Regular lessons with a trainer that you know and trust are a good way to make progress with your horse and your riding. How are regular lessons different than riding in a clinic? A clinic is a lesson or set of lessons that are given by a visiting instructor. This can be set up at your home barn or at an outside location. The outside instructor may be visiting from another area, may be more specialized than your regular coach or even work in a different discipline. A clinician can offer new perspective and new challenges for you and your horse to work on. Some things may work well for you and others might not be as good of a fit in the long run. It is always good to take the opportunity to broaden your knowledge base and experiences. Don't hesitate to tell the clinician what you are working on or what you feel you need help with. This will set your lesson up for success! Most clinics allow an audience or auditors who are not riding. This means that you can learn from the clinician by listening to them and train your eyes by watching others ride. If you aren't sure you're ready to ride in a clinic, try watching first to gain some insight into the clinician's teaching methods.

I love what you say in the first mini course. Where you say control is not about stopping the movement but about shaping it. You have taught me to change my mindset when riding and when the horse goes off course to not think don't do that. Instead continue in the direction the horse went and instead redirect the movement. Going with it vs against it. Such a huge difference.

A solo trail ride? Cantering without fear? Trotting down centerline at a show with a big smile on your face? "Riding with confidence” might look slightly different for everyone in terms of your specific goals, but all riders need to grow and develop their confidence. We need confidence to be good leaders to our horses and to be able to build our skills in the saddle. The more skills you can build, the more your horses will trust you and you'll feel that confidence grow! So tell us: What are your goals right now and what does "riding with confidence" look like for you?

Thank you for joining our community! Let's get to know each other! I'm Nicole, a dressage trainer based in Los Angeles, and I’ve helped countless riders overcome show nerves, overcome their doubts or fears, and ride with confidence. Building confidence is a process that - like training a horse - happens one step at a time. I’m so excited to support you on your journey! ✨Step 1: 👇 Introduce yourself and where you're from What's your favorite breed of horse? Or what kind of horse do you have? Add A GIF for extra flair! ✨Bonus: Become a Level 2 member FAST for free courses 👇 Reply to at least two other group members and start real conversations! When you are done - CLICK ME FOR STEP 2 👈

Welcome to Confident Rider Blueprint! 🐴✨ We’re so excited to have you here! This community is designed to help you build confidence, improve your riding skills, and connect with fellow equestrians on the same journey. Whether you're overcoming fear, refining your technique, or just looking for support, you're in the right place! There is a lot of exciting content here - let's jump in and learn to access it! 👉 Comment: "Ride" and head over to THIS POST to get started