Brain Training for Riders: Unlock Your Riding Potential with StressLess Techniques for Conquering Fear, Improving Performance, and Finding Focused Calm

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

Really addresses the fear we feel sometimes when working around such large animals! It made me feel like there are a lot of people out there dealing with lack of confidence around horses--even their own.

This book helped me in more ways than just riding! It didn't cure my anxiety, but it helped me manage it to a better extent. I highly recommend this book to anyone suffering from anxiety and PTSD, riders or otherwise.

This book is a useful and insightful resource for anyone who rides a horse and cares about doing it well. Whether you compete in high-level equestrian sports or just ride in your backyard and want to be confident and improve your skills, this book is for you! The author's background as a counselor and also as a competitive rider are the perfect combination. This book has helped me more than years of riding lessons in the confidence department. Lots of useful tips, exercises and perspectives on how to be your best on your horse.

Incredibly powerful exercises and explanations that helped me get to root of things that have been holding me back from performing at my best. While this book is tailored to riding, I think the concepts and explorations are also applicable to other sports. I've been doing the exercises and already am noticing a difference in how I approach "scary" scenarios and work through them. This is a game changer, and I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone looking to work through riding confidence issues and wanting to better understand the body's reactions to fear.

A little humor thrown in to some beneficial practices that can aid in changing perceptions. I enjoyed this book and just like a run away horse, it is good to squeeze the reins on our thoughts, we dont need em!

This author has a masters degree in counseling, works both as a counselor and a riding instructor, and competes in jumping and dressage. I trust that she is competent to give advice. While I do not have a fear problem to overcome, I do have serious pre-competition jitters. I believe that her ideas will be useful for me.

This is a " living life read" not just how to function better with your horse. The writing style, how the info is presented, is exceptional.

This book is for the equestrian, young and old, who wants to improve their riding. Andrea has an understanding why a rider is being challenged and how to help them.

Super easy and interesting to read since it's written for riders, by a rider. I haven't even finished the book, and it totally changed my riding. I got my Mo-Jo back!

I can't say enough great things about this book! After a couple of years off from jumping I tried to go back to it and drove myself crazy...no matter how excited I got, when the fence was coming I would just "freeze". This book helped me do exactly what I wanted, which was get my brain calmed down so I could relax and enjoy doing what I love!!

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

I liked this book so well I gifted it to a very good rider who competes and another friend who has anxiety after a riding mishap

If you are having the kind of "chatterbrain" that won't let you off the hook for anything, then you might want to give this book a chance. The author is a psychologist, but don't let that stop you. This isn't a book by someone who wants to tell you ignorant civilians about your problems. She is an eventer. She has walked the walk. And walked back following her horse enough times to tell it like it is. Clear and understandable text, interesting exercises, and good humor.

Great book, easy to read. Really helped me to over come the fears that were getting in the way of riding. I recommend this book highly if you have some fear issues to over come.

This book should be required reading for all equestrians. We all get into our heads about something and this book really changed how I conquer fears and apprehensions while riding. Love love love!

This has been by far the best book I've ridden about stress and anxiety related to riding. Great exercises to do to help you along. Not a boring book at all.

Not much "new" information but I like the author's writing style. I will be sharing this with my fellow riders.

This is a great book for horse riders. I had a bad fall jumping and it got me back on a horse with a new attitude. Really worth the time to read.

Good book; good service. It's already shifted my riding anxiety!

A wonderful book, I’ve struggled with confidence issues following a bad fall years ago, and this has helped immensely with my mental game. I coach IHSA and encourage my riders to read it as well if they have confidence issues or just need help mentally .

I don't think this book will ever go on the bookshelf because I'm going to keep referring to it. It is written with a sense of humor that made it easy to read. I feel like the author and I are pals.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

like ideas in the book interesting

Wonderful. So grateful to find an author that's both equestrian and psychotherapist. Accurate information that is helpful for all types of riders.

Fear. Is in the mind

This book speaks to me on so many levels! I was totally unaware of a Lizard Brain and reading about it was like reading about myself. It has helped me recognize when my Lizard Brain is in high gear and how to disengage it. Love it!!

Excellent book! I had the p,ensure of attending a Ms Waldo workshop and that was excellent too. Very easy to read - not "stuffy"

This book takes a look at human psychology and does a great job at explaining how the fight or flight response can interfere with our sporting endeavors. I enjoyed this book!

I would say the best book on the mental game for riders I have ever read

It's always a plus to be aware of what drives our reactions !

This is a good book. It is geared primarily to the English rider but the principles in the book apply to all riders.

Whether you had a bad fall or not, whether your ride competitively or just for fun...this book is for every one of us! I highly recommend it and if you can attend a workshop by Andrea you'll be all the more enlightened.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

A very informative read, it has been helpful to my students as well as very helpful to me.

Great read

very helpful!

Currently reading. Very good.

Clear, and thought provoking. Loved the bit humour that was scattered through it ro lighten the seriousness of the topic.

Excellent book. Well worth the read

I loved the education, techniques, and personal insight found in this book. I have even been teaching my children about their lizard brain and how to work through their moments of anxiety in everyday problems! Love it! Wish I would have bought a hardcopy though.

This was pretty much common knowledge.

Very informative, easy to read, lots of good information written by someone who can relate because she is an event rider herself.

Interesting and helpful.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

A good book, with lots of nice exercises. Easy read, but you have to work hard to implement this and it will take a lot of time.

Practical helpful.

Such sound advice! So easy to read and put into practice. Would recommend to riders of all ages and experience.

Best book I've read for focus and competition!

Great book awesome advice!

Awesome book! Such relatable topics in it!!!

A very good read!!

The book was never delivered to my device.

After retiring a horse that had knocked my confidence starting with a new and much smaller horse was very hard. I happened to go to a book signing and met Andrea and bought her book. The “delete” concept was incredibly helpful in taking out so much my negative and doubting thoughts when riding. I was also able to attend some of her monthly drop in jumping lessons and those changed my riding and mindset in riding for the better. Andrea not only practices what she preaches, but teaches it brilliantly.

Ideas are clearly expressed and good examples to support the ideas presented / useful for riders and trainers alike .

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.

Having read The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters, The inner game of Tennis by Timothy Galloway and Wendy Jago's Score more for dressage, I was interested to see what additional insights this book might have to help me to help myself and my clients. Whilst the basic psychology is the same, and the lizard brain equates to Peters' Chimp I found this book easier to read and digest and of course directly applicable to the sport of equestrianism. Written by a rider for riders, I whole heartedly recommend this book. The reading of it was easy...putting into practice is, as always, the hard part.

This is an excellent book. It has helped me overcome my fear of ‘what if’ and I now ride more in the moment. The author’s way of explaining how our brain works was really helpful. Enjoyed the case studies and could really relate. Would highly recommend this easy to read book for all riders who have got nervous as they have got older. Read the book in three sitt8ngs. Put lots of reference notes on post-it’s for reminders. A must have book for all riders, nervous or otherwise.

A great book for anybody who is struggling with nerves. The author is sympathetic and as a horsewoman herself understands all too well what can happen when a rider gets to breaking point. The book is easy to read and the exercises are simple but effective. I can highly recommend this book.

hopefully this is perfect for my neice came in good time and had no issues thanks

Really useful bits in this book and not airy fairy easy to read and you can relate to the author

Love this book very easy to read

I'm currently reading it and loving every page. It offers interesting stories and ways to deal with issues we encounter in our sport. It's very encouraging to see we all go through the same things at whatever level we're at.

Helpful, fun to read, everything well explained, with lots of example situations which I could relate to... made me feel very understood, couldn’t ask for more! Thank you to the author for writing this book I plan on re-reading! I highly recommend it.

Easy to read writing style and actionable information.

I was skeptical when I purchased this book, fearing it would be like many other books on the same subject, telling one to breath deep, sing to relax the nerves, etc. with information that wasn't practical for me to use or didn't work for me. Boy, was I wrong! This book is incredible. It's written by an author that is both a horse trainer/instructor and is a therapist who treats people for various fears issues. Because of this author's experience including her own fear issues, the result is a book has information that is easy to implement, even if you don't ride every day, easy to understand and filled with information that is extremely helpful in calming nerves and chasing away fears about riding. The author even debunks other common advice and gives you practical ways to be confidant in the saddle. I have bought one other book on fear and it was just a waste of money. But this book is well worth the price. I was skeptical before I purchase but bought based on the positive reviews. Those reviews all proved true. This is a book that I wish I had read when I first started riding. It's helpful with advice you can use and that works. Very highly recommend this book if you have fear issues or just have trouble with nerves. The advice offered by the author is for every kind of rider, both English and Western This book should be on every rider's bookshelf. Very highly recommend this book. In sum, this book contains information easy to understand; exercises easy to use and ones that work to relieve your fear and give you confidence; and advice that one can easily put to use. Excellent book on fear issues with information that one an use no matter what discipline

I suffered a very serious injury three years ago while riding and I have had confidence issues ever since. This book has literally change my life. I have read lots of stuff on "moving forward " after an injury but Chapter 7 described exactly my feeling, so much so that I became emotional as I read it. The first time I rode my horse after reading the book and I utilized the exercises and I was finally able to relax and enjoy the ride . I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day. Not surprisingly, my horse , who is a bit on the anxious side anyway, was able to relax as well. We have been making great progress ever since. I highly recommend this book.

Amazing book. Returning to riding as a mature adult, my riding fears have grown exponentially over the last 19 years as I've bought horse after horse, trying to find that magic one that can make me feel comfortable, confident and safe again. None of my horses were bad, but my fears became their fears and we were nervous, unhappy and frustrated. I did finally have a horse that I looked forward to riding and enjoyed riding, but old age has caught up to him and he is no longer sound enough to ride. So on to a new horse (again) and the resurrection of the fear demons in my brain. My brain is filled with fears and fearful thoughts that bounce around in my head and fill it up, even before I get on the horse. I've tried hypnotherapy and EFT over the years; Ms. Waldo's book is one of many that I've bought in the attempt to tame my demons. Her book, however, is the one that has helped me the most. Come to find out, I'm not just stupidly (and insanely) terrified, I'm actually pretty normal but my Lizard Brain is over-active/reactive and it completely takes over my rational thoughts as it tries to protect me. That was one of the first things I learned from her book. The second (and maybe the best) thing I've learned is to tell my Lizard Brain (LB) to go sit in the tack room while I ride. We are still working on that, as sometimes LB has a voice that can be heard across the property. I have found, though, that more and more LB just sits and sulks because I'm able to ignore her. And, the very best of all, I'm enjoying riding my new horse more often than ever before. Thank you, Ms. Waldo, for your wonderful book. Thank you for sharing your riding fears and how you overcame them, thank you for helping me to overcome mine.

I had a bad fall while jumping my horse. I knew I needed to get back on and jump that fence again. I was lucky enough to find this book during my month and 1/2 recovery. The author sprinkled the book with humor, the exercises in the book, like a lot of life lessons, can be attributed to the way we respond, interact with our horses. I have PTSD, so my anxiety level my first day back was high, i used her tools, acknowledged the fear in my "lizard brain" aka amygdala, went to my rational brain, i did better than i hoped. This is what the author refers to as dont let the lizard hijack your ride. Its a great book, i think some trainers would do well to incorporate some of these exercises to "calm" an anxious rider as well. The bottom line, for whatever reason we ride, pleasure, therapudic, competitive, no matter tge discipline, the common denominator is we love these regal, majestic, sensitive creatures. Riding its just something we need to do, it offers our soul something wonderful. Read this book, you will enjoy it, your mount will appreciate it as well.

This is THE most thoughtful, informative and practical book ever written on the subject of overcoming fear issues during riding. I've been struggling for years to get over a very bad crash and while I'm not 100% yet, I am making gains by leaps and bounds. If you are having fear issues stemming from moving up in rank or if you're quivering in your boots post-accident, this book is something you MUST read. It's not optional! Also, if you have a trainer that is sympathetic, but not necessarily understanding of your fears, buy a copy for them as well. There is an entire chapter directed to instructors!

Every rider/trainer/parent of a rider/ should read this. I have been struggling with fear issues for 2 years after taking a fall from a horse I had had for 7 years at the time. So thankful that Andrea Monsarrat Waldo took the time & energy to write this! It is easy to read, makes sense, has the right amount of humor & exercises, & is helping me overcome & give myself permission to do or not do! Highly recommend.

This has been helpful for my child who was thrown from a horse and had difficulty getting over that fear. She had been thrown before and was able to get back on and continue to ride. Something about this one incident caused her to freeze up. This book helped her to move through that fear and return to riding.

I had a nasty riding accident that landed me in the hospital for a while that had given me a case of PTSD. I am normally so skeptical about books and things like this as they normally just recommend "breathe and think happy thoughts, etc" This book is not like that. The author speaks to you in a conversational way and helps breakdown where the fear comes from and helps you find coping strategies that genuinely can help reprogram your brain. I am not even finished with reading it and it has given me skills that have seriously helped me in my quest to overcome some of the trauma. Before this book, I wanted so badly to just "be better" and to try my best to repress the feelings of PTSD. They aren't gone of course as that will take time but I am so much happier in the saddle and I swear to you after just reading part 1 of the book, I had the best barn day that I have had in a long time. If you are seriously struggling with PTSD, any sort of riding anxiety, or just serious show nerves, I can assure you that you will find at least one useful tool to help you overcome it. I promise you, I am an anxious person that has been this way even before the trauma of what I went through and I wish I had read this book sooner. It has changed my world and I am not even done reading it.

Great granddaughter seemed happy to get this. She is 10.. I don’t think she fully understood yet what it would do for her. I feel though she will gradually understand more of it as she ages & will help her in so many ways. Especially confidence in her riding ability as it improves so will her riding skills & enjoyment. But enjoyment thankfully is already high up there for her. Glad I gave this book even though right now she may be too young this will be a keeper. She’s just getting into reading more & may get the points in the book right away. They can surprise you. I believe it will help in so many ways to think in a way to help her whole life not just riding.

This is the first book on dealing with fear of riding that has actually helped me. The concepts are clearly explained, scientifically based, with some good old fashioned humor thrown in. Highly recommend.