Caroline Andrews, Horse Rider Confidence Specialist, has a natural empathy with and ability to help horse riders through her own experiences combined with formal qualifications.
Caroline talks about her journey:
'It was the 24th June 2001, I remember it like it were yesterday as I was finally in Italy for my riding holiday, a break from my stressful life as an accountant. It was 38 degrees at 10am in the morning as we set off across the countryside, I was on a young Appaloosa and I felt totally relaxed and at ease, enjoying the Spring flowers and the beautiful scenery….
Little did I know that 2 hours later I would be on my way to hospital…..my holiday ended abruptly by an unfortunate accident which brought home to me the unpredictability of horses and that would ultimately change my life….instead of putting me off riding it was like the Universe gave me a huge slap in the face to WAKE ME UP and reconsider my life….. I returned home some days later and decided to seek a part-time job with less responsibility and stress so I could go to college and learn all about horse behaviour…..and that is when my journey really began.
I bought a young, inexperienced and scared horse that mirrored back to me all my fears and emotions. I am not sure to this day why I bought her, she was everything I wasn’t looking for but something inside me was inexplicably drawn….. My journey with her over the last 13+ years has transformed me as a person; I knew I had to become stronger, more emotionally balanced, more thoughtful, more insightful and above all more CONFIDENT if we were going to survive. There was a time, in the beginning, when I was scared to even lead her from her stable to the field and riding was nothing short of terrifying for me.
Along the way I learnt a lot about myself and worked hard to become a more positive, rounded and calm person. I learnt to problem solve, to reflect and to take responsibility for my actions. To always ask myself ‘what could I have done differently?’ if things didn’t go according to plan. Who knew, when I first got my horse Millie in 2004, I would be riding bareback and brideless in a 10 acre field or hacking out for hours across the Cotswolds and loving every minute? I certainly didn’t!! Today I wouldn’t part with her for £10m, she is my soul mate, my best friend and my reason for getting out of bed in the morning and I thank her with my whole heart for helping me be the person I am today.
I have studied natural horsemanship for the last 10+ years as well as trained in NLP (about how what we think, say and hear affect what we do and how we feel) and then, after being made redundant in 2012, I became a hypnotherapist and decided it was time to help other horse riders. Further training in EMDR, EFT and Mindfulness have added to my skill set as I have continued my journey and now I help other people to get over their confidence issues far quicker than I did, to be able to love and appreciate their horses and, above all, enjoy their riding…. I want to thank all of my clients so far that have allowed me to do just that.'
'It was the 24th June 2001, I remember it like it were yesterday as I was finally in Italy for my riding holiday, a break from my stressful life as an accountant. It was 38 degrees at 10am in the morning as we set off across the countryside, I was on a young Appaloosa and I felt totally relaxed and at ease, enjoying the Spring flowers and the beautiful scenery….
Little did I know that 2 hours later I would be on my way to hospital…..my holiday ended abruptly by an unfortunate accident which brought home to me the unpredictability of horses and that would ultimately change my life….instead of putting me off riding it was like the Universe gave me a huge slap in the face to WAKE ME UP and reconsider my life….. I returned home some days later and decided to seek a part-time job with less responsibility and stress so I could go to college and learn all about horse behaviour…..and that is when my journey really began.
I bought a young, inexperienced and scared horse that mirrored back to me all my fears and emotions. I am not sure to this day why I bought her, she was everything I wasn’t looking for but something inside me was inexplicably drawn….. My journey with her over the last 13+ years has transformed me as a person; I knew I had to become stronger, more emotionally balanced, more thoughtful, more insightful and above all more CONFIDENT if we were going to survive. There was a time, in the beginning, when I was scared to even lead her from her stable to the field and riding was nothing short of terrifying for me.
Along the way I learnt a lot about myself and worked hard to become a more positive, rounded and calm person. I learnt to problem solve, to reflect and to take responsibility for my actions. To always ask myself ‘what could I have done differently?’ if things didn’t go according to plan. Who knew, when I first got my horse Millie in 2004, I would be riding bareback and brideless in a 10 acre field or hacking out for hours across the Cotswolds and loving every minute? I certainly didn’t!! Today I wouldn’t part with her for £10m, she is my soul mate, my best friend and my reason for getting out of bed in the morning and I thank her with my whole heart for helping me be the person I am today.
I have studied natural horsemanship for the last 10+ years as well as trained in NLP (about how what we think, say and hear affect what we do and how we feel) and then, after being made redundant in 2012, I became a hypnotherapist and decided it was time to help other horse riders. Further training in EMDR, EFT and Mindfulness have added to my skill set as I have continued my journey and now I help other people to get over their confidence issues far quicker than I did, to be able to love and appreciate their horses and, above all, enjoy their riding…. I want to thank all of my clients so far that have allowed me to do just that.'
Caroline's relevant qualifications
- Diploma as a Master Hypnotist
- Diploma as a Clinical Hypnotherapist
- NLP Certified Coach Practitioner (awarded by INLPTA)
- EFT Practitioner (awarded by EFT International)
- Using Mindfulness with Clients (awarded by WorkLifeBalanceCentre, a member of The Complimentary Medical Association)
- Diploma in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Parelli Natural Horsemanship Levels 1-3
- Practical Equine Behaviour Therapy
- Diploma as a Master Hypnotist
- Diploma as a Clinical Hypnotherapist
- NLP Certified Coach Practitioner (awarded by INLPTA)
- EFT Practitioner (awarded by EFT International)
- Using Mindfulness with Clients (awarded by WorkLifeBalanceCentre, a member of The Complimentary Medical Association)
- Diploma in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Parelli Natural Horsemanship Levels 1-3
- Practical Equine Behaviour Therapy