Every rider knows the feeling, that moment before a competition, when your heart starts to race, your breathing becomes shallow, and you can feel the tension rising through your body.
Whether you’re stepping into the arena, schooling at home, or just hacking out on a windy day, pressure affects us all. But there’s one powerful tool that can transform how you handle those moments… and it’s right under your nose.
Your breath.
In this blog, I’ll show you how to use breathing patterns to stay calm under pressure, how your breath directly affects your horse, and how understanding your autonomic nervous system can help you ride with confidence, calm, and focus.
And don’t forget, you can download my FREE Breathwork Guide for Riders for step-by-step breathing exercises to use before, during, and after you ride.
👉 Click here to download your free guide
Why Breathwork Matters in Riding
Most riders don’t realise how much their breathing changes when they feel nervous or stressed. You might start breathing faster, higher in your chest, or even hold your breath altogether.
Your horse feels that instantly.
Horses are experts at reading subtle cues. When your breathing becomes shallow or erratic, they sense the shift and often mirror your state. That’s why your calmness isn’t just about you, it’s part of your communication with your horse.
Learning to regulate your breathing helps you:
Stay calm and focused under pressure
Maintain steady energy for your horse
Improve rhythm, flow, and timing in your riding
Strengthen the connection between horse and rider
Understanding Your Autonomic Nervous System
Your autonomic nervous system is your body’s internal control centre, it regulates things like heart rate, breathing, and digestion automatically.
It has two main parts:
Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight or Flight): Activates during stress, competition, or fear. Your heart rate rises, muscles tense, and breathing becomes shallow.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest and Digest): Activates during calm, relaxation, and recovery. Breathing slows, heart rate steadies, and the body feels balanced.
You can’t control every stressful situation, but you can influence which part of your nervous system takes the lead, through your breathing.
Slow, steady, nasal breathing activates the parasympathetic system and sends a message to your brain: “We’re safe.”
That’s why breathwork is one of the most powerful mindset tools riders can use to perform better under pressure.
The Science Behind Nasal Breathing
Breathing through your nose isn’t just a relaxation technique, it’s science.
When you breathe through your nose:
The air is filtered, warmed, and humidified, helping your body function efficiently.
You release nitric oxide, a natural gas that improves oxygen delivery and blood circulation.
Your breathing naturally slows down, calming your nervous system.
In contrast, mouth breathing tends to be fast and shallow, triggering your stress response.
Think of nasal breathing as your internal calm switch, accessible any time you need it.
Breathwork Exercises for Riders
Here are two simple yet effective breathing techniques you can start using right away, whether you’re schooling, competing, or even tacking up.
1️⃣ The 4–6 Pattern
This technique helps to calm your body and lengthen your exhale to promote relaxation.
How to do it:
Inhale gently through your nose for a count of 4
Exhale through your nose for a count of 6
Repeat for 1–2 minutes
Why it works:
The longer exhale stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing heart rate and calming your body.
Use this pattern:
Before you mount
During warm-up
After a tense moment or spook
You’ll notice how your shoulders drop, your seat deepens, and your focus sharpens.
2️⃣ Box Breathing
Used by athletes, military professionals, and top performers, Box Breathing helps you find calm and focus under pressure.
How to do it:
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold for 4 seconds
Exhale through your nose for 4 seconds
Hold again for 4 seconds
Repeat for 4–5 rounds.
Why it works:
Box breathing creates balance between your inhale and exhale, giving your body rhythm and your mind structure. It’s perfect before competition, during warm-up, or any time your nerves start to rise.
How Breathwork Improves Your Connection with Your Horse
When you regulate your breathing, your horse responds in kind.
As you exhale slowly, your horse often mirrors that energy, their stride may lengthen, their back softens, and they begin to breathe with you.
It’s one of the most powerful (and silent) ways to build trust and connection.
You’re not just calming yourself, you’re teaching your horse that they can feel safe and grounded too.
The Science Behind the Calm
When you breathe slowly and rhythmically, you stimulate your vagus nerve, a key part of the parasympathetic system.
This reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), lowers heart rate, and creates coherence between your heart, lungs, and brain.
In simple terms, your body and mind align.
You move from tension to calm, from chaos to control, from panic to poise.
That’s why so many top riders and athletes use breathwork, because it works.
Practice Calm Before You Need It
The best time to train your breath isn’t when you’re already stressed, it’s when you’re calm.
Just like schooling your horse, consistency is key.
Practice these techniques daily, in the car, during groundwork, or while grooming. The more you train your breathing patterns, the more natural it becomes when you need it most.
Free Download. The Breathwork Guide for Riders
To help you get started, I’ve created a FREE Breathwork Guide for Riders, a simple, practical workbook that walks you through the same techniques I teach my clients.
You’ll discover:
✅ How to use your breath to calm nerves before riding
✅ Simple patterns to stay focused in the saddle
✅ Quick resets for after stressful moments
Download your free guide here:
My Thoughts
Your breath is always with you, and it’s your most powerful mindset tool.
When you learn to breathe with intention, you not only calm yourself, you create calm for your horse, too.
So next time you feel the pressure rising…
Close your mouth. Breathe through your nose.
And remind yourself: You are calm, capable, and in control.
Neil Foster
Equestrian Mindset Coach
🎙️ Host of The Neil Foster Rider Mindset Podcast