The Confident Rider Podcast

Latest Episodes:

"My experience is my Truth": A Conversation With Kathy Price Sep 13, 2022

Show notes

It's one of my favouritist (yes, that is a word) humans ever joining me for the podcast this week. Kathy Price is in the house and we are talking about the… well, basically all. of. the. things.

It's impossible when chattering to a person like Kathy to keep things at surface level, so we cover a lot of territory. Before we get into that however, let me introduce Kathy to you!

Kathy comes from a scientific background gaining a BSc (Hons) degree in Zoology. Her mindset then was always based on the scientific paradigm of you had to be able to "measure it, replicate it and explain it" for it to be true. If those criteria where in place Kathy was happy. If they weren't she didn't want to know. That was until in 2003 when with her horse Midnight she went to a horsemanship clinic with clinician Len Judd. For her this clinic was the moment of transformation, a spiritual experience that changed her life.

From that weekend forward as she stepped into and embraced the world of energy and connection, her need for scientific explanation fell away and her mind set became "My experience is my Truth." Now nearly 20 years on, after many years of studying energy, quantum physics, healing, spirituality and training in several energetic modalities, Kathy is well-established in her work which she calls Point of Balance.

Through this purely energetic work her aim is to help the person or animal she is working with move back into balance at all levels - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. This move back to balance not only helps them to heal themselves, but also helps them realise their unique power and potential.

In this episode we talk about:

Kathy's personal journey that led her to the work that she's doing now
The importance of movement to health and well being
The beliefs that we have about our body and the nature of change
Stories and experiences from working in the field of energy and movement

I hope you enjoy it as much I did!

You can find Kathy through all of the following channels:

Website: https://kathyprice.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pobwithkathyprice

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathypricepointofbalance/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KathyPrice333

❤️ Jane

www.confidentrider.online

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

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"I Don't Have Enough Time": The Liberation Of Facing Your Time Limitations Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

Hands in the air if you feel like you never have enough time?

This "time conundrum" is something that I've wrestled with for a long time and has created a lot of stress and struggle along the way. I recognize now that my own relationship with time has been caught up in a somewhat toxic relationship with people pleasing patterns, the need to get things right, and that somehow my self-worth was inextricably linked to how much I could get done in a day.

What's more, the idea of being endlessly busy is something that is socially supported and as a result, normalized.

But at some point, this no longer cut it for me. I was sick of juggling balls and feeling like more balls were being thrown my way.

So instead, I threw all the balls on the ground so I could step back and ask myself, what's happening here? Do I really have no choice in my experience? How can I renegotiate my relationship with time so that I could release this feeling of being overwhelmed or flat out bonkers?

In this episode we discuss:

How your nervous system impacts your relationship with time
How embracing your limitations is a liberation
How the ability to make choices and be decisive impacts your experience of time

I'd love to hear your thoughts! You can learn more about my work or get in touch via my website www.confidentrider.online

❤️ Jane

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

Soundbite: Beginning With Brilliance Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

How would things change if we looked at our horses and the first thing we thought was, you are brilliant?

A Confident Rider Sound Bite on the place we begin from.

www.confidentrider.online

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

The Difference Between The Action Of Fear & The Emotion Of Fear Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

Do you know the difference between the action of fear and the emotion of fear? Because there is one. And being able to discern between them is vital when it comes to understanding not only how your nervous system works, but how your perception of different situations and experiences create sympathetic or fight flight responses. When the fight flight nervous system is working as it's designed to, it produces the action of fear in response to something it perceives in the environment to be threatening. In the wild- in their natural environment- this is what animals are experiencing. They are experiencing the action of fear, but not the emotion of fear. That's quite a different beast. The action of fear is unconsciously driven and kicks in as part of our survival reflexes. The emotion of fear is the conscious awareness of an experience and the labelling of the event, that is both subjective and perceptual. In other words, it's specific to us, our experiences, our nervous system and how we see the world. In this episode, we discuss the difference between the two as well as:

- How the emotion of fear is not necessarily accurate nor responding to reality. But it can trigger the activation of our survival nervous system and send us on a reflexive loop that's not necessarily in our best interest. - How a nervous system functioning in sympathetic dominance (where we are more often than not living from our survival nervous system) results in overthinking and recurring negative thoughts, and how they can leave us in a catch 22 cycle.

- The relationship of trauma to both the emotion and action of fear

The experience of the emotion of fear is real, but whether we are responding to something real is a very different thing altogether. It's our job to become curious about our own experiences and to begin to decouple emotional associations and labels from reflexive bodily experiences that don't actually match the moment. I hope you enjoy it! You can learn more by visiting my website at www.confidentrider.online

Onwards,

❤️ Jane

Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

Movement & The Nervous System Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

Fabulous humans! I'm baaaaaack! The Confident Rider Podcast is back on the airwaves for Season 2, and I have to say, I'm pretty excited about it!

It seemed only fitting to give you a rundown of where I'm at work and life wise, but beyond that, to discuss some of the changes that have happened in my work over the past 18 months and how that has informed my own practices and understandings.

So, let's take it from the top! In this episode, we go down the rabbit hole of the nervous system and discuss:

The difference between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system function
The motor reflex chain of the sympathetic nervous system, and its relationship to movement and emotion
Understanding the relationship between trauma, motor patterns and dominant patterns of use

I hope you enjoy it! If you love it, hit the subscribe button.

Looking forward to continuing the adventure with you,

❤️ Jane

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

"I Got Bucked Off- And Now I Have Trouble Riding Alone. Now What?" A Podcast Q&A Apr 11, 2021

Show notes

A couple of weeks back, I got tagged in a post on Facebook where the person in question had been bucked off and now found herself in the midst of two different riding experiences; when she is in company or with her instructor, she is fine to get on and ride. When she is alone, it's a completely different story.

Given I had quite a lot to say on this subject (more than I could include in a Facebook comment!) I asked if I could use the question for a podcast episode, and the answer was absolutely yes. Here is an edited version of the original post:

"I bought my first horse last year. I had a few rides on her and everything was great-then one day she bucked me off. It's the first time I've ever been bucked off and I'm pretty sure I gave her mixed signals and was the cause of it. I sent her to a trainer and she has been going beautifully. I also took some riding lessons with her and it seemed like we were doing ok again- until I get by myself with her.

I can't seem to make myself step up on her when no one else is around. If someone is with me then I'm fine. She does great when I'm working her from the ground and responds to even just voice commands. But I can feel myself get nervous and tense when it's time to step up on her. I know she can feel my nervous energy and that makes her nervous and then she won't stand still and acts scared of me. Any ideas on what I can do to get my confidence back? And get her confidence back in me?"

In this episode, we discuss the difference between these two scenarios- and what's changing at the level of the nervous system- and I share my thoughts on the approach I would take to move beyond the reflexive responses created in the aftermath of an accident and injury.

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

Staging A Comeback: Finding A Way Forward After An Extended Break Or Injury Mar 27, 2021

Show notes

So here's the current state of play.

Over the last little while, all three of my horses have had some time off. This definitely wasn't in the game plan- they have all for different reasons had some physical niggles from unrelated incidents that made me think a few weeks of paddock rest was a good idea- and now I am finding myself in the position where we are needing to begin again.

This transition space is one that I'm in conversation frequently with other riders. There are so many reasons why we might find ourselves in the position of having to regroup after an extended break. It can be weather or seasonally related; it can be due to injury; it could just be that turning your horse out at specific times of the year is something that you do. Whatever the reason, there are some pretty common stuck points that rise up when it comes to picking up from where you left off including:

Overwhelm (and consequently procrastination)
Anxiety
Confusion about where to start and what to focus on

In this episode, I share the process that I have been going through and talk in more detail about what's going on in your brain space when such happenings rise to the surface!

Happy listening!

❤️ Jane

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

Josh Nichol: On Leadership, Connection & Relational Horsemanship Mar 20, 2021

Show notes

A little while back, a friend of mine sent me a video of a trainer working with a horse who was suffering from significant anxiety. I watched them work together and loved not only the principles he followed but his thoughts about what was happening, and his intentions for creating trust and connection.

Josh Nichol was the horseman in that video, and I had the great pleasure of sitting down together and having a conversation about his work, and our shared passions and interests.

Our time together covers a lot of ground; we discuss Josh's Relational Horsemanship approach, his definition and thoughts on leadership, and the body-mind connection.

"I look at relational horsemanship and reactive or emotional horsemanship. To me, relational horsemanship means that when a horse's needs are unmet, they will demonstrate that through their physical being.

It's our job then to exemplify what leadership feels like. So for any of us, when we feel when we have someone who we desire to be around or we look up to, it's generally not just because of the things they've done. That may be what draws us in at the beginning. But the people we see or feel a desire to be around the most are usually the ones that emanate something we desire to have within ourselves.

So I look at leadership, at its essence as a sense and confidence, an awareness that we have within ourselves, a piece that the horse desires to have within themselves as well."

~ Josh Nichol

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

The Importance Of Context: Understanding Free Floating Anxiety Mar 14, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Anxiety has stepped forward as our volunteer to show us just how important context is!

Case and point:

Say I am a rider who has come to recognize anxiety as a fairly familiar part of my riding experience. In fact, I am so intimate with my particular brand of riding anxiety that I've started to view it as a part of my personality and identity.

This presents a few different problems for me. First up, I've taken something that is intrinsically mercurial- an emotion- and given it a sense of "fixed-ness". Owning it as a part of me creates a sense of permanency.

Secondly, when I DO find myself in the midst of an anxious experience, I see it as a flaw or weakness on my part (enter the Itty Bitty Shitty Committee from Stage Left), rather than something I can learn to understand and work with.

And thirdly, I cut myself off from developing true understandings as to the nature of emotions and what it is they are trying to tell me.

In this episode, I provide three possible contexts for the experience of "free-floating anxiety" (you know, that anxiety that just "appears" in situations that seem to have no justifiable reason!) beginning with intuition, and ending with understanding the nature of traumatic stress and the formation of memory at both a conscious and unconscious level.

I hope you enjoy it!

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/

The Connection Between Bodily Sensation & The Emotional Brain Feb 27, 2021

Show notes

It's a raw, uncut, unedited podcast for you this week! I had planned to release a different episode, but we made an executive decision to hold that off for a couple of weeks' time (super excited to bring that to you then!). In the meantime, I had two options:

Leave the podcast for this week and have a two-week gap
Roll with whatever came up even if I didn't have time to present it as a perfect package

Given this is here with you now, I have gone with the latter. So here it is for you, my Sunday morning conversation around the nature of sensation and the relationship it has with our emotional brain and motor patterns and function (isn't this what everyone muses over when they are having their Sunday morning coffee?).

What's the deal with all of that? Here's a brief breakdown.

Many of us find ourselves in groundhog day experiences with our horses based on certain feelings or sensations that arise in the body. Whilst those sensations can feel concrete and absolute, they are inherently subjective. Think of them as a mash-up of everything you have thought, experienced, or been told in relation to a similar experience in the past.

What then happens is that our body registers a certain feeling in response to the environment, and we label that feeling based on something that has happened in the past. That labeling or thought process then triggers a motor response and we find ourselves acting out the same experiences on a repetitive loop.

In order to move away from that, there are some key things we need to consider:

Our associations with sensation and discomfort in the body as a whole, and the decoupling of stories and labels around them
The secondary gain we experience from what we would primarily understand as negative behavior or experience
The true meaning of sensation and how we can use that to bring ourselves more into the present

We discuss all this and more in this episode!

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Click below to learn all about my JoyRide membership, to help you think, feel, move & ride differently:

https://confidentrider.online/joyride/

For other resources:

Website: https://confidentrider.online/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConfidentRider/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/confident_rider/