25/04/2026
When a rider loses confidence, it rarely shows up as just “I don’t want to ride anymore.”
It shows up in the body first.
👉A tight chest before mounting.
👉A stomach drop when the pony moves unexpectedly.
👉Hands that shake when they reach for the reins.
👉A feeling of going blank, freezing, or wanting to get off before they’ve even started.
This is the somatic felt sense of fear after a fall or frightening experience and it’s often what keeps riders stuck long after the incident has passed.
Because even when they want to ride again… their body is still saying “this isn’t safe.”
This is exactly where my rider confidence sessions come in.
I work with both adult & young riders who feel anxious, overwhelmed, or shut down around horses after a fall or loss of confidence.
Using EMDR therapy and nervous system coaching, we gently work with the brain and nervous system to process what happened so the body is no longer reacting as if it’s happening again in real time.
As that fear response starts to settle, something really powerful happens: the rider begins to feel space again.
Calm returns. Breathing changes. They can think clearly, move freely, and start to reconnect with their horse without that constant tension or panic.
I also include an Animal Communication within sessions, which helps deepen understanding between horse and rider, especially when trust has been disrupted.
This isn’t about forcing riders back on.
It’s about changing the internal experience that’s been keeping them stuck.
One parent described it as her daughter going from “unable to mount even the quietest pony” to riding again with joy and confidence within a few sessions. Another rider told me she went from wanting to give up horses completely… to feeling excited about jumping again.
If your child is showing those signs of fear, avoidance, or emotional shutdown around riding, I have availability starting in May. All sessions are online so I can work with people all over the world.
www.jmsequinetherapist.co.uk
