Psychological support for riders navigating performance anxiety, competition pressure, confidence, fear, perfectionism, and the psychological demands of horse sport.

 

The Psychology of Riding

 

Equestrian sport isn’t just about developing technical skills. You’re working in partnership with another living being, navigating uncertainty and safety, and often performing in front of trainers, judges, peers, family, and spectators.

 

A difficult ride, fall, refusal, injury, or change in confidence may affect how you approach your horse and your sport. For some riders, performance may also become closely connected to self-worth, identity, and expectations.

 

What We Can Work On

 

Performance & Competition

 

• Competition nerves and performance anxiety

• Staying focused during a round

• Preparing mentally for shows

• Managing pressure and expectations

• Mentally recovering after mistakes

 

Confidence & Fear

 

• Rebuilding confidence after a fall or difficult ride

• Fear of jumping or making mistakes

• Returning to riding after a (healed) injury or frightening experience

 

Perfectionism & Self-Criticism

 

• Feeling that every ride needs to be “good”

• Comparing yourself with other riders

• Harsh self-criticism

• Difficulty recognizing your progress

 

Rider Well-Being

 

• Burnout

• Riding-related stress and anxiety

• Balancing riding with other areas of life

• Changes in riding goals or abilities

• Identity or self-worth becoming tied to performance

 

Who Is This For?

 

I am passionate about working with adult amateur riders, competitive riders, casual and recreational riders, and equestrian athletes who want psychological support with the mental side of riding, including lessoning and competition.

 

This may include riders who feel anxious despite having the technical skills, are rebuilding confidence after a difficult experience, or want to develop a healthier and more effective approach to performance.

 

What This Is -- and What It Isn’t

 

This support is intended to navigate the psychological aspects of the rider’s experience and performance.

 

It is not a replacement for riding instruction, veterinary care, medical/physical treatment, professional horse training, etc.

 

I am a Registered Provisional Psychologist practicing under supervision in Alberta. Psychological services are provided within the scope of psychological practice and in accordance with the requirements of the College of Alberta Psychologists.

 

My Approach

 

My approach is individualized and may incorporate a variety of therapeutic strategies based on your needs.

 

• Rebuilding Confidence

 

A fall, accident, refusal, injury, or frightening ride may continue to affect you long after the event. When clinically appropriate, I use EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy, including the Flash Technique, to address distress associated with difficult or traumatic experiences.

 

• Mental Rehearsal & Visualization

 

We can use mental rehearsal and visualization to prepare for competition, practice challenging situations, and rehearse how you want to respond if a ride doesn’t go according to plan.

 

• Working With Fear & Uncertainty

 

It’s hard to eliminate all uncertainty from riding. Horses are animals, mistakes may happen, and falling is possible.

 

Using principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), we can work on making room for fear and uncertainty while continuing to act in ways that are consistent with your goals and values.

 

The mental goal may not be “I won’t fall.” It may be learning to think: “Falling is possible. I’m feeling nervous. And I can still choose how I want to approach this ride.”

 

• Emotional Regulation & Pre-Ride Preparation

 

Using strategies drawn from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and other evidence-based approaches, we can work on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and managing performance pressure.

 

Grounding and breathing, and individualized pre-ride routines may also help contribute to feeling more present and prepared before or during a ride.

 

• Developing a Healthier Performance Mindset

 

We can work on perfectionism, comparison, self-criticism, fear of making mistakes, and the pressure to perform -- while still allowing you to care deeply about your riding.

 

The goal isn’t to care less about your performance. It’s to develop a healthier and more effective way of approaching the sport you love.

 

Putting It Together

 

Our work can be tailored to your goals and circumstances. For one rider, that may mean processing a frightening fall and gradually rebuilding confidence. For another, it might mean managing competition nerves, developing a pre-competition routine, or practicing visualization. For someone else, the focus may be navigating perfectionism, emotional regulation, or wanting to ride again despite uncertainty.

 

Whether you’re working toward your next show or simply want to feel more confident and present in the saddle, we can explore what matters most to you and how you want to experience your time with horses.

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