Why Some Riders Stay Calm Under Pressure, and How You Can Too
- Brainz Magazine
- Dec 3
- 8 min read
Beata Kaminska specializes in the mental preparation of equestrian athletes for major events such as the Olympics, World Championships, and European Championships. As an International Equestrian Mental Performance Coach & Researcher, she transforms pressure into power, teaching riders next-level mental toughness through her 6C Model.
Every rider wants that moment when everything clicks, your focus sharpens, your horse responds with precision, and it feels effortless. Imagine walking into the arena calm, composed, and fully in control, knowing how to handle your doubts. Because mental toughness isn’t about being unmoved, it’s about staying in control and bouncing back from setbacks quicker than others. And that’s something every competitive rider can build, not just the “naturally gifted” ones.
When riders lose focus under pressure
Maybe you ride well in training, but in competition, your mind starts racing, and your body follows. Potentially, you second-guess yourself right before the bell, and it costs you rhythm, distance, or timing. Possibly, you lose focus after one mistake, and everything snowballs faster than it should. Perhaps, you’ve started believing that pressure is something you either handle, or you don’t, and that can leave you questioning if you truly belong at the top level.
What mental toughness means in equestrian sport
Mental toughness is the invisible skill that separates riders who thrive under pressure from those who crumble when it matters most. Research shows that mental skills are one of the most essential components of successful performance in any sport. Visualize walking your course or test with quiet confidence, knowing you’re in control. Picture yourself knowing how to respond to pressure, even when others start to panic in the warm-up. Imagine developing the kind of calm focus that allows your horse to trust your decisions, no matter what’s happening around you.
At its heart, mental toughness is a personal capacity to deliver high performance, even when things go wrong, when pressure builds, or when others might give up.
The mental edge every successful rider has
I know you want to ride the way you train, smooth, focused, and confident. You’re done letting pressure decide how your round goes. You want your horse to feel your calm and support, not chaos and fear. And you want to feel like you’re moving forward in your riding career, even if you were stagnating for years.
Why mental toughness matters in competition for riders
Never before have riders faced so much noise, from social media, comparisons, and the ability to perform day after day, creating constant performance pressure. Because the old coaching belief that “if you can’t handle stress, you shouldn’t ride” simply doesn’t work anymore. Given today’s level of visibility and overstimulation, riders need more than talent, they need mental systems that work under pressure. That’s why understanding mental toughness now matters more than ever.
The 6C model of equestrian mental performance
Mental toughness doesn’t look the same in every sport. A swimmer pushes through pain, a golfer battles precision, a rider must balance pressure and feel, while making solid decisions for their horse to stay confident when competing.
Because equestrianism blends physical, emotional, and sport-specific demands, traditional sport psychology often misses what truly happens in the arena. That’s why now is the time for a new and innovative approach, one built for riders, based on research and practice in our unique sport. And that’s exactly why I developed the 6C Model of Equestrian Mental Performance, a framework built from my own and existing scientific research, real coaching results, and the lived experience of preparing riders for some of the biggest events in the world – including the Paris Olympics, World and European Championships.
1. Confidence in yourself and your horse
What would change if, the moment the bell rings, you didn’t hope to feel confident, you knew you were ready?
Every rider knows that moment: the bell rings, your round starts, and you either trust yourself and your horse or you don’t. That split second defines confidence, not loud or flashy, but the calm certainty that you can handle whatever comes next.
True confidence grows from evidence, not empty affirmations. Research shows it’s deeply connected not only to your own skills, but also to your perception of your horse’s ability to perform. It’s the quiet belief that you can handle whatever happens in the arena, the courage to take risks and make decisions, and the inner trust that your partnership has what it takes to succeed.
One rider I worked with kept saying she ‘just wasn’t confident enough.’ After looking through her training notes, we discovered she was still carrying the mistakes of her previous horse into the perfectly capable new one. Once she learned to separate those two experiences, and through exercises, build confidence in the horse she was riding at the time, things started to change. At her next show, she rode with a steadier and stronger rhythm, trusted her horse instead of interrupting in combinations, and came back with a result she was finally satisfied with.
2. Concentration under pressure
Imagine entering the arena and your mind goes quiet, no noise, no overthinking, just you, your horse, and the plan.
Every rider knows how quickly one distracted thought can cost you a stride, a corner, or even an entire round. Concentration in equestrian sport means being fully present, not thinking about the last fence or movement, not worrying about who’s watching, not being intimidated by other riders, and not freezing under pressure. It’s about staying connected to your horse and the moment you’re in, with a clear plan.
Interestingly, every rider focuses differently. Some thrive under pressure, it sharpens their senses and gives them fuel. Others need complete quiet in their thoughts, even when the warm-up ring is pure chaos. In my work with riders, most believe they know which type they are, until we test it together. The results often surprise them, and that awareness becomes the starting point for real change.
3. Control – Your state
It’s such a relief when you realise you can control your nerves, instead of nerves controlling you.
Control is the ability to manage your inner world, your nerves, emotions, and energy, so you stay in charge, instead of letting stress run the show. It’s what allows a rider to stay composed under pressure, to prepare their state before competing instead of just reacting, to turn mistakes into lessons instead of spirals, and to keep a clear head when everything around feels chaotic.
One of my riders used to lose focus before the warm-up, someone wanted to borrow his tack, a friend fell off, a groom didn’t deliver, and suddenly, he was out of control before even entering the ring. Through our work, he learned to spot the signs of tension early and use a quick mental reset. He knew exactly what his optimal state felt like and how to get back there, managing his emotions proactively rather than becoming a victim of the chaos around him.
For all loving parents who want to support their children better during competitions, check out my article: 5 Ways to Help Your Child Stay Calm and Confident at Equestrian Competitions
4. Clarity – Performance analysis
What if you could walk into every show knowing exactly the goal, and finish the day with a clear sense of progress and direction?
Clarity is about understanding what actually drives your performance, before, during, and after competition. It means knowing why something worked or didn’t, instead of guessing or blaming luck. As research shows, coaches remember only around 40% of performance details when not using video. This is why riders should take responsibility to review their rounds with purpose while looking for patterns.
When you build systems to maintain clarity, the overthinking quiets down. Less sleepless nights before the show, racing thoughts during warm-up, or finishing your round with that uneasy feeling of being unsatisfied with yourself. You ride with a plan, reflect with purpose, and start enjoying competitions again.
5. Challenge – Injury & failure
It’s empowering when fear stops feeling like a threat and starts feeling like energy you can use.
Challenge is what turns fear into fuel. It’s the ability to see pressure, setbacks, and uncertainty not as threats, but as opportunities to grow stronger and smarter. Mentally tough riders don’t crumble when they face failure, injury, or tough feedback, they adapt, learn, and rebuild.
Many riders experience this when coming back after an injury, working with a sensitive horse, or receiving harsh feedback. Fear of “making a mistake” or “breaking the horse” can easily turn into hesitation. But riders who know how to embrace challenge as part of the process don’t lose momentum. With tools, they stay curious instead of critical, and every obstacle becomes part of their preparation for what’s next.
6. Commitment – Never quit you
Start showing up not just for results, but for why you started riding in the first place.
Commitment is the heartbeat of long-term success in equestrian sport. It’s the ability to stay consistent, disciplined, and dedicated, even when progress feels slow, results don’t come right away, or setbacks hit harder than expected.
Mentally tough riders show up with purpose. They plan their training, reflect on their performance, and stay curious about how to improve. They don’t rely on motivation alone, they rely on habits. And that’s where direction matters. Without clear guidance, even the strongest work ethic can lead you in circles. As a mental performance coach, I help riders channel that commitment toward the right goals, so their effort fuels real progress instead of frustration.
Mental toughness beyond the arena: Skills that stay for life
Mental toughness doesn’t stop when you leave the yard.
The focus, calm, and resilience you build here stay with you, at work, school, and anywhere pressure shows up. Learning how to handle it, make decisions with clarity, and recover quickly from setbacks isn’t just about performance, it’s about who you’re becoming. These are skills that stay with you, long after the competition ends.
Are riders born mentally tough, or can you develop it?
Some say mental toughness is something you either have or you don’t, but that’s far from the truth. While a small part of how we handle stress is influenced by genetics, the sports science research agrees that it’s a characteristic that can be developed and should be maintained.
The challenge? You can’t always see your own blind spots. They quietly limit your performance, making you ride below your potential, sometimes for years, without realizing why. But once you learn how to train your mental system the same way you train your horse, everything changes. You start recognising patterns, adjusting in real time, and performing with calm confidence.
Start building your mental toughness today
Building mental toughness takes work, but once you have a clear direction, it becomes an achievable goal instead of a vague concept. And when you finally build it, you’ll wonder how you ever rode without it. Every confident, composed rider you admire once felt uncertain, overwhelmed, and crumbled under pressure. The difference wasn’t talent, it was the decision to face what was holding them back and do something about it.
If you’re ready to take that same step, start one of our Online Courses or join the 1:1 Coaching Waitlist to start strengthening your mental game today!
Beata Kaminska, Equestrian Mental Performance Coach
Beata Kamińska is a mental performance expert, coaching equestrian riders to thrive under the pressure of world-class competition. She prepares both senior and young riders for the Olympics, World Championships, and European Championships. A graduate of Hartpury University in Equestrian Sports Science and Performance Analysis, she combines academic studies and her own research in mental toughness with hands-on coaching across Europe, the USA, and Asia. Beata is the creator of the 6C Model of Equestrian Mental Performance, a framework for building rider resilience and career longevity.
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