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

When I first got Toby, my confidence took a massive knock.

I initially thought that if we could improve Toby’s behaviour, my confidence would naturally come back. So the first thing I did was find a great instructor and trainer who could help me understand his behaviour and give us practical tools to use on the ground, while riding and during schooling.

And it worked… Toby’s behaviour improved.

But my nerves didn’t.

That was the moment I realised that rebuilding riding confidence wasn’t just about working with my horse. I needed to work on myself too.

In this episode of The Rise and Ride Show, I’m sharing the three-pronged approach that I developed through my own journey with Toby:

🐴 THE HORSE — training, understanding behaviour and practical tools.

🧠 THE RIDER — mindset, NLP and learning how to understand and regulate my own reactions and nerves.

🤍 THE CONNECTION — Reiki, regulation and developing a deeper sense of connection between horse and rider.

My journey into NLP eventually led me to complete a full NLP course because I wanted to understand it deeply enough to use it to help others, as well as supporting my own daughters with their confidence.

Then came Reiki. My Mum was already a Reiki practitioner, so I was familiar with it, but I decided to learn it for myself and began practicing on myself before going into the barn. I noticed how much it helped me slow down and regulate my own state.

Eventually I wondered: if Reiki was helping me, could it benefit Toby too?

That led me to learn Animal Reiki with the wonderful Sarah Beresford, spending time at her yard learning and practicing with her incredible horses.

Looking back, I can see that I didn't need to choose between working on my horse and working on myself.

I needed to consider the horse, the rider AND the connection between them.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why improving Toby’s behaviour didn’t automatically restore my confidence
• The importance of finding the right trainer and practical support
• How NLP helped me understand my thoughts and reactions
• Why confidence isn’t simply about being brave or pushing through fear
• How I discovered Reiki and began using it for my own regulation
• My experience learning Animal Reiki with Sarah Beresford
• Why the horse, rider and connection all matter
• The three questions I now use when I feel stuck with my riding
• How this experience ultimately shaped the foundations of Align & Advance

If you’ve lost your confidence after a fall, difficult experience, change of horse or period away from riding, I hope this episode reminds you that you don’t necessarily have to simply “get back on” and push through.

Sometimes the answer is to slow down, understand what’s really going on and look at the whole picture.

The horse. The rider. The connection.

Welcome to The Rise and Ride Show — a podcast for horse riders who want to feel calmer, more confident and more connected with their horses.

Download your free Pre-ride Routine and Tracker here

Find out more about Align & Advance:
https://alignandadvance.com

#HorseRiderConfidence #RidingConfidence #NervousRider #HorseRiding #EquestrianConfidence #HorseAndRider #NLP #AnimalReiki #EquineReiki

Do you ever say, “I’m nervous about riding” without really knowing what you’re nervous about?

After watching the highlights from Burghley and Blenheim Horse Trials, I found myself thinking about something really interesting: even the very best riders talk openly about feeling nervous. But their nerves aren't necessarily the same as the nerves experienced by someone who has lost their riding confidence.

In this episode, we explore why understanding exactly what is making you nervous is such an important first step towards rebuilding confidence.

We talk about:

• Why even elite riders experience nerves
• The difference between different types of riding anxiety and fear
• Why simply saying “I’m nervous” doesn't tell us enough
• How your thoughts can reveal what your brain is actually worried about
• Why journaling can be such a useful tool for nervous riders
• The difference between investigating a negative thought and dwelling on it
• How one fear can lead to a much deeper fear underneath it
• Why understanding your personal triggers matters when working on confidence
• A simple exercise to help you uncover exactly what you're afraid might happen

I'll also give you a practical exercise to try this week using one simple question:

“And then what?”

Because before you can start changing a fear, you need to understand what that fear actually is.

If you've lost your confidence after a fall, difficult experience or change in your horse, this episode is a great place to start.

Remember: confidence isn't about never feeling nervous. It's about understanding your nerves and learning how to work with them.

🐴 Free Rider Confidence Resource:
Download my Pre-Ride Routine & Confidence Tracker to help you feel calmer and more prepared before you ride.

Find out more about Rider Confidence Coaching and Equine Reiki with Align & Advance at alignandadvance.com

Subscribe to The Rise and Ride Show for more conversations about horse riding confidence, mindset, nervous riders, equestrian life and the relationship between horse and rider.

In this episode of The Rise and Ride Show, I’m joined by Danielle from Eventing Sir Freddles to hear the incredible story of how her event horse became an accidental Facebook purchase!

Danielle shares the injuries Sir Freddles has suffered throughout his journey, including his diagnosis of acute Kissing Spine. Faced with the decision of whether to put him through surgery, Danielle chose a different route and developed her own rehabilitation plan.

What followed was a challenging, emotional and incredibly rewarding journey. Her hard work not only helped Sir Freddles enormously but also impressed his vets.

We chat about his recovery, the dedication required to rehabilitate a horse, and the determination it takes to find a way forward when things don’t go according to plan.

If you love eventing, enjoy real-life horse stories or are interested in Kissing Spine, equine injuries and rehabilitation, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Follow Danielle and Sir Freddles on Instagram: @EventingSirFreddles

🎧 Subscribe to The Rise and Ride Show for more honest, inspiring conversations with equestrians.

Remember to like, subscribe and share if you enjoyed the episode!

#Eventing #KissingSpine #HorseRehabilitation #EquestrianPodcast #SirFreddles

Have you ever been told you're "too sensitive"?

Maybe you've been called emotional, an overthinker, or someone who takes things to heart. If so, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Rise & Ride, we're exploring the trait of high sensitivity and why it may actually be one of your greatest strengths as a horse rider.

Many sensitive riders assume that their emotions are holding them back, but what if your ability to notice the smallest changes, build deep partnerships with your horse, and care so deeply about doing the right thing is actually your superpower?

We'll also look at the challenges that can come with being highly sensitive—such as overthinking, fear of judgement, and feeling overwhelmed in busy environments—and, most importantly, how to work with your nervous system instead of against it.

Whether you identify as a Highly Sensitive Person or simply recognise that you feel things deeply, you'll come away with practical strategies to help you feel calmer, more confident, and more in tune with both yourself and your horse.

• What it means to be a highly sensitive person (HSP)

• Why sensitivity is a personality trait, not a weakness

• The strengths that sensitive riders bring to their horses

• How overstimulation can affect confidence and performance

• Why sensitive riders often overthink lessons and competitions

• Practical ways to protect your energy and regulate your nervous system

• How to stop seeing sensitivity as something to "fix" and start embracing it as a strength

Remember, confidence isn't about changing who you are. It's about understanding yourself, working with your natural strengths, and creating an environment where both you and your horse can thrive.

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you could follow Rise & Ride, leave a review, and share it with a fellow rider who might need this reminder today.

If you're ready to take the next step in rebuilding your riding confidence, I'd love to support you through my coaching programmes. You can also connect with me on social media for more confidence tips, encouragement, and behind-the-scenes content.

Thank you for listening to Rise & Ride. Until next time, remember that your sensitivity isn't something to hide—it may just be the quality that helps you become the rider your horse needs most.

In this episode, we discuss:

In this episode of the Rise and Ride Show, I'm joined by dressage rider, equestrian coach, and founder of Equestrian Heroes, Alison Kenward.

Alison shares her fascinating riding journey, from representing her country in international polocrosse to training and competing in New Zealand and South Africa. Throughout our conversation, she explains how these experiences have shaped the way she now coaches riders and helps them develop confidence, stronger partnerships, and greater enjoyment with their horses.

We explore why every rider's journey is unique, how confidence is built through understanding rather than perfection, and why developing a genuine connection with your horse is often the key to unlocking better riding.

Whether you're struggling with confidence, looking to improve your partnership with your horse, or simply love hearing inspiring equestrian stories, this episode is packed with practical insights and plenty of encouragement.

In this episode we discuss:

• Alison's journey from polocrosse to dressage
• Training and competing in New Zealand and South Africa
• How different riding disciplines shape better horsemen and horsewomen
• Building confidence through understanding rather than force
• Creating a stronger connection with your horse
• Alison's coaching philosophy and approach
• Why enjoyment should remain at the heart of riding
• Lessons learned from years of riding, coaching and competing

If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another rider who could benefit from hearing Alison's inspiring story.

Connect with Alison Kenward
https://www.equestrianheroes.com/

🎙 Rise and Ride Show is the podcast for horse riders who want to build confidence, overcome nerves, and enjoy riding again. Each week, Katy Jacks shares practical advice and inspiring conversations to help you create a calmer, happier partnership with your horse.

www.alignandadvance.com