Let’s talk about something we’ve all experienced:

That frustrating moment when you realize you’ve made the same mistake again. Maybe you missed the same cross. Maybe you rushed the startline routine (again). Maybe you found yourself spiraling into negative self-talk after a tough run — even though ...

"If we NQ this run, we’ll never get the title."

"If I can’t fix this, maybe I shouldn’t even be competing."

"What if this injury is the beginning of the end?"

"What if I’m just ... bad at this?

Sound familiar?"

This is catastrophic thinking — when your brain takes a single mistake or uncerta...

Somewhere along the way, we all picked up the idea that we’re supposed to feel ready before we enter the ring.

That when we’re “ready,” it will feel calm. Confident. Controlled.

That once we’ve trained enough, gotten enough experience, or earned enough Qs, we’ll finally feel like we belong.

Last weekend, I competed in a 3-day, 6-trial rally weekend — and I got schooled.

Not by the judges or the scoresheets but by the voice in my own head. You know the one: it gets chatty when you start looking around, comparing your dogs, your results, your journey, to everyone else’s. The big less...

There’s something powerful about the midpoint of the year.

It’s not about the date or the calendar — it’s about the opportunity.

Six months in. Six months to go.

It’s the perfect time to pause, zoom out, and ask yourself:

“Are the goals I set still the right ones?”

“Am I heading in the direc...

Let’s get one thing out of the way:

Nerves are not a character flaw.

They don’t mean you’re weak. They don’t mean you’re unprepared. And they definitely don’t mean you’re broken.

What do they mean?

You care. You’re invested. You want to do well. That’s not a problem — that’s a feature.

Bu...

"I’m not nervous before my runs… so why am I so disappointed afterward?”

I hear this all the time. You don’t feel nervous. You’re not shaking or sweating. You're doing your breathing. You’re visualizing. And yet — the pressure’s still there. It just shows up differently.

Here’s what might re...

There’s something I learned while riding as a kid that’s stayed with me ever since: horses need time off. Not a day, not a weekend — I’m talking full weeks, sometimes a month, of rest. No riding. No training. Just time to be horses.

We understood it wasn’t a luxury — it was necessary. Their bodi...

Every Monday, handlers make a deal with themselves.

This weekend will be better, they say.

I’ll stay positive. I won’t let mistakes derail me. I’ll trust my dog more. I’ll keep my cool between runs.

And then?

Friday rolls around … and somehow, despite their best intentions, it all falls apart ag...

"Just have fun!”

It's the well-meaning advice we hear at the start line, from our friends, instructors, or even whispered to ourselves. But if you're trying to qualify - or chasing a title, a big goal, or just proving something to yourself - that phrase can feel more like pressure than encourage...

You miss a contact. Your dog breaks their start line. You NQ after weeks of preparation.

It stings. And if you’re like most handlers, the emotional aftershock of that mistake sticks around way longer than the mistake itself.

But here’s the truth: the mistake isn’t what’s holding you back.

I...

Have you ever caught yourself saying things like,

“I never do well under pressure,”

“I always mess up the first run.”

Or

“I’m just not good at [insert skill here]”?

Here’s the thing: Your brain is always listening. And it’s not just eavesdropping — it’s executing those thoughts like a comput...