Can a Horse Sense Your Fear - Just Ask a Zebra!
It was hot and humid as I was cleaning the horse shed.  The horses were happily munching their food as the breeze started to swirl all around us.  I saw the dreaded plastic bag bouncing around in the breeze around the horses legs.  They didn't flick an ear as I stood there in shock.  I realized that a lot of what we see in our horses is from us, not them.

I was sharing this with a friend and she told me about the lions and the zebras.  She was a safari guide in Afirca for a bit and witneessed the most extroidinary example of energy.  She was showing the herds at the watering hole, when a lioness walked right past them, through the herd, down to the water and drank.  She then returned to the rest of the lions laying in the shade.  Then she witnessed a lioness that must have been a little hungry and ready for dinner get up and start to walk toward the herd.  The second lioness didn't make it 5 steps before the closest animals in the herd were on full alert and just a few steps later, there was a stampede, all in unison.  

How can this help us?

First, we can clear our energy before we go play with our horses (or our families for that matter).  Really be present with our feelings.  Are we pushing out negative energies or are we calm and centered?  It is so important to respect our relationship with our horses and ourselves enough to be aware of our energy.  Our horses love to be with us and help us through things but it shouldn't be like that all the time.  We can work on clearing our energy so we can just be with them.

Second, we can focus on where we are headed.  When scary stuff comes up, I am the first to jump.  I am working to focus on where I am heading and ignore all the scary stuff (unless the fear is real). I have been surprised at how this one small change has be more confident in all I am doing.  I am also finding that the more I focus and build my confidence, it is like a wonderful snowball, filling me up with more and more confidence.  I am also finding that the more I focus while riding, the less my horses spook at anything.

The third thing that has really been helping me is Hypnotherapy.  I was a skeptic but now that it has changed so many things in my life for the better, I am loving being able to help others with this great tool.  If you are interested in finding out if this would be a good fit for you, click here!





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Hey there! I’m Elise Hittinger—Fear Slayer, Confidence Creator, and your go-to Courage Coach.

 
Once upon a time, I was that fearless kid riding deep into Angeles National Forest without a second thought. Then bam—life threw me a plot twist. A horse flipped on me, pinning me beneath it, and fear crept in like an uninvited guest who wouldn’t leave.

That moment tested everything. But here’s the wild part—I walked away with only bruises and a divine reminder that I wasn’t done yet. Fear may have stolen my joy for a while, but it did not get the final say.

Fast forward to a move to Kentucky, where the trails were calling my name. I had two choices: let fear keep the reins or take them back. Spoiler alert—I took them back. Now, I help other riders (and, honestly, anyone sick of fear running their life) do the same.

I make fear pack its little bags and GTFO. Whether it’s through hypnotherapy, NLP, or a little well-placed humor, I help people trade anxiety for confidence, doubt for courage, and overthinking for action.

So, if you’re ready to kick fear to the curb and rediscover the joy you deserve—I’m here for it. Let’s do this.

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