Author Archives: April Clay

All riders want it and almost all wish they had more. “If only I had more confidence I could win more.” “She needs to ride that horse more confidently and...

Here is a common misconception about mistakes: they are nasty. Not true. What would you miss without them? How about learning, growth, and risk experience. If your mistake formula is mistakes...

Can changing the way you think change the way you ride? In a word, YES. When you train mentally, you are engaging the newest part of your brain, the frontal...

Instant society encourages instant results. But that is not how we or our horses operate. Going anywhere requires steps, landmarks along the way to define process. How can you apply...

You have your regular coach, then there’s the other one. The inside one. We all have this little guy (or gal) in our heads who is running the show. Giving...

Three sport psychology tips from April Clay's latest book, 52 Ways to More Confidence. 1. Define your athletic brand What is your confidence brand? Every athlete has an overall sense of...

Do you ever wish you could lunge your brain to make it quieter and more cooperative? Good news: there is a way. Sport and life come with emotions and sometimes...

Picture this: human and animal moving in unison, coming together for a brief connection. Those who witness are left holding their breath in complete wonderment of what the rider must...

Michael Phelps’ victory over Chad Le Clos in the 200m butterfly at the Rio Olympics was truly something to witness. First, we got a glimpse behind the scenes in the...

You may have heard the expression “practice makes perfect." You may have also heard this clarified to mean "perfect practice makes perfect." In other words, you have to watch carefully...

[show-list] About the Author April Clay is a rider and sports psychologist in Calgary, Alberta. Want to learn more about show preparation and mental toughness? Check out the Resilient Rider Online...

In short, yes, you can! When a rider’s mind is preoccupied with worry about a stop, it can result in negative anticipation that actually produces the real thing. Riders need...

Feelings of fear and apprehension can be thought of like an “alarm” going off. This alarm is the flight or fight response, a natural change in your body that happens...

Wouldn't you love to be known as the coolest horse show parent around? To be raved about by your own kids proudly as someone who has not only nailed their...

In sports psychology, we often talk about mental toughness and how to cultivate those characteristics as a rider. Here is what mental toughness is not. 1. Mentally tough riders are...

Mentally preparation is the path to peak performance. Whether your show is one day away or 30, there are countless things you can do as you countdown to the ring....

People watching you. people evaluating you. YOU in the spotlight. This type of fear is a common performance fear. For some, it’s intense and debilitating. For others, an occasional nuisance. So what can...

1. Choose "do" words Ella, an amateur rider trying desperately to conquer her nerves before her first competition, knows this phenomenon all too well. “I knew what I had to...

Tough thinking is not pie-in-the-sky thinking: “I am the greatest rider ever! I can beat anyone, anytime!” Sometimes toughness is wrongly associated with arrogance or ego. This could not be...

Riding is about communicating. You may be clear about your message, but how about the way it’s being delivered? What kind of communicator are you? The go alongs If you...