Stall High Neuroscience Coaching with Leanna Rae
Focus: Helping riders regulate their nervous system, improve attunement with their horse, and unlock faster reaction times and calmer, more connected runs. Leanna Rae’s approach integrates relational neuroscience, polyvagal theory, and practical biomechanics to optimize both the rider's and horse’s performance.
Core Topics Covered in a One-Hour Session:
1. Understanding Your Nervous System in the Saddle
● Why your nervous system controls your reaction time, balance, and feel.
● How fight, flight, freeze responses show up in barrel racing (tight shoulders, delayed reactions, poor decision-making).
● Polyvagal Theory basics and why co-regulation with your horse matters.
2. The Attunement Advantage
● What it means to ride in attunement—being fully present, aware, and in sync with your horse.
● Identifying signs when you or your horse are out of attunement (tight reins, rushed patterns, resistance).
● How attunement unlocks smoother transitions and faster runs without force.
3. Neurological Testing & Assessment (Practical Application)
● Balance & posture assessments (eyes closed, feet placement, subtle shifts).
● Eye tracking & hand reflex testing to uncover hidden delays that disrupt timing and control.
● Gentle head and neck movement tests to detect nervous system dysregulation.
Techniques & Methods Introduced:
1. Body Scans & Tension Mapping
● Quick 10-minute body scan to detect where you’re holding unnecessary tension that blocks communication with your horse.
● Techniques to release tension in key areas (shoulders, hips, hands).
2. Breathwork for Faster Recovery & Calmness
● Box breathing and vagal nerve activation techniques to reduce anxiety and increase focus before and during a run.
● The power of exhaling fully to reset the nervous system quickly.
3. Co-Regulation Exercises With Your Horse
● How to mirror your horse’s breathing and energy to create a calm, connected rhythm.
● Practices to ground yourself while mounted or on the ground to help your horse relax.
Advice & Takeaways from Leanna Rae’s Sessions:
● Small movements matter. Over-cueing and force come from dysregulation; subtle, well-timed cues work better.
● Your horse reads your body language instantly. Calm, confident riders create calm, confident horses.
● Speed comes from safety. When your nervous system is calm, your horse feels safer, and you both move faster.
● Rider’s mindset is everything. If you’re stressed, your horse will feel it—fix yourself first.
● Posture and vision control everything. Where you look and how you sit either stabilizes or destabilizes your horse.
Session Wrap-Up: Custom Plan
Leanna provides:
✅ A custom nervous system regulation routine (daily exercises + pre-run rituals).
✅ Simple attunement drills to practice at home and in the arena.
✅ Follow-up coaching options for continued progress through Attunement 101 and beyond.
Leanna Rae’s neuroscience coaching doesn’t just change your mindset—it transforms your body’s reactions, your horse’s performance, and your ability to ride in true attunement. This session is often described as the turning point riders didn’t know they needed.