Ashley's One on One with Nicky Pennie - Reclaiming Your Equestrian Confidence

Ashley’s One on One with Nicky Pennie – Reclaiming Your Equestrian Confidence

Are you feeling anxious, cautious, or disconnected in the saddle? Whether you’re returning to riding after having a baby, recovering from an injury, or simply dealing with unexplainable nerves, you aren’t alone. In this episode, host Ashley sits down with Nicky Pennie, an empowerment and equestrian mindset coach behind Be Your Best Yet, to dive deep into rider fear, risk perception, and nervous system regulation.

While Ashley opens up about her personal struggle with heightened anxiety and jumping after welcoming her son, this conversation goes far beyond postpartum riding. This episode is for any rider—at any level or stage of life—who has ever felt their body freeze, their mind spiral, or their confidence slip away in the saddle.

Together, Ashley and Nicky walk through a live “hot-seat” coaching session where Nicky breaks down why the brain sets off internal alarm bells, how to get out of your head and back into your body, and practical strategies to rebuild true, lasting equestrian confidence.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The Root of Rider Fear: Why life changes, trauma, or subtle shifts in risk perception trigger fear smoke alarms in our mind.
Nervous System Regulation: How operating from “the chin up” causes overthinking, and how to reconnect with your physical body to stay present.
Live Somatic Coaching: A simple, real-time exercise to acknowledge anxiety without letting it take over your ride.
Redefining Success: How to shed perfectionism, set realistic goals, and give yourself grace so you can bring the fun back to horseback riding.

No matter what brought fear into your riding journey, this episode offers actionable mindset tools to help you find peace, presence, and pure joy in the saddle again.