The joy begins to disappear when every ride is accompanied by anxiety, and you feel more relief after dismounting than excitement to begin the ride.

You fear that your nervous energy is affecting your horse – at the least, making you stiff and tense on his back, or at worst, putting your horse on edge too.

The unfortunate truth is that no matter how common it may be, fear for riders is often brushed off with “just get back on” or “show him who’s boss”.

Who wants to admit they are afraid when everyone else seems to just be having fun and taking things in their stride?

When you ignore your fear, you put yourself at risk. Sometimes fear is very appropriate – it is our internal warning system telling us something isn’t right and we need to make a change.

Other times, your fear may simply be holding you back, preventing you from moving forward in your skills, in your relationship with your horse, and from pursuing your riding dreams.

Building or rebuilding confidence isn’t always easy but it is possible, and you can do it.

You need to take an objective view of your feelings… begin to look at how you feel about riding with curiosity rather than shame or disappointment.

Notice your emotions and what they trigger for you – the tight shoulders, sweaty hands, racing heart – but don’t try to talk yourself out of these feelings.

Create a simple, consistent plan to build your skills as a rider, learn to manage your emotions, and build a sense of calm confidence that will make you a great partner for your horse!

I would love to help you create this plan and find your confidence!

In Calm & Confident Rider, we’ll work through a simple progression of exercises that will move you forward each day – you’ll be learning more about yourself as a person and as a rider. Let me tell you more…