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Over The Oxer · Tuesday · 24 min

Competing Thoughts

Why do so many non-professional riders put themselves through competition anxiety week after week - when the best part often feels like the cheesy chips on the drive home? In this episode of Over the Oxer, I chat about the psychology of competing (and why these exact principles apply to everyday riding, too!). I unpack the mind’s reward-expectation-punishment cycle, how dopamine keeps us hooked on the challenge, and why your primitive "fight-or-flight" response doesn't need to be on high alert. Plus, you’ll learn practical NLP techniques, like the "Bubble Exercise" for controlling the controllables and running micro-coaching commentaries, to help you lower performance pressure, ditch the secondary anxiety and put the fun back into your riding. Grab a good cuppa, tune in, and let's turn those nerves into genuine enjoyment! 👉Contact me Info@traceycolenlp.com www.traceycolenlp.com www.facebook.com/traceycolenlp.com www.instagram.com/traceycolenlp.com 🤗Next NLP Practitioner and NLP Coach Training: Starts 11th January 2027. Every Monday 1:30-5pm UK time. No prior learning needed. Recordings made available. NLP only for Practitioner and 5 certifications for the NLP Coach (all internationally recognised, accredited and certified by professsional boards) https://traceycolenlp.com/product/empowered-equestrian-coach/ 🎉NEW 🎉ONLINE SELF-PACED NLP PRACTITIONER /COACH WITH ZOOM PRACTICE DAYS Join me for the start of this fabulous hybrid of self-paced training + practice days on Zoom. Use the code PODCAST at checkout to receive a whopping 50% discount before the end of October 2026. Registration open now. Pre-study from 1st October 2026, and self-paced part of the course opens 9th November. Bi-weekly Zoom chats; Practice sessions together on Zoom. Join now. https://traceycolenlp.com/online-nlp-practitioner-training/ 🎓NLP Trainers Training: 1:1 Start any time. Pre-requisite: Master NLP Practitioner https://traceycolenlp.com/nlp-trainers-training-curious-to-know-more/ 📚Confident Rider Mindset Book/ Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/ypjunref

0:00-24:50

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show notes

Why do so many non-professional riders put themselves through competition anxiety week after week - when the best part often feels like the cheesy chips on the drive home? In this episode of Over the Oxer, I chat about the psychology of competing (and why these exact principles apply to everyday riding, too!). I unpack the mind’s reward-expectation-punishment cycle, how dopamine keeps us hooked on the challenge, and why your primitive "fight-or-flight" response doesn't need to be on high alert. Plus, you’ll learn practical NLP techniques, like the "Bubble Exercise" for controlling the controllables and running micro-coaching commentaries, to help you lower performance pressure, ditch the secondary anxiety and put the fun back into your riding. Grab a good cuppa, tune in, and let's turn those nerves into genuine enjoyment!

 

👉Contact me

Info@traceycolenlp.com 

www.traceycolenlp.com

www.facebook.com/traceycolenlp.com

www.instagram.com/traceycolenlp.com

 

🤗Next NLP Practitioner and NLP Coach Training: Starts 11th January 2027. Every Monday 1:30-5pm UK time. No prior learning needed. Recordings made available. NLP only for Practitioner and 5 certifications for the NLP Coach (all internationally recognised, accredited and certified by professsional boards) https://traceycolenlp.com/product/empowered-equestrian-coach/

 

🎉NEW 🎉ONLINE SELF-PACED NLP PRACTITIONER /COACH WITH ZOOM PRACTICE DAYS Join me for the start of this fabulous hybrid of self-paced training + practice days on Zoom. Use the code PODCAST at checkout to receive a whopping 50% discount before the end of October 2026. Registration open now. Pre-study from 1st October 2026, and self-paced part of the course opens 9th November. Bi-weekly Zoom chats; Practice sessions together on Zoom. Join now. https://traceycolenlp.com/online-nlp-practitioner-training/

 

 

🎓NLP Trainers Training: 1:1 Start any time. Pre-requisite: Master NLP Practitioner https://traceycolenlp.com/nlp-trainers-training-curious-to-know-more/

 

 

📚Confident Rider Mindset Book/ Audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/ypjunref

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