The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast

Anchor Your Confidence: Music, Touch and Smells That Rewire Your Brain

Anchor Your Confidence | Music, Touch & Smells That Rewire Your Brain
Confidence in the saddle isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something your brain learns.
In this extended episode of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast, equestrian mindset coach and hypnotherapist Neil Foster explores how riders can anchor calm, repeatable confidence using powerful yet simple tools: music, touch, and smell.
You’ll discover:
Why confidence disappears at competitions (and why you’re not broken)
How your brain creates emotional associations, for better or worse
How music can instantly calm nerves and steady focus
Body-based touch techniques to ground confidence before and during a ride
Why smell is the strongest memory trigger for riders
How to stack confidence anchors into a reliable pre-ride routine
This episode is perfect for riders who:
Feel confident at home but struggle away from the yard
Overthink, tense up, or lose belief under pressure
Want practical mindset tools that actually work
Are ready to rebuild confidence calmly and kindly
🎧 Join The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook Group for ongoing support, mindset tools, and rider conversations.👍 If this episode helps, please like, subscribe, and share the podcast.🔔 Don’t miss the next episode: Designing Your Rider Mindset Routine for 2026.
Ride with confidence. Train your mindset. 

How to Use Visualisation Before Every Ride (Not Just at Shows)

Unlock the secret tool top riders use every day - visualisation.In this powerful 120-minute episode, Neil Foster takes you step-by-step through how to use mental rehearsal before every ride, not just at competitions, to transform your confidence, consistency, and connection with your horse.
You’ll learn:🔥 The neuroscience behind why visualisation improves your riding🔥 How to rehearse calm, confident, effective rides in your mind🔥 Guided pre-ride visualisation exercises you can use daily🔥 How to mentally practise rhythm, balance, transitions and jumping🔥 Tools to reduce nerves, overcome blocks and ride with clarity🔥 Real-life rider examples and mindset tips used by top performers🔥 How visualisation rewires your brain and influences your horse’s behaviour
Whether you’re an event rider, show jumper, dressage rider, or happy hacker, this episode will give you the mental tools to ride better, think clearer, and feel more confident every time you get in the saddle.
👉 Don’t forget to like, follow, share, and subscribe to support the podcast and help more riders transform their mindset.👉 Join the Neil Foster Rider Mindset community for bonus content, live sessions, and deeper coaching.
Next week: “Anchor Your Confidence – Using Music, Touch & Smells to Rewire Your Brain.”
This is the episode every rider needs — download now and start riding with purpose, focus, and confidence.

The Power of Small Successes - Lessons from Tracy Neville for Every Rider

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.

Discover the mindset shift reshaping the future of modern dressage.

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.Tune in now and become part of the positive change.

Breathing Patterns to Stay Calm Under Pressure

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.Neil guides you through practical breathing exercises like the 4-6 pattern and Box Breathing to help you regulate nerves, improve focus, and ride with calm confidence.
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 Facing a Crisis or a Mindset Reset

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

Hypnosis for Riders - Busting the Myths & Finding the Truth

Hypnosis for Riders - Busting the Myths & Finding the Truth
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.

Resilience in Riding: Staying Strong Through the Ups and Downs

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:
👉 Follow Neil on social media @NeilFosterEquestrianMindsetCoach👉 Join The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast Facebook Group for rider discussions, support, and extra mindset tips👉 Keep an eye out for Neil’s brand-new Free Ride Confidence Workbook and Hypnosis Recording coming soon!
⭐ If you enjoy the show, please like, share, follow, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean, and help more riders build unstoppable confidence.

What Horses Teach Us About Patience and Perspective

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.
Don’t forget to like, follow, and share the podcast!
Join the Neil Foster Rider Mindset Facebook Group for exclusive discussions and support.
Watch out for Neil’s Free Rider Confidence Workbook and accompanying hypnosis recording, coming soon to help you ride with calm, clarity, and confidence.

More than Your Riding - Identity Beyond The Saddle

More Than Your Riding – Identity Beyond the Saddle
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:
Reframe negative thoughts and build lasting confidence
Break free from the “Equestrian Identity Trap”
Anchor your sense of self, even when things don’t go to plan
Reconnect with who you are beyond the arena
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.