I discovered Paul McKenna-trained Hypnotherapist Teresa Bulford-Cooper on the internet, as she had helped other people who had lost their confidence around equines and was an experienced horse owner and rider herself, which I felt was vital. So whilst my horse was getting fit I was doing some training of my own in the form of a technique called Neuro-Linguistic-Programming, and hypnotherapy, getting sound advice on dealing with nerves.

The hypnotherapy gave me the confidence to drown out that recent negative voice that told me I was not a rider. It helped me remember what I loved about riding, bringing back all those wonderful childhood memories when you are not thinking about falling off and breaking an arm, and whether you can afford the time off work. I made a couple of visits to Teresa at her Crediton base. The sessions were incredibly relaxing; like a mini holiday. J.E. Exeter.

Having had no feelings for [my horse] I am now totally in love and rapidly becoming a bore!!' Thank you so much for your help-it has made so much difference and I'm beginning to feel like I used to before all the disasters happened with the horses and getting more confident each time I ride her. Might need to come back to you when I start competing! N.B Cornwall.

I can't pretend, nor would I ever expect, to be the most confident rider in the world. But I can honestly say that thanks to hypnotherapy I have turned my 'horsey' life around and it has had a great effect of my happiness and confidence, generally. My horse and I now hack happily around the lanes and are closer than ever. In fact next year we even plan to enter us first show. In the meantime, If he sees something whist out hacking that makes him shy or get overexcited then my first instinct is no longer to panic or to jump off..........