Anxiety

When I was 8, I would get up at 2 or 3 am in the morning while it was still pitch black out.  I would put the bareback pad and bridle on my pony and we would head up into the mountains.  I would pause and watch the amazing sunrise from a mountain peak and just bask in how good the first sun rays feel.  Then I would turn for home and race home to get cleaned up and off to school. I go back to this memory a lot.  After my accident, I lost the confidence of this little girl and I had to get it back.  Whether you have had an accident, or just anxiety and fear creeping in with age, we don't have to stay there.  We can turn back the hands of time and become that fearless kid again.

Here are my first three tips for confidence when back in the saddle:

1. Practice, Practice, Practice. The more we repeat something, the more the anxiety and fear fade.  The first time will be the hardest as long as we focus on the success of doing the first time.  Just keep doing the little, small steps, over and over until they seem as easy as brushing your teeth.  Muscle memory helps with the mind too!

2. Work on the little things. Pick 5 or 6 things to play with for each ride.  Circle, figure eight, backing, move shoulders, move haunches, walk/halt/walk transitions, whatever it is for you, pick the easiest things first until they are really good.  

3. Practice Balance. When standing on the ground, you are solid.  Practice putting weight in your stirrups.  Move one slightly ahead of the other.  Please with your weight in the stirrups and just see how it feels. What if you have almost no weight in the stirrups.  What if you put all your weight in and stand in two point.  Play with it and develop the balance the works for you.  Think about a child on someone's shoulders.  If they lean they and the person carrying them are off balance.  You are the child on the horse as far as balance goes.  Really take some time and play with your balance and weight in your stirrups.  Alicia Dickenson says 80% of the weight in the stirrups at all times.  I can say that this is when I feel most balanced too.  I feel like I can ride anything that might happen.

Beat Your Anxiety!  

If you’re looking for extra support to face your riding anxiety head-on, my Courage Coaching Program is here for you. We’ll work on strategies to strengthen your mindset, embrace challenges, and turn setbacks into steppingstones. Whether you want to improve your riding performance or just build more confidence in everyday life, I’m here to help. 

Click HERE to learn more and join the program. Let’s tackle this journey together!

Riding around the warm-up ring, trying to survive the chaos of horses going in all directions, my nerves made me feel sick before I even entered the ring. All I could think about was keeping my horse safe and the possibility of making a mistake that could hurt him. This was my anxiety—the fear of failure, of causing harm. 

As riders, we all know that feeling of anxiety creeping in—whether it's before a big competition, an unfamiliar course, or just the pressure to perform well. For years, I struggled with anxiety in my riding, and I know many of you can relate. But here's the truth: it doesn’t have to control us. Over time, I discovered a few powerful mindset shifts that helped me finally overcome my anxiety, and I want to share them with you.

The first shift was realizing that mistakes aren’t the enemy—they’re part of the process. For so long, I beat myself up over every misstep. Each mistake felt like failure, and that only fueled my anxiety. But once I embraced imperfection, I started seeing mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. The more I accepted that I wouldn’t be perfect every time, the less pressure I put on myself, and the more I could focus on improving.

Next time you make a mistake, ask yourself: What can I learn from this? Use it as fuel to grow.

Anxiety thrives on fear. For a long time, I avoided the things that made me anxious, but that only let the fear grow. The game-changer for me was leaning into fear with curiosity. Instead of asking, what if I fail? I asked, why do I feel this way? 

Exploring my anxiety helped me understand its root and take away its power. I realized that fear isn’t a signal to stop—it’s a signal to pay attention, learn, and grow. Curiosity is key to overcoming anxiety.

3. Build Momentum – Soak Up Courage Pennies!  

Every time I took a small courageous step; I added a courage penny to my bank. The more courage pennies I collected, the less room there was for anxiety. I started with small, achievable goals—like taking a deep breath before each ride or focusing on one part of my course. Each small win built my confidence and shifted my mindset.

The more I practiced facing anxiety head-on, the more control I gained. Anxiety became less of a roadblock and more of a sign that I was growing.

Beat Your Anxiety!  

If you’re looking for extra support to face your riding anxiety head-on, my Courage Coaching Program is here for you. We’ll work on strategies to strengthen your mindset, embrace challenges, and turn setbacks into steppingstones. Whether you want to improve your riding performance or just build more confidence in everyday life, I’m here to help. 

Click HERE to learn more and join the program. Let’s tackle this journey together!

It was an early, chilly morning—the kind where your breath forms little clouds in the air, and even the horses’ breaths steam in the crisp atmosphere. I stood at the in-gate, trying to memorize my course and the jump-off for the first class of the day. The biting cold made my hands shake, and I could feel the tremors travel all the way to my brain, making it harder to concentrate. With so many jumps to remember, I knew if I didn’t focus, the whole thing could fall apart. 

We all face challenges—whether it’s riding, studying for a test, or dealing with personal struggles. And while these challenges can be daunting, overcoming them builds our mental resilience. As I prepared for my ride, I reflected on how resilience isn’t just about toughing things out—it’s about growing stronger from the obstacles we face.

Here are a few things that have helped me improve my mental resilience over time:

Instead of seeing challenges as roadblocks, try to view them as opportunities to grow. For example, that cold morning at the in-gate wasn’t just about memorizing jumps—it was a chance to strengthen my focus and determination. Write down the challenges in your life and think about how they could help you grow. Even setbacks can lead to valuable lessons if you approach them with the right mindset.

When things don’t go as planned, it’s easy to get frustrated. But I’ve learned that the most valuable lessons come from reflecting on our mistakes. Take a moment to review where things went wrong and consider what you could do differently next time. For me, this meant reviewing how I prepared for that morning’s class and deciding I needed to sharpen my focus in colder weather. This process of reflection helps build mental toughness and resilience for the future.

This is one of my favorite ways to practice resilience. We all have goals we’ve set and, for one reason or another, didn’t achieve. When I look back at my past resolutions—like the ones I made every New Year but never followed through on—I realize that accomplishing them would have brought me joy. But instead of beating myself up, I took a different approach: I set a new goal to laugh 400 times a day. It was too big to measure, but it kept me looking for moments of joy in every day, which made me more resilient in the process.

These are just a few ways to help you develop mental resilience in riding and in life. Remember, the key is not to avoid challenges, but to meet them with a mindset that lets you grow stronger each time.

Ready to build your mental resilience and take your riding (and life) to the next level?
If you’re looking for a little extra guidance and support to help you face challenges head-on and grow stronger, my Courage Coaching Program might be just what you need. Together, we’ll work on strategies to strengthen your mindset, embrace challenges, and turn setbacks into steppingstones.

Whether you’re looking to improve your riding performance or simply build more confidence in everyday life, I’m here to help you take that next step. Click HERE to learn more and join the program. Let’s tackle this journey together!

After my accident, I unknowingly spent 20 years living in my own comfort zone. During this time, I avoided trail riding and hacking out with my horses, things I once loved. When I did the math, it shocked me—those 20 years equaled 7,300 opportunities I missed to trail ride.  We all have that line, the edge that we struggle to cross, maybe it is mounting, trail riding, cantering, or even in some cases, leading your horse.  There is a point, the edge of the comfort zone, that we go from confidence to anxiety or even fear.

Think of your home. It’s your sanctuary, a place where you feel safe and protected from the chaos of the world. Your home is where you rest, recharge, and feel secure. In many ways, your comfort zone is like a subconscious "home" you create for yourself. It’s the mental space where you feel emotionally and physically safe, free from risk, uncertainty, and fear. But just like any home, staying within your comfort zone can eventually limit your experiences and growth.

If you’re stuck in your own comfort zone, it’s time to start earning those Courage Pennies. The first step is always the hardest, but with each small victory, you’ll feel more empowered. To help you get started on your journey, I’m offering a free eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Courage Pennies. Inside, you’ll find simple yet powerful steps to help you build courage and move beyond your comfort zone.

Don’t wait another 7,300 opportunities. Take the first step toward living a fuller, braver life today.

Sitting in the warmup ring on my cute gray thoroughbred mare, tears streaming down my face, realizing that once again, I did not have the confidence to ride her through her attitude.  I got off and handed her to the teenager to get on and work her through her attitude.  What did this young lady have that I didn't have?  Confidence.  She was half my age, had far less riding experience than I did and yet, here I was, sitting on the sidelines while she "fixed" my horse.  We all have those moments when our anxiety and fear get the best of us.

How can we build up our confidence so that we are not the ones sitting on the sidelines?

First, soak up moments of courage outside of riding.  The more confidence and courage you have in anything, the more you have in riding.  Look for little areas in life where you did something you didn't "FEEL" like doing.  You took the courage to do it.  For me, going to the dentist is huge.  I have built up so much confidence, I now sleep at the dentist.  Are there areas in your life outside of riding that you need a bit of courage.  Weight loss?  Getting healthy?  Going to the dentist?  Soak up the courage pennies when you have those moments.

Second, while riding, practice getting a little anxious and then coming back to calm.  For me, the trigger is the horse lifting their head.  I can focus on feeling that anxiety when my horse lifts their head and then feel that go through me and out my fingers and toes.  Filling myself back up with calm.  As I come back to calm, it feels rewarding and the more I do it, the easier it becomes.

Third, focus on where you are going and what you are doing.  Keep the focus on the ride.  Shush the what if and monkey chatter and come back to focus.  We all have that background talk that can escalate our anxiety, but we also have the ability to move past that and focus in the moment.

Building confidence is a process, but it starts with one small step. Whether you're struggling with riding, facing a personal fear, or just trying to boost your everyday courage, every "courage penny" you earn counts. To help you start building your confidence, download my free eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Courage Pennies. Inside, you’ll find practical steps to help you face fear and build a more confident, courageous mindset—both in and out of the saddle.

Start today. You’ve got this.