4 Ways To Handle Horse Riding Nerves Like An Elite Rider | Equestrian Mindset

The ability to stay calm under pressure isn’t just about mental toughness. It’s also about understanding how your nervous system works and using simple techniques to shift from a state of fear and tension into one of calm focus.

If you've ever felt your heart racing, muscles tensing, or mind going blank when riding, you’ve experienced your sympathetic nervous system (also known as the "fight-or-flight" response) taking over. 

While this reaction is helpful in genuinely dangerous situations, it can work against you when you’re in the saddle, making it harder to communicate clearly with your horse and respond appropriately to challenges.

But the good news is that you can override that automatic fear response by activating your vagus nerve - the key to shifting from stress to calm.

The Power of the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in your body, extending from your brainstem all the way to your gut, connecting with nearly every organ along the way.

Often called the “wandering nerve,” it’s a key player in your parasympathetic nervous system - the "rest and digest" system - helping to regulate your body's stress response and smoothly transition between states of tension and relaxation.

When your vagus nerve is activated, your body naturally slows your heart rate, deepens your breathing, and relaxes your muscles - allowing you to quickly feel calmer and more in control. 

For riders, this is essential because tension affects your ability to connect and communicate clearly with your horse, make good decisions, and help your horse.

You know that your horse responds to your emotional state. When you're anxious, your horse can also become tense and reactive. But when you’re focused and centered, your horse is more likely to mirror that calm state.

Riding with confidence isn’t about eliminating fear altogether. It’s about developing the mental tools to quickly shift your state of mind and body so that nerves don’t take over.

Here are four simple yet powerful ways to stimulate your vagus nerve, improve your vagal tone, and manage nerves while riding:

4 Simple Techniques to Stay Calm and Focused in the Saddle

1. Conscious Breathing

Your breath is one of the fastest ways to influence your nervous system. Shallow, rapid breathing (a sympathetic nervous system response which happens automatically when you're anxious) tells your body you’re in danger, reinforcing the fight-or-flight response.

Deep, controlled breathing, on the other hand, turns on the parasympathetic nervous system, signals safety, and helps you feel calm.

Try this simple breathing technique:

• Inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four.
• Hold for a count of four.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of eight.
• Repeat until you feel your heart rate slow and your muscles relax.

If you find counting stressful, simply focus on making your exhale longer than your inhale - this alone is enough to activate the vagus nerve and encourage a calm state.

2. Use Your Voice

Sound vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve, which is why activities like humming, singing, or talking calmly can instantly help you feel more relaxed.

Here are a 3 ways to use your voice to manage nerves:

• Hum a steady tune under your breath while warming up.
• Talk to your horse in a slow, rhythmic tone while hacking or in the arena.
• Sing a simple song quietly to yourself—it prevents you from unconsciously holding your breath.

Your horse will also find your calm voice soothing, helping to reinforce relaxation for both of you.

3. Stay in the Moment with the 3 x 3 Technique

When you're anxious, your mind tends to race with "what if" thoughts, taking you out of the present moment.

The 3 x 3 technique is a quick way to ground yourself in the here and now:

• Notice 3 things you see (e.g., your horse’s mane, the arena letters, the sky).
• Notice 3 things you feel (e.g., the reins in your hands, your seat in the saddle, the breeze on your skin).
• Notice 3 things you hear (e.g., your horse’s breathing, hoofbeats, birds).

This technique gives your mind something else to focus on, shifting your focus away from anxious thoughts and back to your senses, helping you feel more centred and engaged in the present moment.

4. Cold Water Therapy

Exposure to cold can stimulate the vagus nerve and help bring your nervous system back into balance.

If you’re feeling particularly nervous before riding, try one of these quick cold exposure techniques:

• Splash cold water on your face.
• Hold a cold drink against your neck.
• Breathe in the cool morning air before mounting.
• If you have more time, take a cold shower (great for overall nervous system resilience!).

These small actions can create an immediate shift, helping you feel calmer and more in control before getting in the saddle.

Train Your Nervous System for Greater Confidence

Using these techniques regularly - not just when you're already feeling nervous - can improve your vagal tone, making it easier for you to stay calm and focused in all riding situations.

Over time, you'll build resilience against fear and anxiety, allowing you to perform at your best, enjoy your rides more, and be a better, more confident partner for your horse.

Whether you ride for pleasure or competitively, your time in the saddle should be a joy, not a source of stress.

By understanding how to work with your nervous system instead of against it, you can take control of your confidence and enjoy every ride.

Is your mindset holding you back from riding at your best? You’ve put in the training, but nerves, overthinking, or self-doubt can still steal your confidence, focus, and affect your performance.

🎯 Book a free Confident Mindset Strategy Call, and I’ll help you pinpoint exactly what’s keeping you from riding your best and give you a personalized strategy for moving forward. 

Compete with confidence. Ride your best. Let’s make it happen. Schedule your free call now!