Ten tips to Have a Better Mindset than 99% of Riders

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Ever notice how some riders just seem unshakable?
Their horse blows a lead, the crowd’s loud, the run’s not perfect… and they’re still cool, composed, and laser-focused.

What’s up with that?

It’s not that life (or the arena) treats them better.
It’s that they’ve trained something most people ignore: their mindset.

Here’s how you can, too—ten habits that’ll give you a stronger mindset than 99% of people.

1️⃣ Take radical ownership.
Stop blaming your horse, the footing, or the judge. The moment you own it all, you reclaim your power to change it.

2️⃣ Train your thoughts like you train your horse.
Consistency, correction, and compassion. You can’t muscle a horse into trust—and you can’t bully your brain into confidence.

3️⃣ Notice your self-talk.
Would you let your trainer speak to your horse the way you speak to yourself? Didn’t think so.

4️⃣ Master emotional regulation.
The riders who win aren’t the calmest by nature—they’re the ones who trained their nervous system to stay steady under pressure.

5️⃣ Visualize daily.
Not the highlight reel—visualize the recovery. See yourself regrouping after mistakes, breathing, and finishing strong.

6️⃣ Fall in love with “the basics.”
The best riders never outgrow the fundamentals—they just get better at them. Your mindset work is no different.

7️⃣ Choose your focus.
Losers focus on results. Winners focus on execution. Champions focus on state.

8️⃣ Surround yourself with growth.
Mindset is contagious. Spend more time with people who make you believe bigger.

9️⃣ Track progress, not perfection.
Every “bad ride” is data. What worked? What didn’t? Adjust. Improve. Repeat.

🔟 Protect your mental space.
Audit what you consume—online, in conversation, and in your own head. Cluttered mind, cluttered ride.

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life to start thinking differently.
Pick one of these ten to practice this week and watch what shifts—both in your confidence and in your horse’s response.

Because the truth is, your mindset doesn’t just affect your ride.
It is your ride.

🧠✨
Nicole

P.S. Ready to start training your mind like the pros do? Join me inside The Mental Gym for Equestrians—where you don’t just learn mindset... you live it.