The ‘Equinimity’ Self-hypnosis Audio CD offers the rider much more than simple suggestions for positive change; it also contains therapeutic metaphors, embedded commands, double binds, truisms and other hypnotic language patterns within a powerful intervention to persuade the subconscious mind to make those changes at a very deep and profound level. In equestrian terms this equates to the difference between simply telling your horse what to do and creating the most favourable environment in which to ask - skilfully, sensitively and successfully.

In an ideology that shares similarities with natural horsemanship, the secret is to encourage the very best of what comes naturally and to respect your ability to work in the right way for you. The objective is to resolve rather than generate conflicts, to enable you to realise your potential as a rider without compromising your integrity as a human being.

‘Equinimity’ will help you to access your subconscious resources so that you can work positively towards your goals and resolve difficulties such as:

Fear – when you have developed unhelpful aspects of the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response.

• You may ‘fight’ your horse (and yourself) resulting in a cycle of tension and anxiety. You exert even more willpower and determination but a bit like getting to sleep, the harder you try the harder it is! Both you and your horse get frustrated and annoyed. The horse is resistant, ‘shies’, ‘spooks’ or ‘refuses’. You each lose confidence in the other; you both lose the ability to respond rather than react to challenges.
  
• Parts of your body may ‘freeze’ so that you just can’t ‘give’ the rein or release your back or your shoulders for example; perhaps your mind ‘freezes’ so that you forget to breathe, you forget which jump comes next or what’s supposed to happen after you’ve entered the arena at ‘A’.
  
• ‘Flight’ – well you just want to give up and run away! You make excuses to avoid riding (its too windy or wet) and pretend that competitions and fun rides just aren’t your thing anymore. Your rides get slower and shorter and your routes get more and more restricted.

Negative projections – the ‘what ifs’

• The subconscious mind has no way of differentiating between what’s real and what’s imagined, so that every time you start thinking about “what if s/he bucks, bolts, runs out” or whatever, your body responds as if your worst fears have just been realised – your stomach churns, your heart pounds, your legs turn to jelly, perhaps your mouth goes dry and it’s hard to swallow, you begin to sweat and feel panicky………..
  
• You lose your ability to ride ‘in the here and now’ because you spend your whole time worrying about what might happen.

Conflicts – part of you wants to do one thing and another part seems to want to do something else entirely! This wastes a lot of energy and results in a loss of focus, motivation and commitment.

• You’re not really sure if you want to keep on riding but you can’t quite bring yourself to hang up your hat either.
  
• You think it’s a great idea to enter the 3’ jumping class when its several weeks away, then on the morning of the event you wonder what on earth possessed you….. Even on the approach, part of you wants to jump and part of you wishes you were somewhere (anywhere!) else.
  
• You’d love to be in the ribbons but deep down you’re afraid that it might affect your relationships with your friends or your family (or even with yourself and your riding).

Loss of confidence and self-esteem – never a stable commodity at the best of times, it seems as if they are easy to lose and hard to win.

• You value yourself for what you can do, rather than for who you are (so you become a human ‘doing’ rather than a human ‘being’!)
  
• There is a miss-match between what you (or others) think you ought to be able to do and what you find you actually can do.
  
• You get caught up in negative thinking, negative self-talk and anxieties.