Snell, SarahJepson, AllanStadler, RaphaelaWalters, TrudieDashper, KateSpencer, NeilBhatia, Persia2024-11-042024-05-132024-11-042024-10-291525-9951https://hdl.handle.net/10182/17801Many studies have investigated the benefits and drawbacks of social media, but the impact it has on amateur sports participants who use it as part of their practice has been largely overlooked. This study addresses this gap, investigating the impacts of social media on the mental health of women participating in amateur sport activities – specifically, equestrian events through a mixed methods survey of 221 female amateur equestrians in the UK. Themes included the pressure to present a ‘perfect’ image to an external audience, the stress of comparison to others, and constant judgement around the performance of a participant. We also found issues of distorted reality and false representation. We conclude by highlighting a need for better assistance for athletes both while they are competing at events and at other times, particularly pre/post event.pp.1149-1165enamateur sport participationequestrian eventsmental healthsocial mediaJournal Article10.3727/152599524x171357532201471943-4308ANZSRC::420799 Sports science and exercise not elsewhere classifiedANZSRC::420313 Mental health servicesANZSRC::520107 Sport and exercise psychologyANZSRC::3504 Commercial servicesANZSRC::3507 Strategy, management and organisational behaviourANZSRC::3508 Tourismhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives