Have you ever wondered why your horse behaves the way they do? And have you ever found yourself feeling frightened, overwhelmed or unsure what to do when their behaviour catches you off guard?

In this episode of The Rise and Ride Show, I'm joined by Lara Beth, founder of Peninsula Equine Development in Australia and the person behind @equinesystem.

Lara works with horses and riders to develop a better understanding of how horses learn, communicate and respond to the world around them. Her approach encourages riders to look beyond the behaviour itself and consider what's happening for the horse, helping them develop better horsemanship, communication and trust.

This is a subject I'm particularly passionate about through my work with nervous riders. I believe that understanding why a horse might react in a certain way can make such a difference to our confidence.When we don't understand what's happening, it's easy to assume our horse is being naughty, deliberately difficult or even trying to hurt us. But what if we could start looking at things differently?

Horses can certainly be unpredictable and dangerous, but behaviour that looks aggressive or challenging can sometimes be a response to fear, confusion, stress or discomfort. Understanding what's going on can help us respond more thoughtfully, rather than letting our own fear take over.

In this conversation, Lara and I explore:

- Lara's work with horses and riders through Peninsula Equine Development.

- Why understanding horse behaviour matters.

- How the way we interpret our horse's behaviour can affect our confidence.

- The importance of communication, trust and understanding in our relationships with horses.

- Why learning to understand our horses can help us feel more prepared when things don't go to plan.

If you've ever felt frightened by your horse's behaviour, questioned your abilities or wished you could understand what was going on in their head, I hope this conversation helps you look at things from a slightly different perspective. Because rider confidence isn't always about being braver. Sometimes, it's about understanding more, feeling better equipped and knowing how to support both yourself and your horse.

Want some support with your own confidence?

If you're ready to take some time for yourself and work on feeling calmer and more confident with your horse, I have two Rider Confidence Reset options available:

✨ The Rider Reset @ The Well . A group in-person 90 minute session of journalling visualisation and reiki designed to help you pause, reset and reconnect with yourself.

✨ The Private Rider Confidence Reset Session– a personalised 90-minute session via Zoom where we can explore what's holding you back, understand your nerves and create a plan to help you move forward.

You can find Lara and learn more about her work here:Instagram: @theequinesystem

Thank you for listening to The Rise and Ride Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a horsey friend who might find it helpful, and don't forget to follow the show so you don't miss future episodes.

Katy x

Align & Advance

As horse owners, we spend so much of our time looking after our horses.

We think about what they’re eating, how they’re feeling, whether they’re okay, what treatment they need and what we can do to make their lives better.

But sometimes, in all of that caring, we forget about ourselves.

And when our horse is poorly, on box rest, recovering from an injury or going through a difficult period, the emotional load can be huge too.

In this episode, I’m talking about why looking after yourself isn’t selfish — and why the energy and emotional state you bring to your horse can be an important part of your connection.

I also share why I encourage owners to stay during their horse’s Reiki session. I love seeing owners witness their horse’s response, but I also love the idea that they get to pause, breathe and receive some calm themselves.

Because you are part of the relationship too.

We also talk about preparing yourself before you ride and why I created my free Pre-Ride Routine and Confidence Tracker — a simple way to pause, check in with yourself and start your ride from a calmer place.

And if you’re listening and thinking, “Actually, I need some personalised help with my confidence,” you can find out more about my Rider Confidence Reset Session in the link below.

A private 90-minute Zoom session to talk through what’s going on, understand what’s keeping you stuck and create a practical plan to help you move forward.

You don’t have to just push through it.

• Why caring for a horse can be emotionally exhausting

• How easily riders can put themselves last

• Why your own nervous system deserves attention too

• The energy we bring into our interactions with our horses

• Why I encourage owners to stay during Reiki sessions

• How a few minutes of preparation can change the way you approach a ride

• Why I created my Pre-Ride Routine and Confidence Tracker

• A reminder that looking after yourself is part of looking after your horse

Rider Confidence Reset Session

Free Pre-Ride Routine & Confidence Tracker

Consistency is one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting change, whether you're building a business or rebuilding your confidence in the saddle. In this episode of The Rise and Ride Show, Katy Jacks explores why small, consistent actions can be more powerful than huge bursts of motivation. We look at self-employment, creating systems, riding confidence, nervous riders, positive neural pathways, overcoming fear, and how repeated small wins can gradually build confidence, trust and lasting change. You don't need to do everything at once — you just need to keep taking the next small step.

I have created a Pre Ride Routine and Tracker to help you stay consistent, grab it for free here