Reclaim the Ride
You haven't lost your love of riding.
But somewhere along the way, the spark left.
Maybe it was a fall. Maybe it crept up slowly. Maybe you can't even point to the moment it changed — you just know that getting on feels nothing like it used to, and the joy you used to have is now hiding somewhere in the bushes next to the arena
You've tried things. Changing things up. A quieter horse. A new instructor. Pushing through. None of it got to the root of it.
That's because the root of it isn't your horse.
30 minutes to talk through where you are — no obligation, no pressure.
What this actually looks like
You're paying for a horse you're not riding — or riding far less than you want to
You've cancelled lessons at the last minute, more than once
You get to the paddock and find a reason not to get on
In every other area of your life you just get on with things — this feels completely out of character
You're not scared of your horse. You just continuously don’t feel like riding.
The frustrating part is that you know, logically, you're probably fine. That doesn't make it any easier.
And because you're not someone who gives up easily, you're still here — still looking for the thing that actually works.
What working together looks like
“When I had a nasty fall, Susan helped me regain my confidence. She was very mindful of my comfort levels and gradually rebuilt my confidence."
Jacqui Horswell, Wellington | riding client of 6 years“She naturally cultivates a safe space for you to be yourself and show up as you are. She asks very deliberate questions that cause you to pause and look inwards... I've uncovered some incredible and unexpected realisations during our sessions that have started to change who I am and how I interact with the world around me.”
Allie, USA | coaching clientSometimes I'm not sure what I want to talk about and then Susan unearths some deeper emotion that I wasn't even aware I had been holding on to. I always feel a little more settled and confident after my coaching sessions.
Tina Collison, Wellington | horse coaching and mindset coaching client
Why this is different from other things you've tried
Most approaches to rider motivation and confidence either work on the horse (calmer horse, better training) or treat it as a generic mindset problem (breathe, visualise, push through).
This is neither of those.
Reclaim the Ride is built on the understanding that what happens in your body and mind is directly connected to what happens between you and your horse, and to your life outside of horses — and that motivation and confidence aren’t things you can just think your way into. It's something you build, incrementally, with the right framework and someone who understands all sides of the equation.
Why Susan
Susan Nienaber is an ICF PCC-accredited coach and equine behaviourist with an MSc in Equine Science. She has worked with horses and riders internationally — and has navigated her own return to riding after injury.
“After a head injury ended my riding for a period, I understand what it’s like to lose motivation to ride, what it takes to come back — and why pushing through is rarely the answer.”
Susan understand the complexities that encompass motivation and confidence when riding. She work in a way that approaches each person as an individual. You know what you need, yet you aren’t doing it. Together we figure out why that is happening and what works for you to overcome this motivational hiccup.
Reclaim the Ride
A structured 1:1 coaching programme, delivered online (or in person in Wellington), for riders who are ready to understand what's actually going on — and do something about it.
Phase 1
Kick-start — 6 weeks
Weekly 1:1 sessions (45–60 minutes). We go deep from the start: what's driving the pattern, and what it's going to take to shift it. Most clients see significant change within this phase.
Between every session, you have direct access to me. Real change happens in the moments between sessions: the ride you almost didn't do, the thing that came up on Wednesday, your boss being a capital D. You won't be left to manage those moments alone.
Investment: NZ$1,497 + GST — NZ clients: GST will be added at checkout. International clients: no GST applies.
Phase 2
Continuation
After the kickstart, many clients choose to continue with fortnightly sessions to keep momentum and navigate what comes up in real time. This is flexible and structured around where you are, not a fixed programme.
From NZ$420 + GST per month
What shifts
You understand what's actually driving the avoidance — not just that it exists
The moments that currently leave you doom scrolling in your car instead of riding become manageable, then smaller
You stop pushing through rides and start being present in them
Riding feels like yours again, not something you have to do, but something you love doing.
This isn't about never feeling meh again. It's about that meh no longer making your decisions for you.
If this sounds like you, let's talk.
The discovery call is 30 minutes. We'll talk about where you are, what you've already tried, and whether this program is the right fit.
