The Beginning 

Mollie had her first seizure at 16 years old after a period of intense stress and anxiety during her maths GCSEs. Her anxiety disorder became overwhelming, and it was during this time that her epilepsy first manifested. For years, she continued to experience seizures without answers and stepped away from riding entirely while trying to navigate her health.
 

A Turning Point

It wasn’t until she was 21 that Mollie finally received a diagnosis and began medication. The years between losing riding and eventually returning to horses were difficult, isolating and uncertain — but they also shaped the heart of what Open Equine would become.

Now, at 25, Mollie has a confirmed diagnosis, a horse called Hardy, and a vision for something more inclusive within the equine world.

About Beside Horses

Beside Horses exists to create welcoming horse-centred communities where people can connect, belong and grow together through horses. We want to support people from all walks of life — whether they are living with disability, mental health challenges, anxiety, isolation, low confidence, or simply feel like they do not quite fit in.

You do not need experience with horses to belong here. Some people in our community have spent their whole lives around horses, while others may never have touched one before. What matters is creating spaces where people feel safe, welcomed and included.

We also believe in raising awareness and encouraging more accessible, understanding and inclusive equine spaces for everyone. Horses do not judge where you come from, what you struggle with, or whether you fit a traditional mould — and we believe communities should feel the same.

Together through horses.