Transforming Fear Into Confidence: A Lesson from the Gauntlet
Sitting in a circle, I knew that three of us would be chosen to "run the gauntlet," a challenge involving two ex-Navy SEALs and a SEAL trainer who had been relentless with me all day. I was terrified of him. I’m small, and he was huge. It felt a lot like being with a horse that intimidates you.
When my turn came, I had to cross the room, passing all three men, who each controlled a third of the space. The first girl couldn’t make it past the first guy. She was bruised and humiliated. Watching this angered me deeply. Seeing her treated that way fired me up, and suddenly, fear wasn’t in charge anymore. I was angry—and that anger gave me confidence.
I crossed the gauntlet. The first two weren’t too difficult, but the trainer grabbed me. In a flash, I kicked behind his knees, bringing him down (he later needed stitches!). I finished.
This experience taught me a powerful lesson: anger, especially when directed at your fear, can fuel confidence. Confidence builds on itself, creating momentum for overcoming challenges.
As my mom would say, "Get up your gumption!" We all have it in us to conquer fear. This tool can be part of your toolbox for overcoming fear, whether you’re riding or facing any challenge.
3 Tips for Turning Fear into Anger:
1. Feel the Anger, But Don’t Act Out:
This is key. The anger you feel is energy, not something to direct at others. Think of it as a shield, giving you the courage to face your fear and take control of situations—like getting back on your horse.
2. Transform Your Fear:
Write down three things that make you anxious. Sit with those feelings, then turn them into anger. Ask yourself, "What would I do differently if I weren’t afraid?" Channel that anger towards the fear itself. (Be sure you're focusing on perceived fear, not legitimate dangers.)
3. Practice, Practice, Practice:
Start small. When you feel anxiety, flip it into anger. Find something about the situation to feel angry about. As you practice this, try it when approaching your horse or getting ready to trot or canter. Watch how your confidence shifts.
When you combine this anger with knowledge, you’ll be prepared for anything. Use my free guide, The Ultimate Riding Contingency Guide, to learn techniques for managing fear when riding—whether dealing with a rear, buck, bolt, or spook. It’s packed with insights from 50 years of experience to help you stay safe and in control.
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.
We often think of ourselves as being able to hide our true feelings, our fear and anxiety, but when it comes to our horses, the truth is harder to conceal. Horses are highly intuitive animals. They can read our body language, pick up on subtle changes in our energy, and sense our emotional state in ways we may not even recognize.
Much like we might lie to ourselves—telling ourselves we're fine when we're stressed, or that we're confident when we're feeling anxious—our horses can sense when something is off. They don't hear our words in the way humans do, but they feel our energy. If we're anxious, that anxiety can manifest in our body language, posture, and even how we hold the reins. Horses, in their quiet wisdom, pick up on those cues. Next time you are feeling anxious, try this little experiment and see how your horse reacts: Sit up (or stand up) a little taller. Let that fill you up with a bit more confidence and watch the reaction of your horses.
We often lie to ourselves about our confidence, our abilities, or our readiness for a challenge. But our horses know the truth. They can feel when we’re not truly present with them, when our minds are elsewhere, or when we’re second-guessing ourselves. This is why they sometimes hesitate, act out, or become confused during a ride. It's not that they don't trust us—it's that they’re responding to the energy we’re giving off.
When we’re honest with ourselves and our horses, the connection becomes stronger. Being real with ourselves about where we are emotionally and mentally translates into a clearer, more trusting relationship with our horses. They know when we’re lying, but the beauty of it is, they’re always there, ready to help us find our truth and move forward—together.
Ready to reset your anxiety and help your horse find peace? When you are ready for deeper transformation that can shorten the time to confidence, let’s chat about hypnotherapy to reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm back to your partnership with your horse. Click here to schedule a free call and see if this would be a good fit for you!
In the world of riding, fear often stems from a lack of trust—whether it's fear of your horse, fear of falling, or simply fear of the unknown. But what if you could use the power of love to transform that fear? What if the secret to overcoming fear in the saddle lies not in “fighting” the fear, but in filling yourself with love and sharing that energy with your horse?
How Can Love Help Transform Fear?
1. Feel Your Feelings of Love
Before you even mount your horse, take a moment to feel the love inside of you. Whether it's love for your horse, gratitude for the time spent together, or love for the connection you share, harnessing these feelings creates a strong, positive energy. This energy will act as a shield, helping to protect you from feelings of fear or anxiety that might arise during your ride.
2. Pick a "Love" Color to Fill Yourself Up
Colors are deeply connected to energy, and different colors evoke different emotions. Choose a color that resonates with love—for many, this might be purple (mine), pink or soft yellow. Imagine that color surrounding you, filling you up with warmth and peace. Allow this love color to infuse every cell in your body, boosting your confidence and emotional strength.
3. What Is Your Horse’s "Love" Color?
Now, tune in to your horse. Just like you, they have their own unique energy field, and they too respond to colors and emotions. What color do you feel your horse would resonate with? Is it a calming blue, or maybe a deep, grounding green? Send them a “Love Ball”—a bubble of energy filled with this color and love. As you send this energy, you’ll notice your horse’s demeanor shift, becoming calmer, more connected with you.
Turning Love into Confidence
When you allow yourself to fill up with love and share it with your horse, you are creating a strong bond of trust and emotional security. This connection allows you to ride with greater ease, confidence, and a sense of peace, because love is the ultimate antidote to fear.
Ready to tap into the power of love to transform your riding experience? If you're struggling with fear and anxiety around horses, consider booking a chat to see if hypnotherapy would be a great fit for you. Hypnotherapy can help you reset your emotional state, releasing fear and replacing it with confidence and calm. Let’s work together to create a healthier, more peaceful riding experience for both you and your horse.
It was early dawn when I was 8, riding my pony into the mountains to watch the sunrise. I was enjoying the ride when I felt a sudden WHOOSH behind me. I caught a glimpse of a mountain lion landing on the back of my pony. My fear was immediate and real. I clung to my pony for dear life as she bolted home like the wind. She had a few deep scratches on her tail, but I was luckier to have a pony who not only sensed my fear but also took care of me all the way home.
We all experience moments of fear around our horses. It’s important to be in tune with how our emotions affect them.
If you’ve ever been nervous around a horse, you’ve probably noticed they seem to know exactly how you’re feeling—sometimes even before you do. It’s almost as if they can sense your anxiety in a way that's hard to explain. The truth is, horses are clairsentient beings, meaning they can pick up on subtle energy shifts and emotions through their intuition.
In my latest podcast episode, "The Gift of a Nudge", (Check it out here) I explore how we can use our own intuition to guide our life and riding. Just as we feel those “nudges,” our horses have an incredible ability to tune into our energy and respond accordingly. They don’t rely on words or traditional body language; they read our energy fields, our emotions, and the vibrations we give off.
When we feel nervous or anxious, our bodies release stress hormones like adrenaline, and our minds become focused on perceived danger. Horses can sense this shift in energy, even before we consciously recognize it. That’s why your horse might react before you even realize why you’re feeling off.
This ability is a gift—they’re offering us a nudge. By tuning into their instincts, they help us become more aware of how our energy affects our surroundings. In return, we can learn to better regulate our emotions, creating a more harmonious, balanced connection with them.
Ready to Calm Your Anxiety and Help Your Horse Find Peace?
I’ve got practical techniques you can start using today to reset your energy and create a more balanced connection. If you're looking for deeper transformation, let’s chat about how hypnotherapy can help reduce anxiety and bring a sense of calm back to your relationship with your horse. Book a session with me here to start your journey toward a more peaceful partnership.
