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 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.

I have ridden horses competitively for over 40 years but, when I stopped competing, I rode less frequently and with less discipline. I began to lose my confidence, which was always a little flimsy anyway. But I didn't want to give up! I read many books and articles. Most helped for only short periods of time. The horse I own now is so much fun to ride but he is also one to mildly test his rider. A friend suggested "Brain Training for Riders..." and I bought it out of respect for her suggestions, but thinking it would be just another horse self help book. Not so! This book has helped me tremendously! Not only does Ms Waldo make meaningful suggestions for how to deal with fear issues, but she provides exercises to reinforce those concepts. I kept a journal and it really helped. I sometimes still go to that dark place of fear but when I do, I read excerpts from the book and I go out and do what my brain tells me is difficult to do. Wow! I am 73 and hadn't cantered my horse for over 5 years. Now, I'm cantering and I enjoy riding and working to overcome my fears. Who knows - maybe I'll take him over fences some day!

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.

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

A friend recommended this book and I started reading it just before I had a very traumatic accident horseback. This was key for me to be able to be in the right mindset to come back after this injury in a few months.

I am an older rider who has had several accidents with horses that involved broken bones. I really struggled to get my courage back up. It has taken ten years of research on gaining confidence to get back to about 90% of my previous confidence level. Wish I had found this book first! Yesterday for the first time in many years, I wasn't thinking about coming off my horse but instead was relaxed a thoroughly enjoying my ride. I am listening to the audio book for the second time. The author is a delightful narrator. I've also purchased the paperback so I can bookmark, highlight and do the exercises a little easier. The author's experience in counseling, riding and training gives her a great perspective. I highly recommend this book!

Excellent book! Loads of good information and easy to do exercises. This book has helped improve my confidence with my horse (even when we are not riding) ten fold. A friend of mine went to a professional coach for help and then later bought this book. She said the information was almost identical. My husband was having really bad anxiety attacks for weeks and he was able to use principles from this book to help calm himself down enough to think and process what was happening so that later he could find more specific help. I have only had this book a short time but it has been a lifesaver since the day it arrived!

This book is not directly about how to deal with your horse, it is about how to deal with your brain (that has a tremendous impact on the former aspect). Deep non-rational mechanisms can originate a chain of mental traps with a detrimental effect on your riding performance (e.g. if you feel under stress, if your horse seem not cooperative, in particular at competitions, under test/examination,etc.). We can control that. Very useful even outside the world of equitation.

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.

What an amazing book this is! Both the quality of information and the writing style are to the highest level. It's easy to read even if you are not native English speaking and the most importand thing: having read it, makes you enjoy riding like never before! As a novice rider myself and as a parent of a rider i concider this book a real jewel!

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.

great book helps riders to understand how they need to process their way of doing things both in and out of the saddle.