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7 Steps to Quickly Calm Horse Riding Nerves


By Anne Gage, The Horse Riding Confi- dence Coach


and you notice that you’re feeling anxious. Maybe that uncomfortable feeling started as you were driving to the barn. Or when you were still at home. You were looking forward to going


You’re getting ready to ride your horse


steps to almost instantly change how you’re feeling.


Step 1: Find a quiet, comfortable spot where you can be on your own for a few minutes. Sit or lie down and allow yourself to relax. Begin taking deep calm breaths. Focus on finding a rhythm that’s comfort- able for you. Just noticing each inhale and exhale.


Karen Dallimore, OAC ‘85 Great Beginnings


Horse Basics is a coaching service for horses and their handlers based in Orton, Ontario. Call me to find out how I can help you with


handling and husbandry, goal setting, Extreme Cowboy obstacle work, recreational riding or just plain enjoying your horse. For more infor-


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outwardly. It actually brings a smile to your face when you think that time.


cific experience or event that it is so pow- erful


that you smile inwardly and


Step 3: Start really focusing on that time now. Create a detailed picture of it in your mind’s eye. Just as if you were watching yourself in that moment. Observe it as if


Step 2: As you’re feeling more relaxed and calm, recall a memory of a time when you were feeling some sort of positive emotion. A positive emotion you would like to have now. You might want to feel happy, grate- ful, excited, confident, loved, energetic, or enthusiastic. For example, you might recall a time when you were with friends laughing hysterically and uncontrollably. Be sure to recall a memory of a spe-


you have the ability to change how you’re feeling in just a few minutes. That you can get back that feeling of happy anticipation of riding! Just follow these seven easy, effective


riding, but now you’re wondering if you should. What would you say if I told you that


can. Recall what your surroundings were like. If there were other people or animals there, include them in your mental picture. And don’t worry if you can’t get a really clear picture. Just get a sense of what it was like for you to be in that experience.


side of the experience observing it and yourself. Now bring in as much detail as you


Step 4: Add even more energy and detail to your picture to make it even stronger. Notice the facial expressions, body lan- guage and posture of yourself and others in that experience. Are you smiling or laugh- ing? What are you doing? Bring in as much of those details as you can and really soak up that whole experience.


Step 5: Continue to focus on that picture as you build it with your eyes closed. Add even more energy to it now by bringing in colour, sounds, even smells. You can zoom in like you’re looking through a camera lens and make it bigger.


cally that’s when you’ve truly connected to that memory. Just sit quietly and enjoy this feeling (or feelings) for a few moments. Re- ally steep yourself in that emotion - absorb- ing all that good energy coming from that memory. Step 7: Focus on your breath as you take in


Step 6: Hold the memory of this specific event clearly in your mind now. Really see what you saw. Hear what you heard. Feel what you felt. Emotionally and physically. Give yourself over to that feeling and to all those feelings until you physically feel them in your body. When you feel it in your body physi-


a few deep calm breaths in a comfortable rhythm. And then when you’re ready, open your eyes and notice how good you feel now.


you’ll get into the pattern of being able to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, quickly bring that memory into your mind’s eye, and be feeling those feelings instantly.


tionally you can just take yourself back to this memory or pick another memory and apply these 7 simple steps. By practicing this exercise often,


Whenever you want to feel better emo-


you’re off to the side. It’s as if you’re look- ing at a picture or a movie of yourself. If you like, you can float up above and be looking down on the whole scene and on yourself. The important part is that you are out-


BIO: Anne Gage, The Horse Riding Con- fidence Coach, began specialising in help- ing anxious horse riders after losing her own riding confidence. As a recovered anx- ious rider, she knows what it’s like to be truly terrified to ride. She also knows how important the relationship between horse and rider is in confidence. Anne’s unique coaching approach includes riding skills combined with qualifications in equine be- haviour, NLP and hypnosis. (But don’t worry, she won’t have you clucking like a chicken!). Find out more at www.confiden- thorsemanship.com


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