In this powerful episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Abi, an amateur dressage riderbased in the East Midlands with a professional background in psychology. Abi is passionate about making psychological tools more accessible for equestrians and helping riders better understand the connection between their mindset and their time in the saddle.
We explore how Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) can support riders struggling with fear, anxiety, or self-doubt, and how a psychologically informed approach can deepen your connection with your horse. If you're a rider who wants to build more confidence, calm, and clarity, this conversation is for you.
Abi shares insights from her experience working as an assistant clinical psychologist in psychiatric inpatient hospital wards, and from her current PhD research in dementia. She also talks about her journey training young horses for British Dressage and how psychology has helped her as a rider.
👉 Connect with Abi on Instagram: @abidressage
Her DMs are open if you’d like extra resources or to chat about anything we discussed today!
🎧 Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
💬 Join the next Equestrian Community Call
A safe, supportive space to reset your nervous system, shift mindset blocks, and reconnect with joy and confidence, on and off the horse. Just £15 to join, our next call is May 20th at 7pm UK.
👉 https://subscribepage.io/91j9eL
🧠 Download The Ride or Cry Kit – Confidence Audio Bundle
Created for riders who feel fear or anxiety around riding, this bundle includes 4 short, powerful audios (hypnosis, affirmations, visualisation + a nervous system reset) to help you feel confident, calm, and ready to ride.
👉https://theenlightenedequestrianwithidyllwildhorsemanship.thinkific.com/courses/rideorcryaudiokit
Have thoughts or questions about today’s episode?
I’d love to hear from you—drop me an email at info@idyllwildhorsemanship.com
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review or sharing it with a friend who rides!
See you next week!
