About the Author

Elise Hittinger - Courage Coach

Elise is a Courage Coach, Certified Hypnotherapist, and NLP Practitioner dedicated to helping anxious equestrians get out of their heads and back in the saddle with calm and confidence. Through her "Turn Riding Fear Around Podcast" and bestselling book, 'Rise from Fear to Courage,' she empowers riders to quiet the noise, reset their nervous systems, and reconnect with the joy of riding. She leads a thriving community of over 1,600 riders in her 'Overcoming Anxiety & Fear Horseback Riding' Facebook group. Learn more about Elise's transformative coaching through a Calm-Ride Strategy call.

Calm

You Can’t Calm Your Mind Without Your Body

You Can’t Calm Your Mind Without Your Body

When anxiety shows up, most riders go straight to their thoughts.

“Calm down.”
“Don’t think about it.”
“You’re fine.”

And yet… nothing changes.

Your mind keeps racing.
Your body stays tight.
Your horse feels every bit of it.

Because here’s the truth:

You can’t calm your mind without your body.

Your body and your brain are constantly talking to each other.
If your body feels tense, braced, or on edge, your brain assumes something must be wrong. It doesn’t matter how logical your thoughts are—your nervous system is already in charge.

It’s the same thing we see with our horses.

A horse doesn’t suddenly explode out of nowhere. First, their body tells the story.
They tighten.
They lift their head.
Their breathing changes.

And if we ignore those early signs, things escalate.

We understand this so well with our horses.
But with ourselves? We try to think our way through it.

What actually works is much simpler.

You start with the body.

When you soften your shoulders…
when you slow your breathing…
when you shift your physical state, even just a little…

Your brain gets a different message:

“We’re okay.”

And from there, your thoughts begin to follow.

This is why trying to “fix your mindset” without including your body feels so frustrating. You’re working against the very system that’s trying to protect you.

Instead, think of it like riding.

You don’t pull harder on the reins when your horse is tense—you help them relax through movement, softness, and rhythm. Your body leads, and their mind settles.

It works the same way for you.

Lead your body first.
Your mind will come with you.

And when that happens, everything changes.

You can think clearly again.
You can respond instead of react.
You can ride the moment you’re in—not the one your mind is imagining.

👉 If you want help learning how to calm your body and mind together (so it actually sticks), book your Calm-Ride Strategy Call and let’s map out your next step.


Anxiety Isn’t Weakness—It’s the Beginning of Your Strength

Anxiety Isn’t Weakness—It’s the Beginning of Your Strength
When anxiety shows up, it’s easy to think something has gone awry.

That you’ve lost your confidence.
That things shouldn’t feel this hard.
That you should be past this by now.

But what if anxiety isn’t a step backward at all?

What if it’s the very beginning of your strength?

After my accident, fear didn’t just show up… it stayed.
Every ride felt like a challenge. My body reacted before I could think, and I kept wondering how to get back to feeling like myself again.

What I didn’t understand then is what I know now:
every small step toward calm is like flexing a muscle.

At first, it feels weak. Shaky. Unreliable.
You take a breath and it barely helps.
You try again and it still feels hard.

But every time you pause…
every time you choose to breathe…
every time you stay calm a bit longer...

You are building strength.

Not the loud, fearless kind.
The quiet kind.

The kind that grows in the background until one day you realize—
you’re not reacting the same way anymore.

Your breathing steadies faster.
Your body softens sooner.
Your thoughts don’t run as far.

That’s not luck. That’s training.

Just like building muscle in your body, your mind and nervous system adapt to what you practice.
And when you practice calm—even in small moments—you’re teaching yourself something powerful:

“I can handle this.”

Over time, something shifts.

You become the calm in the eye of the storm.
Chaos might still happen around you—a spook, a moment of uncertainty, a surge of nerves—but you’re no longer pulled into it.

You can think.
You can respond.
You can ride.

That’s strength.

So if anxiety has been showing up for you, don’t see it as a problem.

See it as your starting point.

Because every moment you choose calm over chaos, you’re not just getting through the ride—

You’re getting stronger.

👉 If you’re ready to build that strength faster and with the right tools, book your Calm-Ride Strategy Call and let’s map out your next step forward.





How Rider Fear Creates the Spooks We’re Trying to Avoid

How Rider Fear Creates the Spooks We’re Trying to Avoid
We’ve all been there—riding along when suddenly our horse spooks at something seemingly harmless: a gust of wind, a squirrel, a shadow. But what if the real trigger isn’t the environment… it’s us?

Horses are prey animals, wired to detect subtle shifts in energy and emotion. They don’t just respond to what’s around them—they respond to us. When we ride with fear, tension, or anticipation of something going wrong, our horse picks up on it. That nervous energy becomes part of the moment, and suddenly, the rustling leaves feel like a threat.
I used to think my horse was just “spooky.” But over time, I realized he was reacting to me. My tight grip, shallow breathing, and hyper-focus on potential dangers were sending signals that something was wrong—even when it wasn’t.

Here’s what I learned:
  • Fear is contagious. Horses mirror our emotional state. If we’re anxious, they become alert. If we’re calm, they settle.
  • Focus matters. When we fixate on what might spook our horse, we unintentionally amplify it. Instead, redirect your focus to what’s going well—your rhythm, your connection, your breath.
  • Confidence is a skill. You don’t have to be fearless—you just need tools to manage fear. Grounding exercises, breathwork, and mindset shifts can help you ride with clarity instead of tension.
The truth is, most horses aren’t spooked by nature. They’re spooked by the energy we (or the herd) bring to it. Wind, wildlife, and weather are part of their world. But when we layer fear on top of those elements, we create a story they start to believe.

So next time your horse spooks, ask yourself: Was I already bracing for it?  If the answer is yes, don’t beat yourself up—just get curious. Because the more we understand our own psychology, the better leaders we become in the saddle.


Why Calm Riders Create Confident Horses

Why Calm Riders Create Confident Horses
I used to think calm horses created calm riders—until I had a “been there, done that” jumper that I made anxious. What?? Yes, it was me, not him.

He was such a good boy, even with my extreme tension. But over time, he started reacting—triggered by my fears. Especially at the in-gate, waiting to go in for our jumper rounds. 

That’s where my nerves were at their peak.

As I worked on my confidence, I could feel him shifting back to confidence too. It didn’t happen overnight. It took time for him to trust me again. But once he did, our shared confidence led to more enjoyable rides—even in competition.

A few things I realized:

  1. You can’t fake it ‘til you make it with horses.  They know. You actually have to find real ways to feel confident. My favorite strategy was focusing on things I was confident in—even if they weren’t directly related to the fear. For example, I felt confident hacking, so I focused on walking to the warm-up ring and moving him laterally. I didn’t think about the course or the jumping at all. Focusing on what I could do helped me stay grounded, and once I was in the ring, I was fine.
  2. The little things matter.  As soon as an anxious thought popped into my head, I’d replace it with something else—before it spiraled into a whole chain of anxiety. I practiced this even when I wasn’t riding, so it became second nature in the saddle. The key was catching that very first thought.
  3. Build a foundation of courage.  The “courage pennies” concept helped me so much. Every time I did something that showed confidence or courage, I added it to my mental bank. Over time, those pennies built a solid foundation.(Want to learn more? Grab The Ultimate Guide to Courage Pennies—get your eBook here!)

The truth is: a rider’s confidence has more impact on a horse’s confidence than we realize.  Building our own confidence is a skill—and it’s one that can transform our rides, our connection, and our joy in the saddle.



This Simple Daily Habit Is the #1 Way to Beat Anxiety

This Simple Daily Habit Is the #1 Way to Beat Anxiety
I found my anxiety increasing over the years after my accident. No matter how hard I tried to rebuild my confidence, I felt like a failure. Nothing seemed to work.

What I realized—like many of you—was that I was trying to reclaim my confidence all at once. I knew what it felt like to be confident, but I didn’t think to break it down into smaller steps. I was trying to climb Everest in a day instead of following a process, step by step.

Then everything changed.

I started using something I call Courage Pennies. Not in one giant leap, but in small steps—penny by penny—I began to beat anxiety. I created a daily habit of noticing the little acts of courage and confidence I was doing every day. That habit started small, but it built into the confidence I knew I had inside me.

I share all the details in my free eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Courage Pennies.
👉 Grab your free Courage Penny guide here!

How to Start Your Courage Penny Habit Today

  1. Get a pretty jar (or visualize one—but I recommend starting with a real jar).
  2. Look for small acts of confidence throughout your day. You get to decide what counts. It might be doing the dishes, going for a walk, or even just getting dressed.
  3. Assign a value—decide how many courage pennies each act is worth and drop that many pennies into your jar (or visualize it filling up).
  4. Celebrate daily—at the end of each day, look at your jar and reflect. Be grateful for the small steps. Feel how they begin to fill you up and gently push the anxiety out. This part is crucial.
You can do this, I believe in you!





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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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