“I Could Win at Home... Then I Entered the Show Pen” with MJ

One of the most honest things I've ever heard a rider say was:

“I could win everything at home… if they judged me there.”

The problem?

They don't.

And for years, that reality was crushing MJ.

At home, her horse was incredible.

In the show pen?

Her hands got tight.
Her body got tense.
Her brain raced ahead of the run.

And eventually, her horse started expecting that version of her every time they walked through the gate.

The frustrating part is that nothing was wrong with her horse.

She had a great horse.
A great trainer.
Plenty of experience.

But pressure was changing the rider her horse got on show day.

This week on the Resilient Reiner Podcast, I sat down with MJ to talk about the journey from being a rider who completely unraveled under pressure... to becoming a rider who trusts herself, trusts her horse, and actually enjoys showing again.

And honestly?

This episode isn't really about horse shows.

It's about what happens when you stop making every run a test of your worth.

Inside this conversation, we talk about:

• Why so many riders look amazing at home but struggle in competition

• How pressure affects your horse before you even realize it's affecting you

• The hidden reason riders lose feel, timing, and confidence in the show pen

• Why more horse training wasn't the answer

• The pre-run routine MJ now uses before every ride

• How she stopped spiraling over scores, standings, and what everyone else thought

• Why staying present became her biggest competitive advantage

• The mindset shift that helped her mark some of the best runs of her career

One of my favorite moments was when MJ realized:

"I wasn't struggling because I needed more horse training. I was struggling because pressure was changing who my horse got when we walked into the show pen."

Read that again.

Because I think a lot of riders are living that reality without realizing it.

The horse isn't always the thing that changes.

Sometimes it's us.

And when we learn how to regulate our nerves, trust our preparation, and stay present under pressure...

our horses finally get access to the rider they see every day at home.

This conversation is honest, encouraging, practical, and full of moments that will have you nodding your head and saying:

"Yep. That's me."

🎧 Listen to the full episode here → Podcast Episode 211

Ride on,

Nicole 🤍