Building Mindset, Momentum, and Meaning Through the Darker Months

Winter has a way of slowing everything down — the light fades earlier, the ground hardens, and even the most motivated riders can feel their energy dip.

That’s exactly why I created Winter Mindset Compass, a gentle yet powerful mindset series designed to help equestrians stay connected to their goals, their horses, and themselves through the colder season.

The winter masterclass, blending mindfulness, goal‑setting, and equestrian training conversations into one supportive space. Here’s a look at what unfolded.

Creating Space for Reflection

I guided the group through a short mindfulness practice — a moment to breathe, soften, and listen inward. Winter is the perfect time for this kind of work. The season naturally invites us to pause, reflect, and realign with what truly matters.

Introducing the Winter Mindset Series

I shared the heart behind Winter Mindset Compass: a journal and goal‑setting toolkit inspired by my horse, White Diamond. His presence, patience, and quiet wisdom shaped the structure of the book and the practices inside it.

As a certified mindset and performance coach, I draw on NLP, hypnotherapy, and applied psychology equestrian coaching to help riders build clarity, confidence, and emotional resilience.

The winter series we’re running together is an extension of that work — a place to stay accountable, supported, and inspired.

SMART Goals, First Steps, and the Power of Support

From there, we moved into goal‑setting — not the rigid, pressure‑filled kind, but the grounded, compassionate kind that honours real life.

We explored the SMART framework and talked about breaking big dreams into small, doable steps. I encouraged everyone to write down their first action — something they could complete by the next day— and to revisit their goals every three months.

We also talked about the importance of protecting your mindset. For some riders, that means a social media blackout during competitions. For others, it means surrounding themselves with people who genuinely want to see them succeed.

Small steps, steady progress, shared support — that’s the heart of Winter Mindset Compass.

Purchase the accompanying Goal Setting and Action Planning Journal