Positive pressure

Many riders put themselves under immense pressure to perform well in competitions, when training or even on a quiet hack. This pressure often comes from the desire to get everything right, fear of mistakes or high expectations. While it’s a natural part of riding, it can sometimes turn into nerves, anxiety or fear, making it harder to enjoy your time in the saddle. The good news? You can learn to thrive under pressure – and I’ll show you how.

Shifting mindset

Your perception of a situation has a big impact on how much pressure you feel. It’s not always the event itself that causes stress, but how your mind interprets it. For example, two riders of similar ability might face the same scenario – entering a competition or tackling a tricky jump – and yet one might see it as an exciting challenge, while the other as something potentially frightening.

Perception is influenced by past experiences, personal beliefs and the expectations you set for yourself. This means if you believe every ride must be flawless, you set yourself up for stress, but if you can see challenges as learning opportunities, the pressure starts to feel more manageable.

This shift begins with awareness. Are you exaggerating the difficulties, imagining the worst or fixating on what could go wrong? Catching these patterns early allows you to change them and by reframing your thoughts – such as shifting the expectation of being perfect to doing your best and learning from the experience – you’ll significantly reduce the pressure you feel.

Fight or flight

Pressure triggers your body’s fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline and speeding up your heart rate. This reaction is designed to protect you, but it’s not ideal in the saddle. You could notice sweaty palms, a racing heart or tense muscles. Mentally, you might start overthinking or fixate on what could go wrong, leading to a loss of confidence, mistakes or defensive riding.

Did you know?

Pressure can sometimes be helpful, as it sharpens your focus, energises you and drives your best performance.

Top tip

If you doubt your abilities, replay past mistakes or imagine worst-case scenarios, anxiety can take over. If you’re aware of unhelpful thoughts, you can challenge and replace them with more positive, realistic ones.

Discover more of Alison’s advice for changing your way of thinking in February Horse&Rider – get your copy today!