Sports psychology

10 things successful riders don’t do

Debbie Rolmanis gives some top tips on how to implement the training and competition values of successful riders

Why riders can be susceptible to mental health problems — and how to take action

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24 May) and with mental health increasingly prominent on the national agenda, we find out why riders can be particularly susceptible to problems — and how to combat them

13 performance psychology pointers to help improve your results

Read these top tips from performance psychologist, Charlie Unwin, to help you get a head start this season

8 ways to build your confidence ASAP

Camilla Henderson and Zoe Taylor reveal eight ways in which you can build and improve your confidence

‘I had a string of great horses… and two weeks later it was gone’: how to bounce back after a string of bad luck

We catch up with four riders who have had strings of bad luck due to various reasons, how they came through this, and the tips that helped them

Claire Drey-Brown’s we need to talk blog: please, can we stop writing mean comments?

After a comment directed at her relationship with a horse she once had in her care, Claire has decided to put pen to paper to discuss the darker side of social media

Claire Drey-Brown’s we need to talk blog: how to deal with things when they’re not going well

‘If you haven’t experienced this, you’re lying,’ says Claire (pictured)

3 ways to help you achieve peak performance

Zoe Taylor and Camilla Henderson, who are both sport and performance psychology consultants, shed light on how we as riders can achieve our optimal competition mindset, how to apply key mental skills to our performance and how to thrive under pressure

How to conquer competition nerves: real riders review expert tips

There is a wealth of tips on how to combat competition nerves online, but do they work for everyone? Rachel Fraser spoke to real riders who reviewed what works, and what doesn’t, for them

6 ways positive psychology can make you a better rider

Professor Tony Ghaye discusses the ways in which positive psychology can impact riders and improve their standard of performance

7 ways to set goals, stick to them — and succeed in 2019

A new year means new goals for you and your horses. So Jessica Crandon ask the experts how to set realistic goals — and stick to them

Tales from Tryon: gold medallist talks about the ‘battle to overcome my own mind’

Adrienne Sternlicht, who was part of the gold medal-winning US showjumping team last week, talks about the mental struggles she been through with her riding

7 ways to combat negative thoughts when it comes to your riding

While we can control how much money and time we spend on fitness, training and equipment, what do you do as a rider when your mindset starts to fail you and negative thinking sets in?

'He was going berserk': how to overcome a traumatic accident

Whether you’re a professional rider or a weekend hacker, confidence issues can affect us all. H&H speaks to a therapist and one rider who has successfully regained her nerve

Why prioritising sleep could boost your results (and how to get more of it)

The well-being of our equine athletes might be our number one 
priority, but the power of a rider’s sleep for 
boosting performance in the saddle should not be underestimated. Here’s how to get some more time in the land of nod...

Can riders suffer from PTSD?

You might think that PTSD is something reserved for those who have been in battle, but it’s a lot more common in equestrian sport than you might think

Been attacked on social media? Top tips for dealing with aggressive keyboard warriors

As social media has continued to grow in popularity, so have keyboard warriors. But what can you do about them?

Elite sport ‘isn’t all roses’: top showjumper talks frankly about the pressure

Current world number two showjumper Mclain Ward shares the struggles he has faced caused by the pressure of his sport — and how he has learnt to cope with it over the years

How sports psychology helped an eventer overcome her rotational fall demons

Performance and sport psychologist Camilla Henderson explains how she helped three-star eventer Harriet Dickin get back on track following a rotational fall

18 expert tips for success on competition day

Sports psychologist Inga Wolframm gives her expert advice for coping with competition day