Hello Riders,

Have you ever watched an elite rider and thought, “They’re just so talented—I could never ride like that”? It’s a common reaction, and one that often stops us from seeing the real truth: you’re not looking at talent—you’re looking at skill. And here’s the good news—skills can be learned.

In today’s newsletter, we’re digging into one of the most important questions in equestrian sport:

How do riders actually get better?

Whether you’ve been riding for years or just starting out, the feeling of plateauing is frustrating. You may be putting in the time, showing up to lessons, riding multiple horses, attending clinics—and yet still feel like you're stuck at the same level. So what gives? Let’s take a closer look at what it 'really' takes to become a skilled equestrian athlete.

Understanding Skill Acquisition

Skill acquisition is the process of learning and developing the physical and mental components required to perform movements fluently, efficiently, and reliably. It’s how raw effort is shaped into refined performance.

There are generally three stages a rider will move through when learning a new skill:

1. The Cognitive Stage
At this stage, you’re consciously thinking about every part of the movement. Nothing feels automatic yet. Mistakes are common, and your brain is working hard just to coordinate your limbs, your balance, and your timing. Feedback from your coach is essential here, as you don’t yet have the internal feel to know what’s working or what’s not.

2. The Associative Stage
With repetition, movements start to feel smoother. You may begin to shift your attention from how you're doing the movement to what you're trying to achieve. For instance, you stop thinking about *how* to ask for canter and begin focusing on whether the canter feels balanced. You’re able to self-correct more often, though consistent coaching is still vital. Many riders stay in this stage for a long time—sometimes for their entire riding lives.

3. The Autonomous Stage
This is the stage we associate with top riders. Movements feel automatic. They can think about strategy, rhythm, feel, and even anticipate changes—because the basics are so ingrained that they no longer need conscious control. Reaching this stage requires not just time and practice, but *deliberate, high-quality practice*.

So What Sets Skilled Riders Apart?

The most skilled riders—the ones who seem to float through a test or adjust seamlessly on course—aren’t just “talented.” They’ve spent years training their bodies and minds to respond in precise, consistent ways.

These riders have developed:

- Proprioception: An internal awareness of body position and movement. They can sense when something is off and correct it without being told.
- Consistency: Their riding holds up under pressure. They can reproduce a great result again and again, not just once on a good day.
- Technical Efficiency: Their movements are smooth, economical, and clear to the horse—helping both performance and safety.
- Motor control & physical fitness: after proprioception, the rider need the body to respond to the brain's messages to move, to stablise, to balance, to give aids and all with precision timing.

These aren’t innate gifts. They’re trained qualities. And that means they’re accessible to you,  too.

Becoming a Better Learner

While every athlete is on their own journey, some traits reliably help people learn more effectively—and therefore progress faster.

Your **personality** and mindset play a huge role in your learning curve. Riders who are determined, open-minded, curious, and coachable are at a major advantage. Not because they have more talent—but because they’re better at learning.

Being a good learner means:

- Staying open to feedback (even when it’s uncomfortable).
- Willingness to try, fail, and try again.
- Resilience when things go wrong (which they will!).
- Seeing mistakes as a natural part of the process—not a reflection of your worth.

It also means having self-belief. Confidence in your ability to improve is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Riders who believe they can learn will learn more. And great coaches know how to build this confidence early, by setting up wins that grow your belief in what you’re capable of.

On the flip side, being overconfident can actually hinder skill development. Jumping ahead before you’ve mastered the basics leads to inconsistent performance and frustration down the road. Just like with horses, skipping steps means you'll eventually have to circle back and fix what was missed.

Does Talent Matter?

It’s true that some people seem to pick up movement skills more quickly. Maybe they’ve played other sports, or they’ve got a good eye for movement. Maybe they process information faster or have athletic traits that suit riding. This potential is often what we casually call “talent.”

But here’s the kicker: talent only gets you started. It doesn’t get you to mastery.

What does? Years of focused practice. Consistency. The right coaching environment. A passion for learning. A mindset that welcomes growth. The humility to keep refining the basics. And a deep love for the sport.

When you see an elite rider, you’re not seeing talent in motion—you’re seeing thousands of hours of skill acquisition. What separates them isn’t what they were born with. It’s what they’ve worked for.

Your Takeaway

If you’ve ever thought, *“I’m just not talented enough to be a great rider,”* I want to challenge that belief. You may not have had the same starting point—but that matters far less than you think.

What matters most is whether you're willing to become a better learner. To show up, stay curious, accept feedback, and keep going even when it’s hard.

Skill acquisition isn’t linear. Progress can feel like two steps forward, one step back. But over time, those steps add up. And the riders who improve most? They’re the ones who keep learning, long after others have stopped.

So next time you watch a beautiful test or a perfect round, instead of saying “they’re so talented,” try saying:
“They’re so skilled. I can work toward that too.”

If you'd like a deeper dive into this topic, check out my podcast - High-Performance Equestrian - episode 5 on you r favourite podcast app or my website!

Until next time—ride smart, ride kind, and keep learning.

Warmly,
Dr Fi x
FitScience EQ
Helping Riders Become Skilled Athletes

P.S. If mobility is on your hit list to improve your riding, check out my e-book on Amazon - The Ultimate Guide to Mobility for Equestrians; and the influence on the horse (by Dr Fiona Hargraves PhD). You don't need a Kindle to read it, you can use Amazon's free kindle app. Check it out in your country's Amazon store or in the Aussie one here.