Fear has a sneaky way of making us forget why we started riding in the first place. It can turn something we once loved into a source of stress, causing us to overthink every step. But what if we could tap back into the effortless joy we used to feel?
Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, let’s take a new approach—one that brings back the excitement, wonder, and deep connection that horses once gave us.
A Different Way to Find Confidence
Confidence doesn’t always come from pushing through fear. Sometimes, it comes from remembering what it felt like before fear took over. Think about when you first fell in love with horses—before anxiety, before self-doubt.
Was it the feeling of freedom?
The trust between you and your horse?
The simple happiness of being in the moment?
Try this: Find an old picture of yourself with a horse or write about a favorite horse memory. What did that version of you believe? How did they see riding differently than you do now?
Feel Before You Think
When fear creeps in, we tend to analyze everything—what could go wrong, how we might fail, what mistakes we need to avoid. But confidence doesn’t start in the mind. It starts in the body.
Instead of overthinking your next ride, try this: Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and let yourself feel what it’s like to ride with joy. Imagine the rhythm of the trot, the steady beat of hoofprints in the sand, the way your horse responds to your cues. Let your body remember that sensation before you even step into the stirrup.
Bring Playfulness Back Into the Saddle
Fear often makes us take riding too seriously. But horses don’t live in the past or the future—they live in the moment. What if you let yourself do the same?
Try this: The next time you ride, set a small, playful goal. Maybe it’s playing a game like "I Spy", trying a new path, or simply laughing at your horse’s silly antics. Give yourself permission to enjoy the ride without pressure.
Confidence isn’t something you force—it’s something you rediscover. And sometimes, the best way forward is to take a new route back to joy.
Ready to build your confidence and shift your mindset?
Boost your confidence in just 7 days! 🐴 Get your daily journal prompt, affirmation, and action step—join the challenge now! March 17 - 23, 2025 (replays available after this)
We’ve all been there, standing at the mounting block, gripping the reins, and bracing for something to go wrong. But what if we flipped the script? What if, instead of preparing for failure, we opened ourselves up to success?
The way we think about riding shapes our experience in the saddle. Fear keeps us stuck in worst-case scenarios, but courage invites us to consider: What if everything goes right?
The Power of a Positive "What If"
Your brain is wired to protect you. When you imagine falling, freezing up, or making a mistake, your body responds as if it’s happening in real time. But here’s the secret: your brain also responds to positive visualizations. If you picture yourself riding with ease, feeling the rhythm, and handling challenges with confidence, your body will start to believe in that reality.
Try this: Before your next ride, close your eyes and imagine it going exactly how you want. See yourself breathing deeply, feeling connected to your horse, and finishing with a smile.
Train Your Brain to Expect Success
We often rehearse failure without even realizing it. We replay past mistakes, dwell on fears, and assume the worst. But you can retrain your mind to expect success. Start small—catch yourself when you’re predicting disaster and replace that thought with a positive possibility.
Instead of: What if I lose control?
Try: What if I ride with confidence?
Try: What if I ride with confidence?
Instead of: What if my horse spooks?
Try: What if we stay calm and connected?
Try: What if we stay calm and connected?
Live in the Moment
When we’re stuck in the “what ifs,” we miss out on what’s actually happening. Instead of worrying about what might go wrong, be present with what is going right. Feel the warmth of the sun, listen to your horse’s breathing, and appreciate the simple joy of being in the saddle.
Courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s choosing to ride anyway. So, what if today is the day it all goes right?
7 Day Confidence Challenge:
Boost your confidence in just 7 days, and it is free! 🐴 Get your daily journal prompt, affirmation, and action step—join the challenge now! March 17 - 23, 2025 (replays after those dates)
Fear has a way of keeping us stuck. One anxious thought leads to another, and before you know it, you're trapped in a cycle of hesitation, doubt, and avoidance. But fear doesn’t have to control your riding journey. By shifting how you respond to fear, you can transform it into a steppingstone toward courage.
Step 1: Recognize Fear as a Habit, Not a Truth
Fear often becomes an automatic response—one that plays on repeat in your mind. But just like any habit, it can be changed. The next time fear arises, pause and notice it without judgment. Instead of thinking, I’m scared, so I can’t do this, try saying, I’m feeling fear, but I can still take a step forward.
Step 2: Give Fear a Job
Fear has a purpose—it’s meant to keep you safe. But left unchecked, it takes over and stops you from growing. Instead of letting fear be in charge, assign it a job. Let it be a signal to check your surroundings, take a deep breath, and adjust as needed. Then, remind yourself that you have other tools to rely on, like focus, trust, and preparation.
Step 3: Collect Small Wins for Big Confidence
Courage isn’t about one big, fearless moment—it’s about small, consistent steps. Every time you challenge fear, even in tiny ways, you’re making a deposit into your confidence bank. Maybe today, that means simply tacking up your horse with a calm mindset. Tomorrow, it could be a short ride in the arena. Over time, these “Courage Pennies” add up, making fear a smaller presence in your journey.
Breaking the fear cycle takes practice, but with awareness, new tools, and small acts of courage, you’ll find yourself riding with confidence and joy again.
Ready to build your courage step by step? The Courage Pennies eBook is your guide to taking small, confidence-boosting actions that add up to big change.
Fear has a way of piling up like clutter in a tack room—old fears mix with new ones, creating a mess that weighs us down. But what if you could clean out that mental space and replace fear with confidence? Just like organizing your riding gear, sorting through your fears can help you regain clarity and control.
Step 1: Identify Your Fear Clutter
Take a moment to think about the fears that have been lingering. Some fears might be useful—like respecting a horse’s signals—but others might just be outdated worries you’ve outgrown. Write them down and ask yourself: Is this still relevant? If not, it’s time to let it go.
Step 2: Reframe the “What Ifs”
Fear often sneaks in through worst-case scenarios. Instead of letting your mind spiral into "What if I fall?" or "What if my horse spooks?", try flipping the script. "What if I ride well?" or "What if my horse and I connect?" Changing the story you tell yourself shifts your mindset and creates space for courage. Practice your courageous "what if's".
Step 3: Replace Fear with Action
Once you've cleared out unnecessary fear, it’s time to fill that space with confidence-building actions. Instead of focusing on what scares you, create a small, positive routine—like breathing exercises before mounting, running through a pre-ride checklist, or visualizing a smooth ride with all the details and the amazing feeling. The more you practice courage, the stronger it becomes.
Fear will always try to sneak back in, but when you keep your mental space tidy, it has less room to grow. Just like maintaining an organized tack room, regularly clearing out fear makes it easier to focus on what truly matters—enjoying the ride.
Ready to clear out fear and make room for confidence? Courage Coaching can help you take the next step toward fearless riding. Schedule a chat to see if this would be a good fit for you and find out about the coaching options I offer.
Panic surged through me as the horse reared, fell backward, and came crashing down. Time slowed. I had no control over what was about to happen. There was nothing I could do to stop it.
This memory played on an automatic loop inside my head—again and again, like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. Worse than that, I told the story to anyone who would listen. Each time, it grew bigger, more intense, and more real in my mind. I knew that what we focus on expands, but I had no idea how to stop feeding the fear.
The truth is, we all have these mental replays—stories running on a loop, sometimes without us even realizing it. They shape our emotions, our confidence, and our ability to move forward.
But here’s the shocking truth: we have the power to change the story. This realization sent me on a mission to rewire my memory of the accident.
Here’s how you can do the same:
Think about your favorite cartoon. If you don’t have one, stop right now and go watch a few Looney Tunes episodes on YouTube until you find one that makes you laugh. (Trust me, it’s worth it.) I personally love Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner for this exercise.
Once you have a cartoon in mind, start transforming your scary memory into a ridiculous animated scene. For me, I pictured myself as the Road Runner and my horse as Wile E. Coyote.
To make it even funnier, I put ballet slippers on the horse and wrapped a bright pink tutu around his belly. I gave myself the cute little Road Runner feathers and imagined my legs whirring like a blur. The coyote (a.k.a. my horse) used an ACME contraption to try and take me out—but just like in the cartoons, the giant weight flipped on him and squished him instead!
And me? I popped right back up, let out a little "Meep Meep!" and dashed off, leaving a trail of dust behind me.
I kept adding more details—more color, more absurdity—until eventually, whenever I started to think about that accident, I couldn’t stop laughing.
The funnier, the better.
As you build your cartoon, that is what you share when you talk about it to others. Now we want to expand the replay and have it become the new replay track. We rewire to the cartoon.
Do you need a little more help creating your cartoon? Let’s explore this together and I will see if I can help you out. Book your free chat now and take the first step toward finding your new replay. I have helped clients with both courage coaching and hypnotherapy to overcome their anxiety and enjoy life again.
