Good horses have a way of giving their rider’s confidence, but a rider has a responsibility to maintain it. I’m Jeff Keane, stay tuned on today’s American Rancher I will be back with how we can control this often elusive emotion. Some people loose confidence when they get on a horse while other folks gain confidence because of their horse. Here’s Susan Allen’s insight. Jeff I have heard many stories of disabled riders acquiring self-assurance on the back of a  good horse but then there are people like my mom whose fear of riding made her more  prone to accidents. According to sports psychologists our self talk is critical. If a little voice tells you, “ you really shouldn’t be competing at this level” you’re most likely  a pessimist. Conversely, if you  respond to that same question with” “If Joe can place at this competition then there is no reason I can’t” count yourself  an optimist. Pessimists view mistakes as permanent while optimists would see it as a temporary setback. In riding,  like any other sport,  researchers have found that optimistic athletes achieve more success. The key to succeeding in any horse event is to be able to manage your thought life. You do that by keeping expectations realistic, forgoing  perfection and find a good mentor. On that note this teacher could very well be your horse. Countless performance horses whether reiners, rodeo, barrel or cutting can be credited for creating confidence in their riders. In fact most of us can still name those special equine athletes   that took us to a higher competitive level. I’m Jeff Keane.