I have always struggled to understand mental health to the level I want and most likely to. But I am getting there. It is something I am at continuous conflict with but am really focused on understanding.

I am the eternal optimist. No problem too big, always a way to do something and for the better part have positive energy most of the time and anyone that really knows me will say the same. The HAY “How Are Ya?” Campaign was the starting point and Shane Rooney’s famous call that started Ireland’s biggest ever equestrian mental health campaign.

Across the past couple of years, society and our industry has faced an increasing mental health problem… support and awareness has built but the problems have increased. I have heard so many stories, seen so much hurt, loss and grief and heartbreakingly, we have lost people we were close to and cared about like the Man, the Myth, the Legend, Mr Painter, Lauren Painters Dad, Mr Darren Painter.

On World Mental Health Day, we often focus on raising awareness, breaking stigmas, and advocating for accessible mental health support. These are essential steps in creating a society and an industry where everyone feels seen, supported, and valued.

But today, I wanted to write something more personal… something for those who have shown me, educated me and been an inspiration in a lot a ways for how I now see things when it comes to mental health… I wanted to turn the spotlight on a different kind of strength—the quiet, resolute strength of those who carry burdens others may never know about. I have learned so much about this from certain people that have opened my eyes across the last couple of years in Grassroots, Equitas and the HAY Campaign.

Today I wanted to write something for them… today, on World Mental Health Day… I wanted to celebrate those whose struggles can go unnoticed. Today I wanted to say we see you, we hear you, we may not fully understand what you’re going through but above all else, we appreciate you.

Some people seem like they were born to fight battles no one sees. It’s not that they’re born brave or unbreakable. It’s not that they never feel the weight of the world pressing down. It’s that something within them—call it faith, call it god, call it destiny—something has decided that they will be the ones to carry a darkness inside so others don’t have to. These are the people who smile through their struggles, who lift others up even when their own knees buckle, who provide light and comfort while wrestling with their own silent wars.

For these individuals, life can feel like a test, a relentless series of challenges that strain their hearts and bend their spirits. It’s a weight they bear, not because they necessarily want to, but because it’s who they’ve become—caretakers of others’ peace, even when they find little of their own. Their struggle is a quiet one, hidden behind smiles and kind words, so those around them never have to feel the same heaviness they do.

The courage it takes to carry on in this way, the resilience required to shoulder the weight and still extend love to others, is the kind of strength most will never truly understand. And yet, these individuals rarely see their own strength. They don’t recognise how special they are, how much their quiet fight means. They’re often so busy tending to everyone else’s pain that they overlook their own need for compassion, for rest, for a space to lay down their burden.

World Mental Health Day is for them, too. It’s for the ones who don’t cry out for help, who continue to carry the cross so others don’t have to feel the weight. It’s for those who smile through the storm and lift others up, even when they’re barely holding it together. It’s for those who shine a light for others while walking in their own darkness.

Maybe it’s not the life they would have chosen. Maybe they’d love to lay down their arms, to rest, to feel that someone else is there to carry them for once. But there’s a quiet, unspoken bravery in their resilience, in their decision to keep going. They might not see it, but those around them do. They might not realise the depth of their strength, but it’s there—strong and unyielding.

On this World Mental Health Day, let’s honour them. Let’s recognise those who fight silently, who bear their struggles with grace and extend compassion when they’re running on empty. Be that mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, leaders, coaches, athletes or just everyday equestrians. For me, you know who you are. You know I am writing this for you. I appreciate you.

Let’s remind them that they don’t always have to carry it alone, that it’s okay to ask for help, and that they deserve the same kindness they so freely offer to others.

Because some people were born to carry darkness and still shine. And that light they bring into the world is needed—now more than ever. So, to those who walk this path: you are stronger than you know, and your quiet courage is seen. Thank you for everything you do, and remember, even the strongest among us need a moment to rest.

The Quiet Heroes: Bearing the Burdens We’ll Never Know

Some people seem like they were born to carry burdens that aren’t theirs. It’s not that they’re born brave or unbreakable. It’s just that God, or faith, or something beyond us, decided that this one—this one will have to bear the weight. They’ll carry a what seems like a darkness inside, hidden behind a smile. They’ll lift others up, offer light when they feel none themselves, and wage silent wars no one else will ever know. They shoulder the cross so others don’t have to feel the weight.

And they’ll be tested—time and again—bent beneath the strain, their hearts bruised, their spirits worn. But still, they’ll stand. Maybe it’s not the life they’d choose; maybe they’d give anything to lay down the burden, to let someone else carry it just once. But this is who they are. This is what they were made for. They carry on, not for themselves, but for everyone else.

They’ll never truly know how strong they are, how special their quiet courage is. They won’t see the grace in their struggle. But some people were born to carry the darkness… and still shine for others. It’s all they know. It’s what they do best. It’s who they’ve always been.

Until Next Time,

Shane