Sam Osborn Dressage

WE WATCH HOW THE BEST RIDERS RIDE.
BUT HOW OFTEN DO WE LISTEN TO HOW THEY THINK?

Aachen is an iconic venue for all horse sport, and it certainly seems to bring out the very best in both horses and riders.

Two weeks of watching some of the best horse sport in the world is inspiring, but I find it just as fascinating to LISTEN to the post-competition interviews.

That’s where we get a real insight into what goes on behind the performance.

The nerves. The pressure. The disappointment when things don’t go to plan. The ability to adapt, refocus and come back again. The responsibility riders take for their mistakes, the trust they place in their horses and, perhaps most importantly, how often they talk about what their horse needed from them in that moment.

Whatever the level or discipline, so much of that feels remarkably familiar.

My overriding takeaway from Aachen?

The prizes are one thing.
But how they win them together is what differentiates the great from the good.

The best performances aren’t simply about technical brilliance. They’re about horsemanship, partnership, decision-making, resilience and knowing when the horse in front of you needs confidence, support or a different plan.

Because however big the arena, however important the championship and however much is at stake:

Horse first. Sport second. Always.

Think Well • Ride Well • Perform Well

Congratulations to everyone celebrating their A-Level results today 👏🏻 You should be incredibly proud of everything you’ve achieved!

And a quiet word for those feeling disappointed, uncertain, or perhaps a little lost today: these results are just one chapter, not the whole story.
They do not define who you are, your worth, or what you’re capable of achieving. There are countless routes to explore, opportunities to create, and adventures still waiting for you. University is just one path among many, and success wears many different hats.

Take your time. Explore your options. Trust that your future is still wide open.

Please reach out if you’d like some help and support to get you back looking at the opportunities that really do lie ahead.

“What we know matters, but who we are matters more.” – Brené Brown

I believe good coaching is about far more than improving technical skill. It’s about helping riders understand themselves, understand their horses and develop the confidence to make thoughtful decisions in training and competition.

It’s about creating a space where riders can ask questions, make mistakes, reflect and learn.

It’s about remembering that every horse and rider partnership is different, and that progress rarely happens alone.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s about recognising that success isn’t always measured by a red rosette.

These are the 10 principles that shape how I coach today.

They guide the conversations I have, the questions I ask and the way I support the riders and horses I’m fortunate to work with.

My aim is to create riders who can think, feel, reflect and make good decisions, both with support and increasingly on their own.

If this approach to coaching resonates with you, I’d love to work with you.

I coach riders of all ages and abilities, from grassroots through to Grand Prix, and work across dressage as well as with event and show jumping riders. Alongside ridden coaching, I offer performance mindset sessions, workshops for Pony Clubs and Riding Clubs, and clinics for yards and groups of riders who would like to train together.

Whether you’re working towards your first competition, developing through the levels, looking for more confidence when you’re training and competing or you simply wanting to understand yourself and your horse a little better, my coaching principles are the same.

If you’d like to arrange a lesson, clinic, workshop or an initial chat about working together, send me a message.

Think Well • Ride Well • Perform Well
www.osborndressage.com

Upcoming Clinics – August 2026

My clinics are open to all-whether you’re a competitive rider keen to improve your dressage scores, develop your flat work for showjumping or you simply want to enjoy training your horse.

Each session is tailored to you and your horse, with the aim of progressing together with more confidence, clarity and most importantly, enjoyment! I combine technical training with mindset strategies to help bring out the very best in your partnership.

📍2nd Pole Work Clinic TA3 6HR
📍8th Dressage Clinic TA3 6HR
📍14th Dressage/Pole Work Surrey
📍16th Dressage/Pole Work Clinic Alston Manor Grange, Plymouth PL8 1HW
📍28th Dressage/Pole Work Surrey
📍30th Pole Work Clinic TA3 6HR

If you’d like to book a session either on a clinic date, an alternative date or find out more about other coaching opportunities, send me a message and we can arrange a time to chat.

www.osborndressage.com
Think Well | Ride Well | Perform Well

Here’s the link 😃

Applications close 31st July

https://www.osborndressage.com/mentoring-programme

www.osborndressage.com
Think Well • Ride Well • Perform Well

Due to demand I’ve added an extra Polework Clinic on 25th July. If you’d like a space please send me a message 😃

www.osborndressage.com

It was lovely to sit down and chat with Mulberry Tree Dressage and talk all things Dressage, Coaching and Mindset.
Here is the article if you’d like to read it.

https://mulberrytreedressage.com/team-behind-the-rider-sam-osborn/

Check out their website www.mulberrytreedressage.com there are some really interesting interviews with a whole host of riders and coaches.

Think Well • Ride Well • Perform Well
www.osborndressage.com

Team Behind the Rider: Sam Osborn @sam_osborn_dressage Sam Osborn is a British Dressage coach and Master NLP Practioner and Performance Mindset Coach based in Somerset. Sam, owner of Osborn Dressage works with riders of all ages and levels, from those taking their first steps into affiliated competition through to riders competing at PSG. Sam explains “Alongside my dressage coaching, I work with riders on both their training mindset and their performance mindset because I’ve come to realise that success in any discipline at any level requires far more than simply developing technical skills. How you think, the beliefs you hold about yourself, and the thoughts you bring into the saddle are incredibly powerful. They influence the decisions you make, the confidence you ride with, and ultimately the partnership you build with your horse. It’s not just about how well you ride – how well you think and manage those thoughts really matter!” Sam’s coaching brings those two elements together, helping riders develop both the technical understanding and the mental skills needed to perform at their best. Her philosophy is simple: Think Well . Ride Well . Perform Well. To read the full interview head to the website https://mulberrytreedressage.com/team-behind-the-rider-sam-osborn/

When the temperature rises, so do opinions!

Apparently, it takes a Red Weather Warning for competitions to be cancelled.

That got me thinking.

How do we, as an equestrian community, make good decisions when temperatures soar?

Before anyone reads on, this isn’t about judging those who choose to compete or those who decide to stay at home. I genuinely don’t think there is one right answer and I suspect every rider, owner, groom and organiser has found themselves weighing up a long list of factors over the past few days.

It’s a difficult call.

Most competition horses are exceptionally well managed. They’re clipped, fit, carefully monitored and looked after by people who know them inside out. With sensible preparation, frequent cooling, access to water, shade and good management, many horses cope remarkably well in hot weather.

I also believe riders generally know their own horses better than anyone else. Some horses seem to cope comfortably in the heat while others struggle much sooner. Recognising that difference is part of good horsemanship and making the right decision for that individual horse.

At the same time, not every venue has the same facilities and not every competitor has the same resources. Some riders travel in lorries with excellent ventilation, air conditioning, pop-outs and every cooling aid imaginable. Others do everything they can with portable fans, buckets of water and plenty of common sense. The horse, of course, has no idea which vehicle it travelled in. It simply experiences the conditions it’s being asked to cope with.

One concern I’ve heard repeatedly from riders this week isn’t actually the competition itself, it’s the journey. Many have told me they’re less worried about riding their test than they are about what happens on the way there. What if they get caught in stationary traffic for hours? What if the lorry breaks down? What if they’re left stranded with a horse on board in soaring temperatures?

Most journeys pass without incident, but the possibility is enough to make many riders think twice. Unlike at the competition where there may be water, shade and people on hand to help, travelling can leave you with far fewer options if something goes wrong. It’s another layer of the decision making process that isn’t always visible to those looking in from the outside.

For professionals, deciding not to compete isn’t always as straightforward as people might think. Horses still need producing, lessons still need teaching, owners have expectations, qualification dates don’t move and businesses still have to keep going. It’s easy to say, “Just stay at home,” but for many people it’s far more complicated than that.

Grooms deserve enormous credit too. Hot weather means longer days, more washing off, more monitoring, more filling buckets and far more physical work. They do it because they care deeply about the horses, but there’s no doubt the demands increase significantly during a heatwave.

Then there are the organisers. Many work incredibly hard to provide extra water, cooling stations and shaded areas, often at considerable expense. Some venues are exceptionally well equipped while others simply don’t have the same infrastructure available. Every additional welfare measure comes at a cost and that inevitably affects the viability of running competitions.

So where does that leave us?

Currently, competitions continue unless a Red Weather Warning is issued…
Should that always be the case?
Should organisers have greater flexibility to make decisions based on their own facilities, the forecast and the welfare of the horses expected to attend?
Is it for the rider/owner to make that call and why do some want the competition to make blanket decisions?
Is the current approach the right one?

I honestly don’t know the answer although I know the decisions I’d make for the horses I ride.

What I do know is that this conversation is far more nuanced than social media sometimes allows.

I’d genuinely love to hear from those of you who have competed during this recent spell of hot weather.
How did you help your horse cope?
Did your venue provide everything you needed or did you bring your own cooling equipment?
Have you any ideas or top tips that could help other riders who may find themselves competing in similar conditions?

Whatever your view, let’s keep the conversation respectful. There are good people on both sides of this discussion. Some chose to stay at home because they felt that was the right decision for their horse. Others chose to compete because they knew their horse well, managed them carefully and felt confident they could do so safely.

Be kind to one another. We all want the same thing: horses that are healthy, comfortable and given every opportunity to perform to the best of their ability.

Perhaps by sharing our experiences rather than judging each other’s decisions, we can all learn something as the heatwave looks like it’s something we need to factor into our summer competition schedule.

www.osborndressage.com