From Fear to Freedom – How Client Z Rediscovered Their Riding Confidence

The Challenge: "I Loved Riding... Until I Didn't". How to stop being nervous when riding.

Let’s be honest—there’s nothing worse than loving horses but being terrified to ride your own. That’s where Client Z was when we first started working together. They’d owned their horse for a year, but what should have been exciting rides had turned into a battle with their own mind. After having a horse of a lifetime, then a break after losing her, she bought an ex racer and for a variety of reasons, her confidence just started to dip and slowly disappeared. The client wanted to learn how to stop being nervous when riding.

Picture this: You’ve brushed your horse, tacked up, maybe even warmed up on the ground. Then comes the moment of truth—foot in the stirrup, ready to swing up… and bam. That wave of nausea hits. Your heart races. Suddenly, every excuse feels valid (“He seems fresh today” or “Maybe tomorrow”). And the worst part? Your horse picks up on that tension, making both of you spiral.

Z knew logically their horse was capable and safe. But after a particularly tough winter where their horse felt “too much,” avoidance had become the norm. The more they put off riding, the bigger the fear grew. And let’s not even talk about the comparison trap (“Why can’t I ride like the pros?”) or the guilt (“I’m failing my horse”).

Client Z came to me after with some real physical and mental symptoms

• Sick and anxious feeling in chest.

• Shoulders tense up and find herself in the feotal position (this is a common one!).

• Constant 'what if's'

• "I can't do this"

• Guilt about "failing" their horse

"I’d get my foot in the stirrup and feel sick. My anxiety made my horse tense too – it became a vicious cycle."

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How we approached her Rider Confidence:

The Turning Point: Permission to Go Slow

1. Removing the "Shoulds"

• First breakthrough: "It’s okay to take a break from riding while we rebuild."

• Key Insight: Giving Z permission to pause reduced their guilt.

2. Introduced relaxation

• Using hypnotherapy we spent time allowing this client to totally relax and focus on the present. We then used this feeling of relaxation and introduced it into riding experience's through hypnotherapy.

• By practicing the feeling of relaxation in hypnotherapy, she could easily recall those feelings in those real life scenarios.

3. Give permission to do less

In our first session I told the client to not ride this week...... And then slowly introduced each step progressively.

We broke riding down into micro-steps, using hypnosis after each:

1. Weeks 1-2: Just grooming and groundwork

2. Weeks 3-4: Foot in stirrup → immediate reward (then stop)

3. Weeks 5-6: Mounting → walk 10 steps

4. Weeks 7+: Gradual additions (trot, then canter)

4. Rewiring Negative Thoughts

• Old Pattern: "I can’t handle this horse."

• New Mantra: "I am the right rider for this journey." (Repeated during bonding time)

• "What If" Strategy:

• "What if he spooks?" → "I’ll breathe and remember my training."

We used Habit Stacking to bring these new mantras into existing habits to really reinforce and adopt these new mindsets.

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The Results: A Completely New Mindset

Physical Changes:

• Mounting without panic attacks

• Riding calmly, even on "fresh" days

Mental Shifts:

• "I ride because I want to – not because I have to."

• "My progress isn’t about others – it’s about us."

Natural use of coping tools:

• "Tomorrow is another day."

• "Done is better than perfect."

In Z’s Words:

"After a complete loss of confidence, Kerry helped me work through this and get back to enjoying my horse again. Highly recommended!"

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Lessons for Other Riders

1. This is supposed to be fun: so if you don't want to ride right now, don't force it, your horse will thank you!

2. Micro-Progress Matters: Celebrate simply tacking up without anxiety.

3. Thoughts Aren’t Facts: Self-doubt can be reshaped.

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If you are struggling with your confidence, in a constant battle with your brain of what you think you should be doing, get in touch. Our 121 CBT & Hypnotherapy help riders truly regain the love for this amazing hobby (passion). Clients typically get results in 4-6 sessions that last a lifetime!