When the results stop coming, it can become very easy to question everything. Your riding. Your choices. Your ability. Sometimes even whether you still belong in the sport at all.
In Episode 3 of Inside the Mind, I sit down with Sanne Thijssen, who speaks very honestly about a period where she almost quit. From the outside, she had already achieved so much – Grand Prix wins, a World Equestrian Games silver medal, and a place on the Dutch team. But behind those results, there was also doubt, pressure, and a moment where she no longer knew if she wanted to continue.
What changed for Sanne was not simply one result or one horse. It was the way she approached the work.
Instead of pushing harder, she started listening more closely. She speaks about the importance of treating every horse as an individual. Not trying to fit them into one system, but asking what each horse needs in order to feel confident, willing, and able to perform.
Her story with Con Quidam RB is a beautiful example of this. She rebuilt him to five-star level without forcing the process or placing heavy expectations on him. She gave him time, trust, and the chance to show what he was ready for. And when that trust was there, the results followed.
Sanne also reminds us that mental strength is not something we achieve once and then keep forever. It is ongoing work. At every level, even when the outside world sees success, there can still be self-doubt and pressure behind the scenes.What I loved about this conversation is how clearly Sanne shows that the horse will always meet us in the truth of where we are. When we stop forcing and start listening, the path forward often becomes much clearer.