and mutual support
- Is there a place for men in this space?
- The greatest reward in work
- Well-chosen equipment and comfort in the saddle
- Quick shots
- Summary
Introduction
Equestrianism can be demanding, not just physically. For many women returning to the saddle after a break or just starting, the barrier turns out to be not technique, but the fear of judgment and the belief that it's too late. A space where one can learn without pressure, share experiences, and feel comfortable regardless of age or skill level is still not a given.
Malwina Przyśliwska has been involved with horses for thirty years, and for several years she has been running equestrian camps aimed at women. In the interview, she talks about how the project "Jump into Equestrianism" was born, why she decided to create it with women in mind, and what, besides new riding skills, she wants to give the participants. The following interview is a record of that conversation - organized and edited, but faithful to what she said.
From childhood fascination to profession
Kinga (Equishop): How did your adventure with equestrianism begin?
Malwina WWJ: That was a very long time ago - I was nine years old, so about thirty years ago. My cousin lived next to a stable, behind the old walls of a manor house, and there were horses at that manor house. It always fascinated me. Finally, my cousin took me there, and then every weekend I spent at my aunt's and went to the stable from morning till evening.
Later, I begged my parents to buy me a recreational horse that I had fallen in love with there - a mare. And it worked. From then on, everything unfolded rapidly: more horses, working with horses. In fact, when I turned eighteen, my first job was being a berater for Mr. Jarosław Skrzyczyński. Before that, I also broke in horses for the trainer with whom I was at the stable for a very long time.
I didn't go to camps and holidays like other children - I just wanted to sit in the stable. And it's stayed that way until today.
Kinga (Equishop): Did you lean towards show jumping?
Malwina WWJ: Yes. At first, as a very young child, I was fascinated by dressage. I remember that Mr. Michał Przybylak, who guided us in recreation, told me that I would eventually get bored with it and want to jump. He jinxed it a bit.
I like dressage very much and I think it is the foundation, but I had episodes of dressage competitions that - surprisingly - stressed me out. It stressed me out that I had to remember the entire arena, to ride from letter to letter. It just didn't grab me.
Interestingly, the horse my parents bought me - Doskok - was theoretically a dressage horse. He was blind in one eye and at first didn't want to jump. But then, when we started jumping him, he turned out to be a huge jumping talent. And that's when I started developing in jumping. It's stayed that way until today.
"I didn't go to camps and holidays like other children - I just wanted to sit in the stable."
Where did the idea for "Jump into Equestrianism" come from?
Kinga (Equishop): You have thirty years in equestrianism, which has become your job. At what point did the idea of organizing camps emerge?
Malwina WWJ: I had been thinking about camps for about five years, but initially I imagined something typically sporty, but very holistic - with a nutritionist, sports psychologist, high-level dressage and show jumping trainer, with a large dose of mental work and knowledge about horse behavior. However, I couldn't get myself together, and a similar camp was organized by trainer Maciej Wojciechowski. I thought then: since someone has already done it, there's no point. And I let it go a bit.
In 2022, I broke three vertebrae. Several months spent in convalescence gave me a lot of time for reflection. I then realized that equestrianism is not just about competitions and my own riding, but also about passing on knowledge to others. This experience further strengthened my conviction that I want to develop as a trainer and educator. Today, after returning to full health, I still ride and train, but I look at my work from a completely different perspective.
Read also: how an equestrian protective vest could have protected me from an accident.
I also saw what kind of audience I had on Instagram. I created content completely intuitively, posting what I thought was necessary. I was followed mainly by women - about ninety-something percent. They often wrote asking if they could come to me for training, and if they didn't have a horse or were from far away, what then? And so the idea was born to organize training in the form of a camp - for people of different levels.
I wanted it not to be rigid. To fit a lot of knowledge and practice into well-spent time. I consider three-day trainings a bit too short, so I opted for five days. I cared about a good facility where horses have good conditions, good horses available for people without their own horse, a decent hotel, and good food. To this was added the idea of a photo session and ground work session. Initially, I wanted to invite behaviorists, but the girls themselves said that it would be enough if I led it myself - that way it's closer and more accessible to them.
My current partner, Bartek, pushed me to act. He simply said, "Come on, let's do it." He built my website and believed in me more than I believed in myself from the beginning. However, I wouldn't be where I am without Wiktoria, my rider, friend, and co-organizer of the camps. These are people who not only supported me but genuinely helped me build everything step by step. I am extremely grateful to them for that.
Kinga (Equishop): You had the whole vision in your head, but you couldn't get started - it worked thanks to the support of the right people and your determination.
Malwina WWJ: Exactly. The brand itself was created a bit earlier and operated under the name Your Lucky Horse, and then I transformed it into "Jump into Equestrianism" - I'm a show jumping trainer, so it just came to me somehow.
I noticed that a lot of people really need the basics and to understand them. In training, well-worn slogans are often thrown around, and most people don't understand them or understand them incorrectly. I see this in the people who come to me, and now - thanks to contact with many women training throughout Poland - I see it even more clearly. There is often a problem with communication between the trainer and the rider and with explaining concepts such as half-halt, leg-yield, or impulsion.
A person who is just starting or who was previously poorly guided and no one properly explained the basics to them, simply wanders. They don't know how to perform something or what feeling they should have. Only when they are guided correctly and clearly explained - does the work and progress begin.
Why camps for women?
Kinga (Equishop): What is the most important mission of your camps and your entire activity?
Malwina WWJ: The older I get and the more I've experienced, the more empathy I have for women. I believe that over the past decades we have moved forward significantly - we are independent, we are moving away from a certain patriarchal model. And this is not just about equestrianism.
Women from various spheres and professions come to my camps. Among them are mothers, married women, single women, businesswomen. They are united by one thing - a passion for horses. But each of us has different life experiences, and the stories I learn at the camps are truly amazing.
I believe that passion strongly influences human development. The fact that girls return after years, that they are finally doing something for themselves, that they have an opportunity they didn't have before - this shows how deeply passion is embedded in us. It gives long-term happiness, not a temporary dopamine rush. Sooner or later, we return to it.
I really appreciate these stories. Women today have enormous assertiveness and determination. I've been through various things myself and I believe we are simply heroic. Hence the idea to do this for women.
"Passion gives long-term happiness, not a temporary dopamine rush."
Equestrianism without judgment and pressure
Kinga (Equishop): What would you like the participants to take away from the camp - besides new riding skills?
Malwina WWJ: I would like them to leave full of positive energy. I've had many women who came after breaks and wondered if there was even any point in returning to horses. I want them to rediscover the joy of life in this passion. That's probably the main goal.
The second thing is understanding the animal. It's not just about how to put on a saddle, a halter, or how to enter the arena. You have to understand horses. I have a lot of empathy for them, but I don't anthropomorphize them. A horse will never be a human, and we will never be a horse. We have to speak their language, and we have to adapt to them, because they won't adapt to us.
Horses don't do things "maliciously" or "on purpose" - many of their behaviors have a specific reason. It's the same in life: we don't accidentally meet certain people or fall into certain situations; it results from our experiences and circumstances.
Another thing is freedom. Women often ask if this training is for them, if they will be at a sufficient level. I want them to feel comfortable, not to feel judged, and to leave with a solution to a specific problem - for example, when they can't canter. I try to approach the topic so that the person truly understands how to do it and why it wasn't working for them before.
Kinga (Equishop): You also attach great importance to body work.
Malwina WWJ: Yes. At the camps, we do exercises for the rider - similar to Pilates, based on correct exercises. The keyword for this entire endeavor is awareness: how to communicate with the horse from the saddle, how to communicate from the ground, and what state our body is in.
We often demand a lot from horses, we sit down and want things to work out, while we ourselves spend eight hours in front of a computer and don't move. That's why I want to take care of this body - not to look better, but to be fit and healthy for the rest of our lives. I once ruined myself a bit at thirty, and since then I've been exercising regularly and eating sensibly.
I made the camps for adults, among other reasons, because women feel their bodies differently. With age and experience, they listen to themselves more and have greater awareness.
"The keyword is awareness - how to communicate with the horse and what state our body is in."
Different levels of advancement, common passion
Kinga (Equishop): Does it happen that a woman comes with a specific goal, but leaves with a completely different discovery?
Malwina WWJ: Very often. The best example is the story of a woman who started riding two years ago, at the age of forty-three. She took her daughter to a horse, the daughter stopped riding, and she stayed. She came to me because she couldn't canter - even though she was athletic and slim.
It's interesting, by the way: people do various sports, get on a horse, and it turns out to be much harder than it seemed. This participant left the camp practically with a horse. She liked the horse she rode during the camp so much that she told her husband about it - and her husband bought it for her as a surprise. One day she came to the stable where she was supposed to lease a horse, and there was that horse with a big bow. She recognized him: "My God, it's Larina!" Her husband listened to her stories, called the stable owners, and bought the horse as a gift.
Kinga (Equishop): So you witness not only the work but also the beautiful moments that women experience thanks to horses.
Malwina WWJ: Exactly. I have a girl who keeps coming back to my camps - this will be her third time now. She returned to riding after a two-year break because she had an accident: she broke her spine on a horse. At first, she sat carefully, she wasn't sure, but she decided she wanted to try. At the camp, she made huge progress, started exercising according to the shown exercises, went home, and trained more and more. She wrote to me that she hadn't told anyone where she'd been, and her trainer praised her highly: "Where have you been that you're riding so well today?" She leased a horse, wants to buy her own, rides dressage, and recently even went to a show jumping competition.
But the most heartwarming story is about a woman who was with me last summer. She was sixty-four years old and had an eighteen-year break from equestrianism. In her forties, she had a car accident and was severely broken - she had a shattered knee, pubic bone, and pelvis. She tried to return to riding, but it caused her immense pain every time. She had worked in healthcare as a paramedic her whole life. After eighteen years, she slowly started getting back in the saddle and came to my camp.
At the end, she thanked me with tears - she was grateful that she could even be there with us. Ania was sixty-four years old, there were also women in their forties, thirties, and twenties, and we all had a great time together. Despite such difficult experiences and injuries, that passion was still within her. It didn't matter that she was the oldest or whether she rode better or worse - she was happy that she could ride at all.
"We have no age limits or physical limits. We only have limits in our minds. And if those disappear, we can truly do a lot."
How to build a supportive group?
Kinga (Equishop): How does the atmosphere of a women's camp differ from regular training sessions, consultations, or other equestrian trips?
Malwina WWJ: I called it a camp for two reasons: because it lasts several days, and because I wanted it to be a pleasant way to spend time. I imagine these women often have work, children, and home on their minds, so it was important to me that they rest for five days and dedicate themselves only to their passion and themselves. Each of us likes to have good conditions – I'm not talking about luxury, but about good food or the ability to get enough sleep.
I didn't want to give rigid lectures about how a horse's body works or how one should sit. I believe that a better option is to observe others' training sessions and listen to what I say in real-time. Participants see what happens with a given person, what commands I give, how I explain it, and how that person then executes it. It's easier to remember something backed by practice – we hear it, we see it, and then we get on the horse and can feel it. We work from three sides.
That's why I encourage the girls to sit together during training sessions. They support each other, cheer each other on, and record each other. One excels at something, another struggles, each gets stressed by something different – and you really feel that they help each other. Often, they get to know each other at camps and stay in touch, sometimes two friends come together. This distinguishes such a gathering from dry training courses.
Kinga (Equishop): But a camp isn't just about training.
Malwina WWJ: On one hand, we have training sessions, and in the afternoon, for example, a photoshoot – we dress up, do our makeup, take beautiful photos with the horses. Something feminine. Or we create a dream board. In everyday life, it's hard to find three, four hours to sit down and think about ourselves, about what we want and what our goals are. And there's time for that there. For most girls who have never done it or haven't done it in a given year, an evening with a dream board can be truly special – they often get emotional during it.
I also had a participant who worked in healthcare and was battling cancer. She worked hard her whole life, couldn't afford many things, and coming to the camp was her doing something for herself. It's beautiful that they take such a step for themselves and allow themselves a moment to pause.
I want to combine equestrian training – jumping, dressage, and lunge lessons for seat – with body work and time for oneself in a female group. So they feel safe and unjudged in it.
Returning to riding after a break
Kinga (Equishop): Women also come to you after breaks. What do they come with, and what are their biggest fears then?
Malwina WWJ: It varies. Some fear judgment – but these are usually younger girls, up to thirty; older ones less often. Others fear if they'll manage, if they'll catch up to the group's level. Sometimes the break was due to a fall or another incident, and then fear appears. Sometimes the break results from pregnancy, childbirth, or studies. Almost always, there's someone at the camp with whom you need to work on fear.
Kinga (Equishop): If you were to simplify it – what problems do women most often come with?
Malwina WWJ: Definitely fear. Definitely a lack of understanding of various things – whether it's the horse or technical aspects. And seat.
If I were to generalize: it's about understanding certain things. Participants are at a certain point, they have a problem with contact, with riding, with approaching obstacles – and often it's simply a lack of understanding of how to act. It's about understanding something, hearing it differently, or moving from a standstill.
Many girls struggle with their seat. Before the camp, I send out forms asking them to write about their level and what they expect. Most often, improving communication with the horse or improving their seat comes up.
Working with fear - tools, not promises
Kinga (Equishop): How do you work with participants who are afraid of falling, losing control, or being judged by others?
Malwina WWJ: That's a broad topic. I don't have a psychological education, but because of my profession, I believe I need to have some knowledge about nutrition, the human body, the horse, and its psyche. Mental training is hugely important here and requires a lot of work.
Read our post about fear of falling: fear of falling off a horse and how to overcome it.
I start by figuring out what the problem is – whether it's post-accident, stemming from the break itself, or from judgment. All these things have some underlying cause. If someone has experienced trauma, you need to work with that trauma. I can consciously explain that a given situation has already happened, we can't change it, but we can influence what is here and now. I also say that accidents happen, but we are protected – we have a helmet. That's why, for psychological comfort, I encourage riding in a vest, because it provides a safety buffer.
I try to get to the root of the problem, but if I know it's trauma, I can't help in five days – realistically. It's subconscious work, a very long process. However, if someone comes to me, hears about it, sees the point, and continues with it themselves, that's already a lot. Each of us is responsible for ourselves – I can only show the way.
Kinga (Equishop): You approach it like coaching.
Malwina WWJ: Yes. When someone has a problem with judgment, I start to investigate where it comes from and on what basis someone thinks that way. Often these are childhood and life issues that translate to horses. I give tips that help in such moments – for example, the box breathing method or focusing on what you see, hear, and feel to come back to yourself. These are tools that I cannot process in five days, but if someone believes in them and continues with them – that's their work. If necessary, I refer them to work with a psychologist.
My daily work as a trainer also involves mental work – understanding the horse, dealing with fear, and challenging beliefs. This is a long-term process. The greatest reward after the camps are messages that I helped someone, that they are returning to horses, that they fought through something or understood something. For most of the girls, the camp becomes a turning point – in life or in riding.
I also have a participant who is getting divorced. Many things came to her through conversations between us, women. We stay in touch. Even such an exchange of experiences can be very helpful at some stage of life.
"I can only show the way. Whether someone follows it is another matter."
Important note: Malwina Przyśliwska emphasizes that she is not a psychologist and, in cases of more serious difficulties such as trauma, refers participants to a specialist. She treats the described techniques as supportive tools, not therapy.
Women in equestrianism - stereotypes and mutual support
Kinga (Equishop): What are the most common stereotypes you encounter regarding women in equestrianism?
Malwina WWJ: Most often, it's that "a woman can't do it," "a woman is weak," or that "you need force with a horse."
Kinga (Equishop): Is the equestrian environment supportive of women? What would be worth changing in it?
Malwina WWJ: I don't think always. A lot has changed for the better, but there's still a sexist approach – belittling needs, stupid remarks like "she must be on her period." This happens more often in older circles.
I see it in my profile. When I started publishing reels with simple tips, I received the most hate from older men, roughly fifty, sixty-plus – from women too, mostly on Facebook. From men, the common sentiment is "what is this young girl going to talk about." I look quite young, and if someone doesn't bother to ask, they don't know how much professional experience I have. I've been riding horses for thirty years, but most importantly, I've been working with horses professionally since I was eighteen. I've broken in many of them – probably over two hundred, three hundred. I've worked as a competitor, rider, and trainer. I'm constantly learning and will probably keep learning my whole life.
I also see that a male trainer still commands more respect than a female one, even if he doesn't have such achievements. Added to this is the age factor – whoever looks younger tends to be dismissed. I've noticed this most in the last two years since I've been running my profile, because day-to-day I'm mostly surrounded by people with experience.
Kinga (Equishop): And do women support each other in equestrianism?
Malwina WWJ: At least I don't see them not supporting each other. I know it can be varied, but I don't like to generalize – just as I don't like the attitude that "the equestrian community is rotten." It's not. There are many valuable people. In every small community, you'll find a handful of things to reject and a handful to take. The question is, what will we take from it.
Women's support has only just begun to really happen. Last year, when I organized the first camp strictly for women, more and more started appearing afterwards – and that makes me happy. I don't feel the breath of competition on my neck, because these women come to me, and not just to "a women's camp."
Kinga (Equishop): So you're glad you're a pioneer and inspiring others to act.
Malwina WWJ: Yes. And that women are not afraid, not ashamed, that they are truly doing this for themselves.
Is there room for men in this space?
Kinga (Equishop): You get asked about camps for men. Is there room for them in your space?
Malwina WWJ: Of course there is. The fact that the camps are for women simply stems from everyday reality. In the stables where I work and conduct training, ninety-something percent are women. Men are usually stable hands or visiting trainers; less often someone who owns their own horse. More men appear in sports, but women still predominate in stables, and from a historical perspective, I don't see that changing much.
I have trained men and I have an idea for a camp for them – with a slightly modified profile, because they would probably want to talk about something else. I think I will implement it next year. One gentleman once wrote under a post that it would be a Nobel Prize for this lady if she gathered eight horse-riding men at one time.
The greatest reward in work
Kinga (Equishop): What is your biggest motivation and reward in this work?
Malwina WWJ: The happiness of the person I teach. That gives me the most joy. And seeing that the horse is happy because it finally feels understood. That's fundamental for me. Horses aren't "political" like us – they need clarity, they need to know what they can and cannot do. They need clearly defined boundaries, and then they feel comfortable. It's similar with people: we also like to know where we stand.
I don't feel pressured for someone to necessarily ride with me competitively – although I enjoy competitions. It gives me immense satisfaction that my training horses are healthy, feel good under saddle and around people, are properly muscled, and don't suffer injuries. And people are happy with what they do, to the best of their abilities.
Well-chosen equipment and comfort in the saddle
Kinga (Equishop): Does well-chosen equipment affect women's comfort in the saddle?
Malwina WWJ: Of course. When someone comes to me for training, I look at all the equipment – at the protective gear, how the saddle and girth fit, what the bridle is like, and how it's fastened. I also look at the rider: whether they have appropriate boots, whether they have a good and well-fitted helmet.
I had a girl who had a great KEP helmet, but it hit her nose during a fall – it was probably too big for her or not fitted to the shape of her head. And that's very important: what good is a helmet if she could break her nose.
In the camp agreement, I specify that riding in a helmet is mandatory – even when just leading a horse – and that I recommend riding in a vest. A vest gives a lot and doesn't hinder training. Today's vests are perfectly contoured and of good quality, so if something like that is available, it's better to use it. Safe stirrups are also important. When someone rides horses available at the center, they use the equipment that's there – but I personally attach importance to it. Flexible stirrups affect the work of the ankle and knee joints, and a well-fitted saddle and good breeches also matter. These are small elements, but they affect the whole.
Kinga (Equishop): How do you know when someone feels comfortable in the saddle?
Malwina WWJ: By their body, primarily. You can see it immediately – in their facial expression, their body, their breathing, and in the horse.
"These are small elements, but these small elements affect the overall whole."
Quick shots
Kinga (Equishop): What change do women in Polish equestrianism need most today?
Malwina WWJ: Self-belief.
Kinga (Equishop): What would you say to a woman who dreams of returning to the saddle but thinks it's too late?
Malwina WWJ: There's no such thing as "too late." If she wants to, she should come back.
Kinga (Equishop): What would an ideal equestrian environment for women look like?
Malwina WWJ: Supportive, understanding, aware.
Kinga (Equishop): What's one thing a woman should hear before getting into the saddle?
Malwina WWJ: Listen to yourself and the horse.
Kinga (Equishop): Finish the sentence: A woman in the saddle can...
Malwina WWJ: Can do anything.
Summary
The women's riding camps, described by Malwina Przyśliwska, can be a space for very different people: for women returning to riding after a break or injury, for those who started as adults, and for participants of various skill levels, from beginners to competitive riders. What connects them is not their level, but their passion.
The conversation paints a picture of a community where mutual support has a concrete dimension: participants observe each other's training, cheer each other on, exchange experiences, and often stay in touch after the camp. Such an atmosphere allows for learning without pressure or feeling judged.
It's worth remembering a few of her thoughts: that limitations are more often in the mind than in age or body, that working with serious fear or trauma cannot be "fixed" in five days and is best left to a specialist, and that well-chosen equipment – helmet, vest, safe stirrups – genuinely affects comfort and a sense of safety in the saddle.
The approach of the "Jump into Equestrianism" project, as directly derived from the conversation, is based on combining solid equestrian training with rider body work and a conscious, supportive approach to participants – without judgment and with an understanding of the horse's needs.
