Niche in the Spotlight: Confidence for Horse Riders

This week's niche in the spotlight: helping adult horse riders to gain confidence and reconnect with their passion for riding, with Faye Low.

What is your niche?

I work in Equestrian Coaching but my niche is helping riders who have developed a fear associated with riding. This fear normally stems from a bad accident, a bad experience, fear of loss of control and the “what if”.

What made you decide on your niche?

I actually didn’t decide on my niche, it found me. I was watching a friend give a riding lesson to someone who lacked confidence. I used some coaching techniques with her and used a few NLP exercises, which helped to eventually go on to compete and win competitions. I decided at that point that I would combine my passion for horses and horse riding and my passion for helping people.

Why are you passionate about your niche?

My niche is a blend of the two things that I am passionate about: working with horses and helping people. The fact that I can help people to bring back their partnership with their horses and to learn to trust again is just the icing on the cake.

What sorts of challenges do you help people solve?

Adults returning to riding, either after an accident or out of their child-hood experience, the potentially dangerous aspect can scare many of the clients that I help. Some people feel safer when they feel that everything is within their control- this is the problem that I help people to solve, as horse riding by its very nature requires letting go of that control.

What benefits do you see your clients get from coaching?

By using NLP and coaching, I can help my clients to understand the way they think. This allows them to think outside the box, empowering them to find ways to improve their confidence. My clients tend to come to me because there are stuck and make excuses for not riding. Coaching helps to formulate a plan of baby steps, to get them to enjoy riding again. The best thing for me is to see them bonding with their horses once again and enjoying their passion.... to ride their horse.

Where do you find your clients?

When I first started my business, I put out a message on a couple of local Facebook horse riding groups asking for people that I could coach who lacked confidence. I got an overwhelming response within 3 hours! Horse Confidence was then born! From then, I have been lucky that my clients have found me through word of mouth. The only advertising that I have is through Facebook. I’m still getting a feel for things and what my next steps are.

How do you market yourself?

So far I have a Facebook business page and a website with a subscription for a free newsletter service. These seem to work very well. I also write a monthly column for East Anglia Rider.

What other services do you offer, if any, such as workshops or conferences?

I have been asked to do some talks and workshops for the British Horse Society as well as the Riding Clubs. I recorded an MP3 podcast using NLP and self hypnosis techniques and I am in the middle of writing a 3-part online course so that I can help many more people that I possibly couldn’t reach otherwise.

Faye didn't find her niche, her niche found her, out of her passion for horse riding, and after spotting a problem that she knew she could help solve.

Have you find the niche that is right for you?