Program boundary: Resilient Riders provides equine-assisted wellness and educational activities. It does not diagnose, cure, or treat anxiety, autism, PTSD, depression, or any other medical or mental-health condition.
For children
- Your hands may feel tight or shaky.
- Your breathing may feel fast.
- Your stomach may feel fluttery or upset.
For preteens
- Body signals can include tense muscles, headache, restlessness, or low energy.
- The same signal can mean different things for different people.
- Notice the signal without judging yourself.
For teens and adults
- Stress can affect sleep, attention, appetite, energy, and physical comfort.
- One body signal does not identify a medical or mental-health condition.
- New, severe, or concerning symptoms should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.
Practical choices
A simple noticing plan
- Stop in a safe place.
- Name one body signal you notice.
- Choose whether you need time, space, water, a break, or help.
At a horse session
Tell staff if equipment, noise, movement, or closeness to a horse feels uncomfortable. Staff can adjust the activity without asking you to explain a diagnosis.
Evidence and attribution
Sources and review information
Resilient Riders wrote this page in original language after reviewing the sources below. No third-party image, worksheet, logo, assessment, or downloadable file is reproduced.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
I’m So Stressed Out! Fact Sheet- Publication or review date
- NIH Publication No. 20-MH-8125; page does not state a review date
- Resilient Riders reviewed
- August 21, 2026
- How this source was used
- Government information identified as public domain. Resilient Riders uses an original summary and does not reproduce source images.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Managing Stress- Publication or review date
- May 12, 2026
- Resilient Riders reviewed
- August 21, 2026
- How this source was used
- Government source summarized in original language. No source images or downloadable materials are reproduced.