From Triggers to Glimmers: Building Rider Confidence Through Small Moments

As riders, we’re all familiar with triggers. In everyday life, we use the word “trigger” to describe something that sets us off emotionally. It might be a memory, an unpleasant incident, or a flashback that causes our heart to race. In the saddle, triggers usually connect to something that went wrong — a fall, a spook, or a negative experience that lingers in the back of our minds.

These triggers are bold, insistent, and hard to ignore. They demand attention, often pulling us back into reliving the negative moment. The only real value they have is in the lessons they teach us — once we process what we needed to learn, they begin to lose their power.

But what if we shifted focus away from those negative triggers? What if, instead, we trained ourselves to notice their opposite: subtle, uplifting moments that help us feel calm, connected, and confident in the saddle? These are called glimmers.

What Are Glimmers?

Unlike triggers, glimmers aren’t dramatic. They’re soft, fleeting moments that can easily be lost in the noise of everyday riding life. They aren’t about big victories, like clearing a fence you’ve struggled with or achieving a new personal best. Instead, glimmers are small sparks of joy and connection — a moment when everything just feels right.

Think of a glimmer as a quiet shimmer of reassurance: the warm velvet of your horse’s muzzle, the rhythm of hoofbeats on grass, the gentle twitch of your horse’s ears, or the scent of freshly cut hay. These are the tiny details that make up the texture of our riding lives.

Why Glimmers Matter for Rider Confidence

As riders, we often fixate on mistakes. A small misstep, a dropped shoulder, or a spook can be magnified under the mental microscope. This happens because of our brain’s natural negativity bias. From an evolutionary perspective, our ancestors needed to notice potential dangers — better to jump at the rustle of leaves than to risk ignoring a predator.

That negativity bias, while useful for survival, can work against us when it comes to riding confidence. It encourages us to dwell on what went wrong rather than what went well.

This is where glimmers come in. By actively seeking them out, we rebalance the scales. We start noticing the good, however small, and build a bank of positive experiences. Over time, glimmers become the stepping stones to greater self-belief, resilience, and joy in the saddle.

How to Spot Glimmers When You Ride

The beauty of glimmers is that they’re everywhere — if we pay attention. They show up through all of our senses:

• Sight: the way your horse’s coat shimmers in the light, the soft flick of their ears, or the calm look in their eyes.
• Sound: the steady rhythm of hoofbeats, or the contented chewing of hay.
• Touch: the warmth of your horse’s body, the smoothness of a canter transition, or the silkiness of their mane.
• Smell: the sweetness of haylage, the freshness of grass, or simply the comforting scent of your horse.

Try pausing before you ride to tune into just one glimmer. It could be as simple as the way the air feels, or the way your horse acknowledges your presence. These moments, though small, are powerful if we choose to notice them.

Collecting and Using Glimmers

One way to work with glimmers is to imagine collecting them like precious gems. When you experience a glimmer, acknowledge it and mentally tuck it into your “pocket.” Maybe it was a beautifully square halt, a supple circle, or the feeling of harmony in one stride.

These glimmers then become a resource. When you hit a trigger — when frustration creeps in or things start to unravel — you can call on a glimmer to reset. Reminding yourself of a positive moment helps break the spiral of negative self-talk and restores perspective.

It’s not about pretending everything is perfect. Riding, like life, comes with challenges. But glimmers allow you to step back, reset your mindset, and ride with more resilience and clarity.

Becoming a Glimmer Hunter

My challenge to you is this: become a glimmer hunter. Don’t wait for the big wins or the monumental breakthroughs. Instead, go out and find the small, quiet moments of joy and connection that happen every day with your horse.

By training your brain to notice glimmers, you build a foundation of confidence and calm. These little sparks of positivity accumulate, supporting you through the tougher times and reminding you why you ride in the first place.

So the next time you’re with your horse, pause and ask: what glimmer can I find right now?

Because when you do, you’ll step closer to becoming the confident, resilient rider you truly deserve to be.

If you’d like more help with your riding confidence, why not book a 20 minute chat with me? We can find out the root of the issue and work out a plan to move forwards.

You may be interested in more equestrian mindset blogs – why not get a cuppa and have a browse?