Instagram story viewer> @howveryhorsey> Posts

Daisy Smith - Confidence/Mind Mentor for horse riders

@howveryhorsey

2.6K

followers

1142

following

Helping riders to reclaim their love of horses ❤️take control of their confidence 💪 and thrive in their equine pursuits 😃
As seen on H&CTV, H&R, H&H

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

If confidence is getting in the way of the relationship you want with your horse: if you’re overthinking, avoiding things, worrying about what might happen, comparing yourself to other riders or finding that something you used to enjoy has become stressful… you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

My next online confidence course starts MONDAY 5th October.

It’s an 8 week online course for horse owners and riders who want to understand their confidence, work on the things that are holding them back and start enjoying their horses more.

We’ll look at the thoughts, habits and behaviours that can affect confidence, but this isn’t eight weeks of me telling you to “just believe in yourself.” 😂

We’ll talk. We’ll work through things. We’ll try practical strategies. And you’ll have things to actually do between sessions.

And one of the things I love most about running this as a group is that you quickly realise you’re not the only person who has ever thought: “Why am I suddenly scared of something I used to do?” “Everyone else seems to find this easy.” “I know I can do it… so why can’t I today?”

Sometimes hearing someone else say exactly what you’ve been thinking is half the battle.

Mondays | 8–9pm | Online | 8 weeks - £149

And if money is the thing that’s stopping you, please don’t automatically rule yourself out. I have flexible payment options and one free place available for someone who genuinely needs the support but can’t afford it.

If you’ve been thinking about joining, this is your nudge.

Send me a message or head to the link in my bio. by @howveryhorsey

4

0

18 days ago

You know your confidence is holding you back. You know you’d like some support. You know that having someone in your corner could make a difference…

…but sometimes the bank account says, “Absolutely not, Daisy.” 🫣

I don’t want money to be the reason someone misses out on something that could genuinely help them, so I’ve tried to make my courses a little more flexible.

💚 Payment plans: You can secure your place with just £25, then pay what you can, when you can, on a schedule that works for you. We can have a conversation about what feels manageable; no complicated finance arrangements and no pressure.

💚 One free place: I have one completely free place available on this course for someone who would really benefit but genuinely can’t afford it. If that’s you, or you know someone who should be there, you can nominate them.

Because investing in yourself doesn’t have to mean putting yourself under financial pressure. And confidence isn’t just about riding better. It’s about enjoying your horse, trusting yourself, having more good days than anxious ones and getting back to the partnership you want.

Invest in you: it benefits both ends of the lead rope.

If you’ve been thinking about joining but money has been the thing stopping you, please message me. We might be able to find a way that works.

Next course starts in October…🐴✨ by @howveryhorsey

7

0

25 days ago

My boys on the bedside table. 🥰 by @howveryhorsey

7

0

a month ago

Is confidence stopping you from having more moments like this? You know the moments I mean…

When you’re on your horse and you’re not worrying about what might happen. You’re not analysing every stride. You’re not wondering “What if…?” You’re just riding, Smiling and Enjoying your horse.

And if you’ve lost that feeling, I want you to know something: You are not broken. And you don’t have to just “get your confidence back” by forcing yourself to do more.

Confidence can be rebuilt; gradually, practically and in a way that works for you.

That’s why I created this 8-week online confidence course specifically for horse owners and riders. Now into its 7th year of helping riders…

Over 8 weeks we’ll look at the thoughts, habits and behaviours that can keep confidence stuck, and work on practical tools to help you move forwards.

🐴 Weekly live Zoom sessions - Mondays 8pm
🧠 Practical confidence-building techniques
💬 Supportive group environment
📝 Things to actually do between sessions

Because I don’t want you to become someone who is brave enough to ride despite being terrified. I want you to start enjoying your horse again.

The course starts 5th October 2026, with live sessions on Mondays, 8–9pm.

If you’re sitting there thinking “I really want this, but I’m not sure I’m confident enough…”

This course might be exactly where you start. ❤️

👉 Find out more / book your place: comment below or DM me for more details. by @howveryhorsey

105

4

a month ago

My mum used to say: “People say learn from your mistakes, but even better, learn from mine.” I’ve always loved that.

Because we don’t have to figure everything out the hard way. Sometimes someone else’s experience can save us a lot of time, worry and self-doubt.

That’s one of the things I really love about learning alongside other people.

You hear someone say something and think, “Oh… I do that too.” Someone shares something they’ve tried and you think, “Maybe I could try that.” Someone talks about something they struggled with and suddenly you realise you’re not the only person who has ever felt that way.

There’s something really powerful about shared experience.

And it’s one of the reasons I’ve run my Rider Confidence course as an 8-week online group rather than simply giving you a load of things to work through on your own.

Yes, I’ll be there to coach you.

But you’ll also have the benefit of other people’s experiences, perspectives, encouragement and “oh my god, me too!” moments.

You don’t have to work everything out alone.

Next group starting 5th October. If your confidence has taken a knock and you’re ready to start rebuilding it, send me a message and I’ll tell you more. ❤️

And Hugo? He’s just there admiring the Pie in action - still loving his jumping aged 31 x by @howveryhorsey

11

0

a month ago

I’ve always been incredibly lucky to have Auntie as my extra pair of eyes and my on-the-ground expert.

She’s the person I can turn to for advice, a second opinion, or a “Daisy, look at THAT” moment!

The last few weeks Hugo hasn’t been ridden and Auntie has been doing lots of in-hand work and polework with him, working on his strength and conditioning. Which means, for a change, I’ve been the one standing watching. 👀

And honestly, it’s been lovely.

Watching gives you a completely different perspective. You notice things you might miss when you’re the one in the middle of it, and I’ve learnt so much just from watching them together.

And obviously, I’m not really on my own watching… Bob is there to supervise. 🐶

Very grateful for my superstar Auntie and everything she does for Hugo… and for me.

Who is your on the ground set of eyes? by @howveryhorsey

14

0

a month ago

Have you fallen out of love with riding because your confidence has taken a knock?

Maybe you’re worrying before you even get on. Maybe every little mistake feels like proof that you’re not good enough. Maybe you’re comparing yourself to everyone else, putting pressure on yourself, or wondering where the confident rider you used to be has gone.

You’re not broken. And you’re definitely not alone.

An 8 week course designed to help you understand your confidence, quieten the self-doubt and start enjoying your riding again without pressure, fear or beating yourself up.

✨ Weekly Zoom sessions
✨ Expert coaching
✨ Supportive community
✨ Personalised support
✨ Practical confidence-building techniques

We start Monday 5th October, 8–9pm.

There are places available now.

DM me “CONFIDENCE” and I’ll send you all the details. 🐴❤️ by @howveryhorsey

19

0

2 months ago

House move complete ✅
Renovation started ✅

Sorry for delay in message response and my zoom background will be textured wallpaper in various states of being removed for the foreseeable future. by @howveryhorsey

10

2

2 months ago

At the time, I didn’t know that horses would become such a huge part of my life. I didn’t know I’d spend years writing about them, coaching riders, helping people find confidence again, or that I’d be lucky enough to learn from Monty for many years to come.

I was just a little girl, trying my best to listen.

Looking back now, I realise that wasn’t just the beginning of learning about horses. It was the beginning of learning about patience, kindness and partnership. Qualities that have shaped not only how I work with horses, but how I try to live. by @howveryhorsey

8

1

2 months ago

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”I’ve always loved this quote. This year, my teacher has had four legs.

If I’m honest, progress with Hugo has been slower than I’d imagined. We’ve had moments of highs and moments where I’ve wondered whether we’re getting anywhere at all. But perhaps I was measuring the wrong thing. Because whilst I’ve been trying to teach Hugo, he’s quietly been teaching me.

Patience. Presence. To celebrate the small wins. To stop chasing progress and start noticing it. To let go of the plan and work with what’s in front of me.

It’s been a tough year. One of those years that you only realise the weight of when you stop for a moment and look back.

Somehow, having this kind, gentle, endlessly thoughtful horse to figure out alongside me has been exactly what I’ve needed.

I don’t know where our journey will take us or what we’ll achieve. But I do know this…

Sometimes the greatest gift isn’t finding the horse you wanted. It’s finding the horse you needed.

❤️ taken in Upper Lambourn by @howveryhorsey

14

0

2 months ago

There are people who pass through your life, and there are people who quietly shape it. For me, one of those people was Monty Roberts.

When I first met him, he guided me through my very first Join-Up. I remember wearing enormous wellies and being convinced I was going to trip over. Monty would calmly say, “Walk left… now right…” and I was so worried I’d get it wrong that I held my hands out in front of me - one like an L so I remembered that was left.

Years later, as a frustrated teenager, I stormed into my auntie’s house, threw my school bag into the sitting room and heard an American voice say, “Ouch!” Mortified doesn’t quite cover it. I’d just launched my school bag at Monty Roberts.

Over the years he was there for so many milestones. He cheered me on at Hickstead and HOYS. He taught Pie to jump ditches and Joey how to tie knots. He taught me to lasso… and then, with impeccable timing, let me be the one being lassoed while I ran away laughing.

He had time for people. He had curiosity. He had an extraordinary gift for helping both horses and humans feel understood.

People will always have different opinions about methods and horsemanship. That’s true of anyone who changes an industry. But whether you agreed with every aspect of his work or not, it’s impossible to deny the difference he made.

He took an unimaginably difficult childhood and turned it into a lifetime of trying to create more understanding, more kindness and better relationships between horses and people.

What a legacy.

Thank you, Monty, for the lessons, the laughter, the encouragement and for being part of so many of my happiest horsey memories. Sorry about hitting you with my school bag - violence is never the answer!

Rest easy, Monty. by @howveryhorsey

13

0

2 months ago

Today I had the absolute pleasure of speaking to young riders at Pony Club Camp about confidence, competition and mindset.

We talked about something really important: confidence isn’t something you’re born with - it’s a skill you can build.

Together we explored:
✨ Why nerves are completely normal
✨ How to turn pressure into performance
✨ Practical tools to feel calmer before riding
✨ How to be your own biggest supporter, not your harshest critic

My favourite moment? Watching every single rider finish in a superhero power pose, standing a little taller and believing in themselves just a little bit more than when they walked in.

As a rider and mindset coach, I’m passionate about helping equestrians perform at their best, not just by looking after their horses, but by looking after what’s going on between their ears too.

If you’re involved with a Pony Club, Riding Club, camp or equestrian organisation and you’re looking for an engaging, practical talk on confidence, mindset or competition psychology, I’d love to come and speak.

📩 Send me a message to chat about your next camp, rally or event.

Confident riders don’t have fewer nerves, they just have better tools to manage them. 💙 taken in BCA (Berkshire College of Agriculture) by @howveryhorsey

19

0

2 months ago