Equestrian Performance Mindset

You can be experienced.

You can be ambitious.

You can be performing at a high level.

And still feel like you don’t belong there.

In this episode with Mohamed, we dive deep into something many driven riders quietly struggle with: The gap between external performance and internal belief.

We explore:

Why high achievers often feel like imposters

Why results don’t automatically create confidence

The hidden pressure of being “serious” about your sport

How fear of judgement impacts performance

Why comparison keeps you stuck

The difference between ambition and self-criticism

How to build confidence that isn’t dependent on outcomes

If you’ve ever:

Felt like everyone else is more talented

Questioned whether you’re good enough for the level you’re riding

Feared stepping up because “what if I mess it up?”

Worked incredibly hard but still doubted yourself

This conversation will hit home. Because confidence isn’t something you earn from results. It’s something you build internally, deliberately.

Resources Mentioned:

📲Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EquestrianPerformanceMindset

🎁 YouTube Launch Competition: https://www.mindeq.eu/youtubelaunch

Follow Jocelin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocelinlillienau

Follow Lorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornahogarth_coaching/

Follow Mohamed on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mohamedashraf_a92/

You won the class.

You rode well.

You hit your goals.

So why does one piece of feedback still hit so hard?

In this episode of the Equestrian Performance Mindset Podcast, we unpack something almost every competitive rider experiences:

Winning doesn’t automatically create confidence.

Success doesn’t fix insecurity.

And feedback can feel threatening, even when it’s positive.

After winning two dressage tests and placing 1st and 2nd in show jumping, Lorna shares a powerful realization: Her brain deleted all the positive feedback… and zoomed in on the “improvement” points. Sound familiar?

We dive into:

Why your brain distorts feedback (and how it links to survival)

Why winning doesn’t equal confidence

Red brain vs blue brain (threat vs challenge thinking)

How to receive feedback without spiraling

How to rewire negative interpretation patterns

Why mindset work is about accurate interpretation, not fake positivity

The difference between enjoying success and tearing yourself apart

If you’ve ever:

Won and still felt “not good enough”

Focused on the 1% that went wrong

Struggled with trainer feedback

Felt your confidence drop after comments

Questioned yourself despite good results

This episode is for you. Because confidence isn’t built from results. It’s built from how you interpret them.

Resources Mentioned:

📲Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EquestrianPerformanceMindset

🎁 YouTube Launch Competition: https://www.mindeq.eu/youtubelaunch

Follow Jocelin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocelinlillienau

Follow Lorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornahogarth_coaching/

What do you do when a distance doesn’t appear… and everything falls apart right before you go in the ring?

In this episode of the Equestrian Performance Mindset Podcast, I and Lorna dive into a real-life competition moment many riders fear: a jumping warm-up disaster, and how your mental recovery routine determines what happens next.

After a dramatic warm-up moment that ended in the middle of an oxer, I break down exactly how I reset my mindset, rebuilt confidence in minutes, and still delivered a strong round at 1.30m.

This episode isn’t about perfect distances. It’s about trust, focus, and learning how to ride forward after something goes wrong.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why you should fix your head before fixing your horse

How negative self-talk destroys confidence, and how to stop it fast

What to focus on instead of distances when nerves take over

The power of giving your brain a simple job under pressure

How elite riders mentally recover when mistakes happen

Why most riders think they’re “bad”, and why that belief is wrong

How imposter syndrome and people-pleasing sabotage your warm-up

Why you rarely see mistakes on social media (and why that matters)

If you’ve ever:

Missed a distance and spiraled mentally

Felt embarrassed after a warm-up mistake

Questioned whether you’re good enough to ride at your level

Carried one mistake into an entire round

This episode will change how you handle pressure, permanently.



Resources Mentioned:

📲Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EquestrianPerformanceMindset

🎁 YouTube Launch Competition: https://www.mindeq.eu/youtubelaunch

Follow Jocelin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocelinlillienau

Follow Lorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornahogarth_coaching/

At the start of a new season, goal setting can feel exciting… and overwhelming.

In this episode, I and Lorna unpack how to set ambitious goals that guide your season, without letting them become a source of pressure, self-doubt, or fear of judgment.

Drawing from our own recent competitions, we explore why zero expectations can sometimes unlock peak performance, why many riders either play too small or aim unrealistically high, and how fear of judgment often stops us from speaking our goals out loud.

This episode dives into the balance between big vision and grounded action, showing you how to use goals as information and data, not as a measure of your worth. If you’ve ever struggled with goal pressure, moving goalposts, or feeling like you’re failing even when you’re progressing, this conversation will help you reset your approach.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why having no expectations can lead to better performances

How mindset can carry you through breaks in training or time off

The difference between goals that guide you and goals that control you

Why many riders are afraid to speak their goals out loud

How fear of judgment, failure, or success shapes goal setting

Why goals should be treated as data and information, not ego

How to tell the difference between stretching yourself and setting yourself up to fail

Why breaking big goals into short-term actions builds confidence

The danger of constantly moving the goalposts

How to be proud of progress before you reach the end goal

Why mistakes, setbacks, and “bad days” are still steps forward

Who This Episode Is For:

Riders setting goals for a new season

Anyone feeling pressure, fear, or resistance around goal setting

Riders who feel they’re never “doing enough” despite progress

Those struggling with comparison, judgment, or expectations

Riders who want to play bigger without burning out mentally

Resources Mentioned:

📲Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EquestrianPerformanceMindset

🎁 YouTube Launch Competition: https://www.mindeq.eu/youtubelaunch

Follow Jocelin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocelinlillienau

Follow Lorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornahogarth_coaching/

Self-doubt is one of the biggest mindset challenges riders face, at every level of the sport.

In this episode, I and Lorna dive deep into what self-doubt really is, how it differs from confidence, and why it has far more to do with the stories you tell yourself than your actual ability.

You’ll learn why even top riders experience imposter syndrome, how identity shapes performance, and why stepping up a level often feels so uncomfortable, even when you are ready. Using relatable examples from eventing, show jumping, and everyday training, this episode breaks down how story-thinking hijacks your focus and what to do instead.

If you’ve ever thought “I’m not good enough,” “I don’t belong at this level,” or “I’m going to mess this up,” this episode will help you shift out of self-doubt and into action; without pretending confidence you don’t yet feel.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

The key difference between self-doubt and confidence

Why self-doubt is usually a story, not a fact

How identity (“I am an amateur,” “I’m not that kind of rider”) limits performance

Why stepping up a level always feels messy, and why that’s normal

How story-thinking ruins rounds in the moment

A simple trigger-word technique to refocus instantly after mistakes

Why learning “on the job” is unavoidable, and essential

How to collect real evidence of progress instead of reinforcing negative beliefs

What riders can learn from young horses when it comes to learning and mistakes



Resources Mentioned:

🧠 Receive our weekly mindset & performance hacks: https://www.mindeq.eu/weeklyhacks

📲Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EquestrianPerformanceMindset

Follow Jocelin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jocelinlillienau

Follow Lorna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lornahogarth_coaching/