The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast

Discover how to build unshakeable riding confidence using the same powerful mindset strategy that transformed the England Netball team under coach Tracy Neville. In this episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, Neil explores why celebrating small successes isn’t just a feel-good idea, it’s a proven performance tool that boosts confidence, motivation, and resilience in every rider.

Whether you struggle with nerves, perfectionism, self-doubt, or simply want to feel more positive in the saddle, this episode gives you practical, easy-to-use tools you can apply today. You’ll learn how to spot 1% improvements, stay mentally strong during tough rides, and build a partnership with your horse based on progress, not pressure.

Neil also shares personal stories from his own yard, helping you feel seen, supported, and connected. Join the conversation by sharing your own small wins inside the Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook group.

👉 Want more free mindset tips, episode updates, and exclusive insights? Join Neil’s mailing list 

Perfect for riders who want a calmer mind, a stronger partnership, and a more joyful riding journey.

In this episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, Neil explores the rise of a new generation of dressage riders who lead with empathy, softness, emotional intelligence, and true horse-first training.

You’ll learn:

What today’s most influential riders are doing differently

Why this approach is transforming the future of dressage

How emotional regulation and rider mindset directly impact your horse

Practical tools you can use to ride with more clarity, confidence, and connection

How everyday riders can help build a more ethical, positive equestrian culture

Whether you compete, train at home, or simply want a deeper connection with your horse, this episode will inspire you to bring curiosity, calmness, and feel into every ride.

Perfect for dressage riders, coaches, amateurs, and anyone passionate about horse-centred training.

If you believe the future of dressage should be kinder, softer, more intelligent, and more connected, this is the episode for you.

In this empowering episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, equestrian mindset coach Neil Foster reveals how your breathing patterns can transform your confidence, calm, and connection with your horse, especially under pressure.

Discover how the autonomic nervous system affects your riding performance, why nasal breathing helps you stay grounded, and learn science-based breathwork techniques you can start using today.

Whether you’re preparing for competition or simply want to enjoy your rides more, this episode will help you breathe better, think clearer, and ride with purpose.

FREE GIFT: Download your Free Breathwork Guide for Riders with step-by-step breathing techniques and exercises mentioned in this episode at 

FREE Download

Is dressage really in crisis, or is it simply calling for a mindset reset?

In this thoughtful 10-minute episode, equestrian mindset coach Neil Foster explores the challenges facing modern dressage, from welfare concerns and falling spectator numbers to rising costs and shifting rider habits. But rather than focusing on the negatives, Neil dives deeper into what the sport truly needs to evolve and thrive: a change in mindset.

You’ll discover how perfectionism, pressure, and performance culture have disconnected many riders from the joy and harmony that define classical dressage. Neil discusses how shifting focus from control to connection, and from perfection to progress, can reignite both passion and purpose in the arena and beyond it.

Whether you’re a grassroots competitor or a professional rider, this episode will help you:

Reconnect with why you fell in love with dressage in the first place

Understand how your mindset shapes your confidence, your partnership, and your performance

Learn simple mental strategies to overcome pressure and rediscover joy in your riding

Explore how compassion and authenticity can rebuild the culture of the sport

Dressage isn’t dying, it’s evolving. And that evolution starts with you.

Tune in now to The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast and explore how mindset, mindfulness, and connection can reshape the future of dressage, one ride at a time.

Click here to download your FREE 10 minute Rider Confidence Audio 

To continue the conversation join The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook Group

Discover the truth about hypnosis and how it can transform your riding confidence, focus, and performance. In this powerful episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, equestrian mindset coach Neil Foster explores the science, psychology, and neuroscience behind hypnosis for riders, and busts the biggest myths that keep many equestrians from unlocking their full potential.

Learn how hypnosis helps riders overcome fear, rebuild confidence after a fall, manage nerves, and ride with calm connection. Backed by real-world research and rider success stories, Neil explains how this natural mental state can rewire your mind for success, both in and out of the saddle.

What you’ll discover:

What hypnosis really is (and what it isn’t)

How hypnosis affects the rider’s brain and body

The neuroscience behind calmness, confidence, and focus

How top athletes use hypnosis and mental rehearsal for peak performance

Real stories from riders who have used hypnosis to regain trust, courage, and joy

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Free 10-Minute Rider Confidence Audio - Click to sign up for yours

The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook Group

Coming soon: Free Rider Confidence Workbook & Hypnosis Recording

If you’re ready to understand the truth about hypnosis and harness your subconscious power to become a more confident, connected rider, this episode is for you.

Don’t forget to like, follow, and share the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean to help more riders discover these powerful mindset tools.

Every rider faces tough days, setbacks, refusals, fear, frustration, or simply feeling stuck. In this empowering episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, equestrian mindset coach Neil Foster dives deep into the power of resilience, the emotional strength that helps you stay calm, confident, and motivated through the ups and downs of your riding journey.

You’ll learn how to train your mind just like you train your horse, with patience, kindness, and consistency. Neil shares real coaching insights, NLP techniques, and hypnosis strategies to help you bounce back from challenges, reframe negative thinking, and rediscover your love for riding.

In this episode:

What true resilience means for riders

How to transform frustration into learning

Simple NLP tools to manage nerves and self-doubt

How hypnosis helps rebuild confidence and calm

Why mindset matters more than perfection

Perfect for dressage, eventing, and leisure riders who want to develop mental stamina, emotional balance, and unshakeable confidence in and out of the saddle.

Join the conversation:

⭐ If you enjoy the show, please like, share, follow, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean, and help more riders build unstoppable confidence.

In this inspiring episode, equestrian mindset coach Neil Foster explores how our horses quietly teach us the art of patience, perspective, and emotional balance, both in the saddle and in everyday life.

Through heartfelt stories, real-world riding examples, and powerful mindset tools, Neil shares how to stay calm under pressure, rebuild confidence after setbacks, and see challenges as opportunities for growth.

Whether you’re an event rider, dressage enthusiast, or simply someone who loves learning from horses, this episode will help you deepen your partnership, strengthen your mental resilience, and find joy in the journey, not just the results.

You’ll learn:

Why patience is an active skill, not passive waiting

How horses mirror your inner state and emotions

Simple ways to shift your mindset from frustration to focus

How perspective transforms “mistakes” into milestones

Listen now to reconnect with what truly matters in your riding: trust, understanding, and presence.

Do you ever feel like your confidence, mood, or self-worth depend on how your last ride went?  This episode of The NeilFoster Rider Mindset Podcast is here to help you rediscover who you truly are, beyond the saddle.

In “More Than Your Riding: Identity Beyond the Saddle,” Neil explores how to separate your performance from your identity so you can ride, and live  with more balance, joy, and self-belief.

Using powerful NLP techniques, practical Cognitive Behavioural Therapy tools, and a calming guided visualisation, you’ll learn how to:

Whether you’re an eventer, dressage rider, or happy hacker, this episode will help you find peace, purpose, and pride both on and off your horse.

Join the conversation in the Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook Group, where riders just like you share wins, worries, and wisdom.

You are more than your riding.

Have you ever thought about giving up riding? This happens to a lot of riders. In this episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, Neil explores the real reasons riders quit, from burnout, fear, and comparison to unrealistic expectations, and shares practical, proven strategies to help you reignite your passion and stay motivated for the long haul.

You’ll discover:

Whether you’re a competitive equestrian or a rider who simply loves spending time with your horse, this episode will give you the tools, encouragement, and belief to keep showing up, even when it feels tough.

Subscribe now and join our supportive rider community in the Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook Group

In this episode of the Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, Neil dives deep into the power of mental stamina for equestrians, and how training your mind is just as important as training your horse.

You’ll learn practical tools and mindset strategies to stay focused, resilient, and confident, whether you’re schooling at home, facing competition nerves, or bouncing back from setbacks. From goal-setting and consistency, to journaling, visualisation, and real-life examples, Neil shares the mental training techniques that help riders achieve their equestrian goals without burning out.

If you’ve ever struggled with riding confidence, self-doubt, or the pressure of competition, this episode will give you the clarity and encouragement to keep going.

This is your reminder that mental stamina is a skill you can build and it might just be the missing piece between where you are now and the rider you want to become.

Perfect for: competitive riders, everyday equestrians, horse owners, and anyone who wants to improve their confidence, focus, and mental strength in the saddle.