Sophie Litalien

The Study uses Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis(IPA) to explore the lived experiences of women adult amateur equestrians over the age of 25 in New Brunswick, Canada. The central question explores the psychological barriers that affect their continued participation in the sport they engage in during childhood. This study will be conducted by Sophie Litalien, a BSc Honours student studying at the University of New Brunswick. Reflexivity will be carried out to be aware of personal biases. Since the researcher is an equestrian, the researcher acknowledges having direct experience with the phenomenon under investigation, which may play a role in the interpretation of the participants experiences(Dwyer & Buckle, 2009). Continuous monitoring and analyzing personal biases and assumptions carried to be aware of how these might affect the study. To facilitate an in-depth interpretation, a small sample (8-10), homogenous sample is preferred, allowing a focus on detailed ways in which participants make sense of their individual experiences. Following recruitment through social media and snowball sampling, participants will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews lasting approximately an hour. The interview covers topics such as introduction to the equestrian sport, psychological experiences, changes in their perspective overtime, future goals, and how being an equestrian has shaped their identity. Following each interview, data analysis will commence adhering to Smith’s six stage process (2009) and will occur concurrently with participant recruitment. The study does not aim to generalize to the entire population of equestrians but aims to analyze the variability and commonality within a specific phenomenon.