Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, commonly known as ACT is growing in popularity among sports psychologists. It offers an alternative to the tradition of positive thinking. Encouraging athletes to instead accept difficult feelings and rather than wrestling with them, change their relationship with them, allowing them to take value-based action towards becoming the athlete they want to be.

Rather than struggling with negative emotions ACT teaches us to change our relationship with them.

For us riders, seeking to develop our abilities and build a harmonious partnership with our horse, whilst at the same time trying to deal with the many negative, unhelpful thoughts and emotions that arise from the challenges and pressures inherent in equestrian sport can feel somewhat overwhelming. To find out what ACT has to offer for the equestrian community read on.

What is ACT?

ACT isn’t about “positive thinking” or forcing yourself to get rid of fear. Instead, it’s about learning to:

• Accept that thoughts and emotions, both comfortable and uncomfortable, are part of life.
• Commit to taking action that’s guided by your values, even in the face of challenges.

At its heart, ACT builds psychological flexibility: the ability to adapt, stay present, and respond to situations in a way that aligns with what matters most to you.

How ACT Helps Equestrians

1. Making space for emotions

It’s normal to feel nervous before a competition or anxious about how your horse might behave. ACT teaches us not to fight these feelings or judge ourselves for having them. Instead, we can learn to accept them but not become fused with them. We can learn to say: “I’m noticing I’m having this feeling—it’s uncomfortable, but I can ride with it.”

2. Stepping back from unhelpful thoughts

Every rider has experienced thoughts like “I’m going to mess this up” or “I’m not good enough.” In ACT, we practice seeing thoughts as just words passing through the mind, rather than as facts we have to obey. This creates space to focus on the horse and the moment, instead of getting tangled up in self-criticism.

In ACT, we practice seeing thoughts as just words passing through the mind, rather than as facts we have to obey.

3. Staying present with your horse

ACT helps riders anchor themselves in the present, tuning into the feel of the reins, the rhythm of the stride, allowing a sense of flow. Creating the ability to come back from the busy thoughts from the past and the future, bringing it back to the moment.

4. Clarifying values

Why do you ride? Is it about partnership, growth, courage, joy, or connection? ACT emphasizes living by your values, those deeper qualities that matter most to you, rather than chasing perfection or comparing yourself to others. When you ride with your values as a compass, you can learn to embrace and enjoy the process.

When you ride with your values as a compass, you can learn to embrace and enjoy the process.

5. Taking committed action

ACT doesn’t just stay in the mind—it’s about doing. Even when fear or doubt show up, riders can still take small steps forward, guided by their values. That might mean doing something outside your comfort zone, creating a focus for training, or developing mental strategies for competition.

Ultimately ACT provides us with an opportunity to achieve our aims through value guided action. Not by struggling with our negative thoughts and trying to suppress them. But rather it gives us the option of dropping the struggle and learning to accept the uncomfortable feelings that enviably come with working to achieve great things. Helping us instead to direct our energy and focus on taking action towards where we want to be.