Why Confidence Matters In The Horse Show Ring | Bonus Episode

This week on The Equestrian Adult Amateur, I'm sharing a horse show weekend recap as Sunny and Ollie continue preparing for one of our biggest goals of the season—the Big A Quarter Horse Show in Conyers, Georgia. Going into the weekend, I felt like we were in a really good place.

Sunny had some great trips, Ollie had been working well at home, and I was feeling excited about the progress we've been making. But as every equestrian knows, horses have a way of reminding us that confidence can change in an instant. After what felt like a great schooling session, Ollie stopped at the first jump during one of our rounds. Suddenly, all the confidence I thought I had built started to disappear.

What followed wasn't really about the refusal itself—it was about the mental game of horse showing. The self-doubt, the frustration, the second-guessing, and ultimately learning how to move forward. In this bonus episode, I'm talking about the reality of developing a young horse, managing horse show nerves, building trust in the saddle, and why confidence is one of the most important skills an adult amateur rider can develop. Whether you're preparing for your next horse show, riding a green horse, or working through your own confidence struggles, I think you'll relate to this conversation.

Horse showing isn't always about championships and blue ribbons. Sometimes the biggest wins happen when you learn to trust yourself, trust your horse, and keep showing up after things don't go according to plan. If you've ever dealt with a horse refusal, struggled with confidence in the show ring, or found yourself replaying a round over and over in your head, I'd love to hear your story in the comments. 🎙️ Topics Covered:

• Preparing for the Big A Quarter Horse Show

• Developing a young horse

• Building confidence in the horse show ring

• Horse show nerves and mental preparation

• Horse refusals and setbacks

• Trust between horse and rider

• Adult amateur riding experiences

• Lessons learned from horse showing