Tell us about the connection between rugby and mental health, Mackay asked.
With a good rugby background, having played three decades for the Wairarapa Bush, coaching the team, and coaching the local Marlborough team where he farms, Bruce finds that once a week he needs to have a chat with one of the young members of the team.
He said it just seemed to be more of an occurrence nowadays.
Having worked breaking in horses has made all the difference to how Bruce collaborates with these young players.
“I sometimes might not know the owners of a horse, but I know what they are like through their horse that I am breaking in and that helps me relate to the young players and they know I am approachable.”
While life on the farm can be isolated and busy, you need to appreciate where you come from, Bruce said.
“The fist-pump moments in farming are the small wins in your day.
“The times you smile or laugh at something, or when you take a moment to stop and take in your surroundings, or even sing a song.
“They’re the moments that we need to look for and that’s what keeps you going.”
Farming was about understanding and getting enjoyment from the small moments, he said.
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“If you can just get 1% better every day, over the course of a year, you’ll be 365% better.”
All those little wins are what give you the feel-good factor in farming,” he said.
“Even if I’ve had a hard day or I haven’t got something finished on the farm, I just tell myself, it doesn’t matter, it’s going to be there tomorrow.
“I make sure my mind is completely switched off from the farm and I am totally focused on what’s in front of me.”
“How important is exercise to you for the front paddock,” Mackay asked
“Exercise is massive to me,” Bruce said.
“I take the time off to run fitness classes and rugby training because I love farming, and I always want to keep doing it.
“After I finished playing rugby, I realised that if I didn’t have something to go to off-farm, I would literally be working till 9pm every night because I love it so much”.
Making commitments like turning up at 6pm for rugby training gives Bruce a reason to pull the pin each day and get some balance in his life.
It gets him off-farm and helps preserve his love of farming.
Bruce said he was really lucky he had a supportive family who also loved sports.
Bruce had advice for anyone starting farming.
“You’ve just got to keep leaning forward.
“There’s a reason they make rear vision mirrors so small.
“You don’t see a whole lot back there because you don’t need to.”
Farmstrong is a nationwide, rural wellbeing programme that helps farmers manage the ups and downs of farming and growing. Last year, 15,000 farmers and growers improved their wellbeing thanks to Farmstrong. To find out what works for you and lock it in, visit www.farmstrong.co.nz
