How to Tackle Anxiety!
When Binky first arrived at the farm, she was terrifying! She bit me in the middle of the back when I didn’t even know she was there, and kicked my other horse over on top of me—not once, but TWICE. I became a timid, terrified ball of nerves around my own horse.

I even slid their food under the pasture fence because I was too scared to go in the pasture. We were about to go on vacation, and I realized I couldn’t have someone else take care of her until I worked on fixing myself first. Yes, fix me to fix her.

I made a decision to tackle my anxiety head-on. But how? I realized that Binky had become the leader, and the only way I could fix the situation was for me to step up and become the leader. I turned my fear into a mental shift: I became Binky—in my head. I knew that if I truly believed I was the leader, I could keep myself safe and reset her emotions to a calm state, while showing her I was in charge. 

I used a flag on a dressage whip as my "ears and tail" and walked into the pasture with food, waving the flag like a lunatic. 

It worked. Binky was shocked, ran off, and I spent the next few weeks working with her. She transformed into the sweetest mare, still in charge of the other horses, but now relaxed and content to let me lead.

Take a moment to assess your leadership with your horse. What areas do you feel timid or unsure? Start shifting that fear and anxiety into confidence. Horses don’t want to be the leader—they want to relax and have someone they trust take charge. But we have to earn it. We need to show them we can keep them safe and provide for them.

If you would like a little help developing a plan to improve your leadership and reduce your anxiety, set up a free call to see if I can help you out!  Just click here for a 15-minute chat.


0 Comments

Leave a Comment


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.

Contact

Copyrights © 2025 held by respective copyright holders, including Elise Hittinger.