I’m temporarily out of the saddle due to a freak accident. The initial tears I cried were not of pain, but fear as the image sank in of "Knight" spiraling...
I am embarrassed to admit this, but I have some serious riding anxiety. I did not start riding with this fear of horses when I was a first grader back...
One of my students came up to me a few weeks ago and started listing her goals for the season. Being a goal oriented person myself, I was intrigued. Claire...
Leaving my overscheduled workday behind, I’m greeted by a whinny. If I linger too long outside, the pony neighs loudly. Nearing her stall, I try to let go of frustrations...
When I was fifteen, my trainer pulled my mother aside and recommended that I see a sports psychologist. She said I was a much more capable rider than I gave...
Expectations matter. Amy Cuddy's viral Ted Talk on “power posing” left millions clamoring: simply raising our arms above our head can trick our brains into feeling more powerful. We can fake it until...
Fear of fence height is pretty normal. Most horses and riders who jump at all are comfortable at 2 feet because most horses can almost walk over 2 feet. Even 2'3"...
People watching you. people evaluating you. YOU in the spotlight. This type of fear is a common performance fear. For some, it’s intense and debilitating. For others, an occasional nuisance. So what can...
Engagement—The act of flexing the hocks, stepping under the body, planting the hooves, and lifting. The forehand gradually becomes lighter as the hindquarters become stronger. Think of dressage training, therefore,...
Dealing with anxiety at a show, or in any context for that matter, requires the effective application of certain skills. As much as many of us would love a quick...
Why do show hunters, equitation riders and horse show pleasure riders so often lope along in that "dead zone" canter? Part of the answer must be that the slower, more...
Perhaps one of the most destructive of all emotions is fear of failure. This is not your normal everyday fear of being injured; it’s the fear of making a mistake,...
