Reclaim the Ride
You haven't lost your love of riding.
But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling safe.
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.
You've tried things. 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're scared of what might happen.
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 using techniques she has learnt in her mental coaching."
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 riding 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 that confidence isn't something you think your way into. It's something you build, incrementally, with the right framework and someone who understands both 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 from the inside what it takes to come back — and why pushing through is rarely the answer.”
She's not a sport psychologist. She's not a riding instructor. She sits at the specific intersection of horse behaviour, equitation science, and evidence-based coaching — which is exactly where this problem lives.
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, where it lives in your body, 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. You won't be left to manage those moments alone.
Investment: $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 $420 + GST per month
What shifts
You understand what's actually driving the avoidance — not just that it exists
The moments that currently derail you become manageable, then smaller
You stop white-knuckling through rides and start being present in them
Riding feels like yours again — not something you have to brace for
This isn't about never feeling nervous again. It's about nervousness 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 programme is the right fit.
No hard sell. If it's not right, I'll tell you.
