Forgetting a dressage test is a nearly universal experience for riders at all levels.
Equestrian performance psychologist Deena Cooper answers a reader’s sports psychology question: “I never have trouble running through a dressage test at home, but when I enter the competition arena my mind goes blank, and I struggle to remember the test. What can I do to overcome this?”
This is a fantastic question because it describes a nearly universal experience for riders at all levels. In fact, variations of this occur across all riding disciplines. If you’ve ever walked into the arena feeling like you’ve forgotten how to ride, even though you’re an experienced equestrian, it’s often the same mental mechanism at play.
While there are a few different reasons why you might blank on your dressage test, I’m going to break down the most common cause and, more importantly, explain how we can “rewire” your competition brain to stay sharp when it matters most.
Equestrian performance psychologist Deena Cooper answers a reader’s sports psychology question. Image supplied by Deena Cooper.
THE SCIENCE OF THE ‘MENTAL BLACKOUT’
First, I want to assure you that “blanking” like this is not a reflection of your memory or your riding ability. It’s simply a reflection of how your brain handles perceived pressure.
When you are at home, you are in what psychologists call a “low-arousal state”. You are feeling relaxed enough that your prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain responsible for complex decision-making and memory retrieval) is functioning at its peak. You have plenty of “mental bandwidth” to remember the test.
However, when you enter the competition arena, your brain perceives the environment as a high-stakes “threat.” Even if you don’t feel scared, your mind triggers the Sympathetic Nervous System, (the fight, flight or freeze fear response). This causes:
The amygdala hijack: Your brain’s alarm system (the amygdala) takes over, and your focus moves from the test details and narrows in on the “threat” of the performance. It prioritises safety and survival over “remembering a 20-metre circle at E”.
Cortisol and memory: High levels of stress hormones can literally block access to parts of the brain and stop you retrieving the specific details of your test.
The internal vs external shift: At home, your focus is often external (on the horse and the pattern). Under stress, your focus shifts internally, (to your anxiety or your body position). This creates a bottleneck in your brain’s processing power. This often leads to the “choking” phenomena where, in the pressure of the moment, even the best athletes will struggle to perform a routine skill they’ve mastered.
To combat these challenges, we must implement practical strategies to create a system that remains reliable, even when under stress. While the most effective approach depends on your specific situation, the following techniques are the most common ones that work for the riders I coach.
STRATEGY 1: MULTI-SENSORY ‘OFF-HORSE’ MAPPING
Most riders “learn” their test by reading a sheet, watching a video, or riding it at home. These are important strategies to memorise a test, but there is more you can do to ensure a test is “sticky” enough to survive a cortisol spike.
Physically walk the dressage test at home, rather than just mentally reviewing it.
Physical movement: Walk the pattern on your feet in the house or the back yard in a “mini arena”. Feel the “turn” in your body, and visualise the movements as though you are on your horse in your mind
Vocalising: Speak the test out loud as you walk it or ride it – “A: Enter working trot. X: Halt, salute”.
By involving your motor skills and your voice, you are storing the test in different “folders” in your brain (motor memory and auditory memory), making it easier to retrieve if the visual “folder” glitches.
STRATEGY 2: USE CUE WORDS INSTEAD OF SENTENCES
When we get nervous, we tend to over-explain things to ourselves: “Okay, now I need to prepare for the transition at K, make sure I don’t let him fall in on his shoulder, and remember to keep my heels down…”. This is too much data for a stressed brain. You need to distil the focus you have for each movement into one or two cue words that you pair with the movement during practice sessions. Each time you practise the moment, say your cue word to yourself to remind yourself how you need to ride the movement. For example:
The centreline
Avoid: “Keep him straight, look at the judge, don’t wobble!”
The Cue Word: Channel. (Focuses on the narrow path between your aids.)
The 20m circle
Avoid: “Don’t let the circle become an oval; watch the shoulder!”
The Cue Word: Bend. (If you fix the horse’s shape, the circle follows.)
The transition
Avoid: “Prepare now, half-halt, sit deep, don’t let him hollow!”
The Cue Word: Lift. (Triggers a balanced, upward feeling instead of a frantic “go” or “stop”.)
By using single cue words you reduce the cognitive load. You aren’t trying to remember a paragraph of instructions; you’re just following a series of triggers for an automatic behaviour you’ve rehearsed.
The “blanking” usually starts in the minutes before you enter the ring.
STRATEGY 3: THE ‘PRE-BELL’ GROUNDING ROUTINE
The “blanking” usually starts in the minutes before you enter the ring. This is when your heart rate climbs and your mental “bandwidth” starts to shrink. To combat this, you need a physiological reset.
The 4-7-8 Breathing Technique
When you feel that “blank” approaching, use this to tell your nervous system you are safe:
1. Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
2. Hold that breath for 7 seconds.
3. Exhale forcefully through your mouth for 8 seconds.
This isn’t just a breathing technique for relaxing; it is a biological hack that forces your heart rate to slow down and keeps the prefrontal cortex (part of the brain responsible for complex decision-making and memory retrieval) from shutting off.
Psychologist’s tip: It’s very important to practise this at home first while grooming or doing chores. You want the association between this breath and calm focus to be automatic before you ever get to the show.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ACTUALLY FORGET
Even the pros have memory moments. The difference is how they react. If you feel the “blank” happening mid-test, you need a recovery plan:
1. Don’t panic: Yes, I know it’s easier said than done! However, the moment you focus on the “Oh no, I forgot!” thoughts, your body will dump more cortisol and adrenaline. Instead, move your focus back to the rhythm of your horse’s gait, the current movement, or your breath, and trust it will come back to you.
2. Look for the “letter anchors”: Look ahead to the next letter. Often, seeing “E” or “K” will trigger the memory of what happens there.
3. The GPS re-route: If the judge rings the bell for an error, don’t think of it as a failure. View it like a GPS re-route – nothing to panic or be upset about! Use those few seconds to take a breath, refocus, and reset.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
At its core, overcoming this challenge is about training your brain to see the competition arena as a place of calm and safety. You can achieve this by engaging all your senses in your learning, using specific cue words, and practicing simple grounding techniques to keep your body steady.
Also, when you enter the arena already knowing exactly how you’ll handle a slip-up – whether it’s a memory lapse or a minor mistake – you do so with the confidence that you’re prepared for anything. This readiness takes the pressure off, frees up your mental energy, and allows you to stay present and truly enjoy the ride.
While these strategies are a great starting point, every rider’s experience is unique. Real breakthroughs come from finding tools tailored specifically to your situation. This process requires patience, commitment, and the right support – especially if these challenges have become ingrained habits. That’s why I love working with riders to find their specific “flow” and see them get the results they truly deserve.
Deena Cooper is a registered clinical and performance psychologist (AHPRA) as well as an active competitive rider. Image supplied by Deena Cooper.
About the author: Deena Cooper is a registered clinical and performance psychologist (AHPRA) with a unique edge: she is an active competitive rider who understands the saddle as well as she understands the science. She’s been through the journey from performance anxiety to confidence herself, and she combines that “in the saddle” experience with evidence-based science. Her work focuses on the cognitive and emotional frameworks required for peak performance, helping equestrians conquer nerves, recover confidence after setbacks, and build the “mental muscle” necessary to excel under pressure. Based in Australia, Deena works with riders via Telehealth, offering 1:1 coaching and group sessions, as well as in-person workshops designed to turn anxiety into your competitive advantage. EQ
Website: www.deenacooper.com.au
Follow: @deenacooperpsych
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