Introducing Equestrian Tai Chi to Build Confidence Riding
For riders who are tired of being nervous all the time when they ride and want to learn how to calm their fear.
Are you tired of constantly being afraid when you ride, nervous over every little thing, always looking forward to riding and yet dreading it at the same time?
Would you like almost more than anything in the world (yes, almost), just to be able to relax on horseback and enjoy your time with your horse (while you are actually on your horse)?
Imagine for a moment, if your worries were only little ones …
You are thinking about going riding later on in the day, and all you are worried about are things like:
Will it be raining? - I’d better wear a coat."
Or
"Where will I go? I might go to the woods, or will the gate be locked?"
Little things like that, instead of secretly and silently being very afraid, every time you thought about your ride (and you probably thought about it a lot).
You can learn to use tools that you already have, your energy and your breath, and use them to go deep inside your body, and calm your fear of riding.
Then you will be able to make a real connection with your horse, and you will both be able to enjoy your time together, you and your horse.
I can show you how to do this, through the medium of Equestrian Tai Chi exercises specifically designed for practice on horseback, and Taoist Breathing exercises specifically designed for riding.
A little bit about me …
My name is Jenny Pim, I am not a riding instructor, I don’t teach riding, but what I do is, I specialise in is training people how to refine and develop their internal energy using Equestrian Tai Chi, and then how to go inside their body, and use their own relaxed energy to calm their fear.
All of this began by chance, many years ago. I lost a lot of the confidence that I used to have riding, after I had children. I really hated being afraid and tried many things to get over my fear, but nothing had a lasting effect.
I had a busy life, bringing up my family, breeding ponies and teaching Tai Chi, so to save time, I’d often prepare for my evening Tai Chi classes when I was riding.
I began to notice that the ponies I practiced on were enjoying our practice, they would lick and chew and drop their heads and relax. I noticed the ponies became calmer and less spooky, in fact their spookiness had been making me nervous.
I noticed that I became a lot more confident riding. I looked forward to my ride. I didn’t just go out riding at the last minute any more ( just to be able to say that I’d ridden). I began to guard it as a time to spend with the ponies, and I would be annoyed if I didn’t manage to ride on a particular day. I practiced Tai Chi on horseback every day I rode. This was completely different than before, when I had been glad of any excuse not to ride.
Because I had become more confident, I could go anywhere I wanted to, but sometimes, my fear would come back again and almost overwhelm me. So at those times, I introduced Taoist Breathing into my confidence practice, and it helped me get control again and ride normally.
I began to develop a system for breathing for different situations.
If I was going out riding on a windy day, although I might have felt initially nervous, the fact that I knew I could calm myself, and that I had done it many times previously, gave me enormous confidence. I was able to go for my ride.
The ponies loved our Tai Chi practice and they would stop and “ask” to do it in places we had previously practiced, it calmed them and relaxed them. It gave me a great feeling of us being connected, and going on adventures together.
I always think it is so strange, that we all love riding and want to do it so much – even if we are very afraid.
I wanted to find a way to make people independent, for them to be able to manage their own fear, so they could find within themselves, the strength and the courage, to be able to ride happily. And so they could enjoy their time with their horse, while they were actually on their horse.
Having a fear of riding is very common, here are some of the main reasons why people feel afraid:
1. They have had a bad experience
Or they had a series of bad experiences and it has knocked their confidence. They may have had a bad fall, or a very bad fright.
2. They know someone who's had a fall
They have heard about someone, who has had a serious riding accident and it is constantly on their mind.
3. They have an injury or injuries
They are worried they might aggravate an old injury, or worse if they took a fall.
4. They were over-horsed
They may have been riding a young nervous animal whose energy frightened them, or a horse that was too strong for them, or they may have been riding a badly schooled horse, whose behaviour they didn’t know how to correct.
5. They have become a parent
It is very common for people who have children to see danger everywhere. There is also the added responsibility of being a parent and worrying who would take care of their child if something should happen them.
6. They are getting older
It is natural to be worried about falling and being injured as we get older. Bones don’t mend as quickly and our reactions may not be as sharp as they were when we were younger. Also there is the worry or not being able to drive if they were injured, or not being able to work, or to meet financial commitments, or to take care of their family. There is also the worry of not being able to take care of their horse.
7. They just can’t pin it down to anything
Some people don’t know why they are afraid, it could be a combination of things, but nothing of significance. They just feel uneasy and anxious a lot of the time.
I often hear nervous riders being given advice like, ‘repeat a Mantra’, or ‘just breathe’.
People giving this advice may mean well, but a rider who is extremely frightened needs much more than this to calm their fear.
Most people know that deep breathing helps to calm fear, but if that was all it took, then nobody would be afraid when they were riding.
It is true that deep breathing is great for calming fear, but in reality, people are not able to sustain it for long, unless they practice it, and more importantly, unless they practice the right type of breathing.
Taking few deep breaths and then going back to being scared again is not contributing to lasting change. It is not going to give you the confidence in yourself, when you are going out for a ride, that you have the ability to control your fear.
I developed Taoist Breathing For Riding with my teacher Dr. Alan Peatfield, unlike other breathing advice often given to nervous riders, these exercises take into account that you are in continuous motion, and are in close contact with your horse, who will be affected by your breathing.
I have spent years developing the exercises that are compatible with riding and calming fear into a system, that gives people strategies for different types of situations.
I have been teaching Tai Chi professionally since 2002. I’m a registered Tai Chi Instructor for The Tai Chi Union For Great Britain and Tai Ji Europa, The European Tai Chi Chuan Portal.
My interests now lie in teaching Equestrian Tai Chi, in helping people manage their fear of riding and connecting with their horse, and in teaching special interest groups. I have taught many different types of people, for many years, how to connect with their energy, and I believe that it is an ability we all have within us.
Equestrian Tai Chi To Build Confidence is a three part system, where you learn Equestrian Tai Chi, Taoist Breathing For Riding and How to cope with fear in different aspects of time.
Here’s what you will learn –
Equestrian Tai Chi
Equestrian Tai Chi is a relaxing and stress relieving practice, that benefits both you and your horse. It opens and develops the energetic pathways in your body, so that your energy can travel through them. It helps you to bond and connect with your horse by giving you both a chance to enjoy time together, when you are not frightened.
It improves your balance and posture making you feel more stable and secure in the saddle. It helps you become less fearful. When you feel an emotion like fear very strongly, your energy becomes blocked and frozen. Equestrian Tai Chi encourages your energy to flow, and helps you let go of your fear.
Taoist Breathing For Riding
Taoist Breathing for Riding gives you the ability to focus your mind inside your body, and to consciously calm the places where it feels fear, using your energy and your breath.
Your practice of Equestrian Tai Chi opens and develops your energy channels, allowing you to send energy, to where you want it to go in your body. Once your body is relaxed, it’s positive energy will calm your emotions and thoughts.
Awareness and Time
Your will learn how to deal with fear in different aspects of time - you will learn how to let go of incidents from the Past, so they no longer trouble you in your Present.
You will learn how to stay calm, moment by moment in The Present, using your energy and your breath to monitor and adjust how your body feels. You will learn how to cope with what is coming right up in the Immediate Future, even if it feels overwhelming. You will learn to prepare for The Future, so when the day comes, you can actually enjoy it.
Here is what you will learn as you progress through the Modules –
Module 1
- Safety Protocols for your Practice.
- Important Principles for learning Equestrian Tai Chi.
- How to establish a good practice routine.
- Information about your Tantien.
- How to connect with your energy.
- How to store your energy.
- Equestrian Tai Chi Warm Up Exercises.
- The first 9 movements of the sequence of Equestrian tai Chi
- 5 Foundation Taoist Breathing for Riding exercises to help you calm your fear (all of the the other breathing exercises are based on these Foundation exercises)
- How to heal and deal with memories from the past.
Module 2
- Movements 10 – 13 of the sequence of Equestrian Tai Chi.
- 4 Taoist Breathing For Riding Exercises that deeply relax your body.
- A fresh look at The Present.
- Why it is so important to relax in The Present.
- What makes it difficult to relax your body in The Present and how to overcome this.
Module 3
- Movements 14 – 16 of the sequence of Equestrian Tai Chi.
- Taoist Breathing For Riding Exercises for 3 different situations:
a) For when you’ve got a sudden fright.
b) For preparing yourself for something that’s coming up that’s making you nervous.
c) An exercise to help you, when you feel as if you have been overwhelmed by fear.
- How to include your Etheric Field in your breathing practice.
- A look at the Immediate Future and what is really is.
- How to make your Immediate Future more comfortable for you, when you are feeling afraid.
Module 4
- Movements 17 – 21 of the sequence of Equestrian Tai Chi.
- Advanced Taoist Breathing for Riding exercises that teach you how to breathe though the energy channels of your body. They encourage you to lengthen and to have great posture.
These exercises are ideal “default” breathing exercises. - How to send energy to all parts of your body.
- A look at The Future and why it never comes.
- How to deal with worries you may have about Future.
Gain Your Confidence Riding Again
1 Single Payment
$307
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Gives You Lifetime Access To The Course
This is what people are saying ...
Overcome lack of confidence
I am a rider overcoming lack of confidence issues. My mare Bailey had tendon problems and was off work for eight months or so. Well the idea of riding her for the very first time frightened me. But ‘everything for a reason’ I like to believe.
The forced time off her, allowed me to complete the four modules of this course. I had got into the habit of doing Equestrian Tai Chi practice in the field and in the stable. I also had got into the habit of doing the breathing exercises. I got a lot of practice in before I really needed it. The Equestrian Tai Chi Form is flowing now and not clunky as at first. It’s not like Jenny’s yet, but I’ll keep trying. I know The Form now without the videos, but it’s also good for me to re-watch the videos and find ways to refine the movements.
The very first ride on Bailey was the test for me. I worked her on the ground. I tacked her up. I mounted and I did the full Equestrian Tai Chi Form on her back for the first time! I finished and I asked her to walk on. We did a little walk and a trot and I was thrilled.
How I believe it works for me is:
It gives my mind something else to do, than worry about the ‘what if’s’. I realised that while doing the ‘something else to do’, that I didn’t die.
The reason being that the ‘something else’ was deliberately drawing breath into my body, relaxing my muscles and reducing my heart rate, and thereby calming my emotions and interrupting the fear story that gets rerun in my head.
The energy field that me and my horse share has been calmed. There is no need for Bailey to be worried or anxious, her herd members are calm, so she is. This leaves us both free to deal with the real issues, that can, and do arise, without wasting our energy on imagined ones.
Equestrian Tai Chi is not a quick fix, it is a health enhancing habit, that every horse rider needs to practice, especially important to anyone who suffers from anxiety. Thanks so much Jenny Pim.
Margo Murphy
Ireland
Feel Calmer Riding
Hi Jenny, I practiced the Tai Chi along with the breathing and I had a really nice ride on my horse today. I felt so much calmer than I usually do. Could this be working so fast? If so, it is somewhat miraculous. I would say, I have only done it, perhaps five times.
and a few weeks later …
Hi Jenny, I had an awesome ride on my horse yesterday, it was the first time I had someone hold Sundance while I did Tai Chi on his back. After doing that and sealing my Tantien I was calmer while riding than I have been in years! YAY!!!!! need some more time to practice but I am already reaping benefits. Thank you!
Sandy Bailey
USA
Learn to Relax
I wanted to update you on my progress. I am ready to move on to the next module.
I have been riding a new horse, and as soon as I got on her, I could feel my fear coming, because I hadn’t ridden her before.
I found my chi, breathed through my diaphragm and did my first 2 Tai Chi exercises.
It was nice as I could feel myself relax. My coach walked in and giggled as she noted that Nevelle (the horse) had fallen asleep under saddle.
Although at first I was terrified, I was able to calm myself. What I did notice is, at first I didn't hide my fear from Nevelle, and I believe she modified her movements to suit my nervousness. It was special.
Gini Buckman
Canada
Learn to relax and enjoy riding your horse again
1 Single Payment
$307
Get a 20% Discount
for paying in full
Gives You Lifetime Access To The Course
This is everything that is included with
Equestrian Tai Chi To Build Confidence Riding …
The course is fully available online. Once you join the course, you get immediate access to all the four modules. You will have your own username and password to log in and out, whenever you want.
The Course Includes –
- FAQ.
- Glossary.
- Safety Protocols For Practice.
- Important Principles for learning and practicing Equestrian Tai Chi.
- Information about your Tantien.
- How to feel your energy.
- How to store your energy.
- Guidelines For Practicing Taoist Breathing For Riding.
- Videos of 2 Equestrian Tai Chi warm up Exercises with audio and written instruction.
- Videos of 21 movements of The Equestrian Tai Chi Form performed on the right side.
- Videos of 21 movements of The Equestrian Tai Chi Form performed on the left side. (3 videos are used to teach each movement, so 120 videos for Equestrian Tai Chi in all.)
- The videos include audio instruction, and there is also written instruction for Equestrian Tai Chi.
- 16 Taoist Breathing For Riding exercises (with audio and written instruction), to help you manage your fear of riding.
- Information and exercises about how to calm your fear of riding;- how to heal your fear of the Past, how to cope with your fear in the Present and in the Immediate Future, and how to deal with your fear of events in the further away Future.
As well as this there are two special bonuses.
The first bonus is Free Equestrian Tai Chi Appraisal.
You can send videos of yourself, performing The Equestrian Tai Chi Form for appraisal after each module, or once you have completed all the modules. You will receive written feedback on your progress. This is purely optional, but it is available for you, if you want it.
The second bonus is private connection with me on Facebook.
I will set up a private place for you to connect with me once you join the course. This will be a place for you to ask questions, to discuss your progress, and let me know how you are getting on with overcoming your fear. Again, this is purely optional, but it is available for you if you want it.
There are two options to choose from, when buying Equestrian Tai Chi To Build Confidence Riding –
- Pay $307 in full (and receive a 20% discount).
- Pay $97 per month for 4 months ($388 in all).You are obliged to complete the 4 payments of $97, but this does not affect your 30 Day Money Back Guarantee in any way.
I offer a 30 Day Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee
If you decide Equestrian Tai Chi To Build Confidence Riding is not for you, that is not problem at all, just send me an email at info@equestriantaichi.com within 30 Days, and I will happily refund your money.
1 Single Payment
$307
Get a 20% Discount
for paying in full
Gives You Lifetime Access To The Course
Maybe you have tried other things to get over your fear and they haven’t worked, maybe you’ve given up hope, that you will be able to get over your fear, maybe you think you will do it sometime soon, or even next year. Maybe you think that you have tried everything.
But here’s the thing, you haven’t tried tried this.
If you begin now, you could actually start to enjoy your riding, to even look forward to it.
Imagine only missing your ride, if you really had to, instead of being glad of any old excuse not to go riding. Does that inspire hope in you - that you could actually feel that?
Horses feel so much happier with us when we are not afraid, they can relax too, and enjoy the special time they have with us. Would your horse have more fun with you if you were more relaxed?
Isn’t that how it should be, you both happy, and relaxed and connected together?
1 Single Payment
$307
Get a 20% Discount
for paying in full
Gives You Lifetime Access To The Course