Holistic Horses Nervous Rider Clinics

Course Information
The aim of the course is to help you overcome your fear of riding, however it was created.  This course is about positivity and encouragement.  Nobody has to ride or get on a horse if they don't want to - you can learn just as much from simply participating in the clinic and watching others ride.  If you wish to ride about 25% of the session time will be spent on horse back. You can also bring your own horse if you would prefer.   

We will work with a number of exercises starting with breathing, muscle relaxation vs. muscle tension, body balance and positioning and the effect these have on the horse and rider. These relaxation exercises combined with neuro linguistic programming (NLP) techniques utilised during the clinic will provide with a range of confidence providing tools to draw upon once you are back in your home riding environments  Over the period of the clinic session you will work towards re-programming your body to relax when you feel nervous and therefore sending more positive messages to your horse.

There is a maximum of four participants per clinic.

Lisa's experience of and insight into rider anxiety
"Following an accident in 1993 where I broke my wrist and cut my face badly, I lost my nerve. I would wake up sweating and worrying about what horse I would have to ride (my job at the time involved riding three racehorses a day). I was so full of tension that every horse I sat on was naughty, even the quiet ones. Everyone teased me and said I was a bottle jockey and that I couldn't ride ... I almost believed them and spent a while working in a racing office so I only had to ride out one lot a day ... but something deep inside told me that they were wrong - I knew I could ride - I'd been doing it since I was 3!

It's taken 10 years but I have found a way to overcome my fear of riding.  I am now riding more confidently than I ever did and find horses go better and better for me ....I would like to share some of the ways in which I re-programmed how my muscles worked when I felt nervous and how to think positively to re-train your powerful mind!!"  More information on Lisa

Recent Nervous Rider Clinic Attendee Feedback - 2008 Clinics 

Elizabeth E - e mail received 2nd August
Dear Lisa
Just over a week ago I did not think I would ride my own horse out again...however the course run by Lynn and yourself last weekend certainly changed that.  It was interesting and most beneficial working with everybody.  By the end of the weekend I felt an enormous release.  I now have the tools to enable me to ride out again.  After two lessons in the school last week I achieved my goal on Thursday hacking out on my own horse with you in walk and trot.  Sparsholt and Childrey were encompassed in a huge blue circle!  It was wonderful to be out again, to feel relaxed and enjoy the ride...what an achievement...and I feel really good about myself!!  My horse was happy too!
I have been thinking of everyone and hope they have all had a good week.  Now that we are all armed with our newly acquired tools there will be nothing stopping us.
Love and best wishes to everyone and look forward to hearing how everyone is getting on.
Elizabeth

Kit S - email received 31st March 2008
Hi Lisa,
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the clinic yesterday, I feel that it has been the first step for me to pull myself together! The other girls on the course were so nice and interesting, it was great to meet them too. There was a noticeable improvement in everyone's riding over the day and the quality of your instruction was excellent. Please do add me to your mailing list for any future events.
with kind regards    
Kit

Gemma Travers - email received 2 April 2008
Hi Lisa 
Thank you for a lovely day on Sunday I really enjoyed the clinic and felt I had learned a lot. I rode my horse Bob last night in the school and really enjoyed the whole session. Stayed out for about 30 mins. It was a nice evening but the wind was very blowy and there were a lot of things that might have spooked him, or worried me. We did just walk and trot but it was great, I felt so pleased with myself afterwards. Previously I have only managed 10 mins maximum before my nerves got the better of me. I don't know if I am riding better, have to wait till my next lesson to get feedback on that but I am thinking Jordan/Super model and Bob didn't trip once, so perhaps he's noticed I am more positive. 
thanks again   
Gemma    

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