How to Deal with Failure and Get Back in the Arena
On the first morning of Windurra Camp, owned by Boyd and Silva Martin this summer, Natalie Hamel asked the riders and observers present if they considered Will Coleman a champion or not.
With a wink at Boyd, Hamel said, "I don't mean to disrespect the gentleman sitting at the end of the hall, but Will Coleman is really a very precise and meticulous person; that's why when he went off course at the CCI4-S competition in Tryon in 2025, it was a big deal.
But then he pulled himself together and won the Kentucky Five-Star this spring.
" In the third edition of the Martins' intense and dynamic weekend training, which included individual coaching, Practical Horseman had the opportunity to attend Hamel's mental coaching session, where she introduced camp participants to a concept she refers to as the "champion mindset," a set of performance standards that have helped Boyd Martin reach four Olympic Games.
In equestrian sports, the ability to maintain a clear and focused mind in the moment is absolutely vital for success in the saddle.
Our sport not only requires split-second decision-making but also depends on our partnership with a living animal and the ability to communicate with it.
Hamel said, "If you're not mentally present, your horse will know.
" Here, we review the strategies Hamel presented at this year's Windurra Camp, including how to eliminate unnecessary margins and distractions and embrace discomfort and unease to get closer to goals.
She also explains the five main pillars of the "C.H.A.M.P. Code" to gain a clearer understanding of the champion mindset.
Why does this matter?
Hamel said if you're involved in equestrian sports, failure is inevitable.
That's why training the mind to immediately clear itself of drama and negative thoughts after mistakes plays a key role in your ability to connect with your horse; and ultimately, it determines your success.
What defines a champion?
Hamel, Boyd's longtime performance and sports psychology coach, said, "We all consider Boyd a champion, and technically he is.
But he's not perfect.
He's had many failures.
" She continued, "But he doesn't get stuck in failure.
He recovers and moves forward.
That's what a champion does: you fail and you get back in the game.
" Hamel emphasized that holding oneself to an impossible standard of perfection prevents real progress.
She said, "How many times have you made a mistake and then everything spiraled out of control?
Your brain creates all sorts of narratives for you: you're terrible; you're not good enough; you shouldn't be in this sport.
But these things aren't true.
Stay in reality and stick to objective truths, although this is difficult for humans.
" In his welcome speech, Boyd said the camp environment is designed to provide participants with the opportunity to make mistakes and experience frustration or even embarrassment.
He told the camp participants, "Enter with an open mind and know that not everything is going to be perfect."
When you find yourself in a slightly uncomfortable situation, it feels similar to what you experience in competitions, and often that's where you learn the most about yourself.
» Avoid distractions and cut out the extras, Hamel said a few years ago, one of his students in Kentucky was visiting the cross-country course with Phillip Dutton and reported that there was a lot of debate and distraction among riders about the number of strides in a particular combination.
For this reason, Hamel decided to walk the same course question with Boyd.
Hamel said: "He said: 'Enter with a forward four strides' and we just continued to walk the line.
At that moment I thought to myself: Yes!
This is living in reality and exactly what I always try to teach.
You can't change the course question.
Are you going to jump it?
Yes.
Are you going to withdraw?
No.
Focus your mind on solving the question, not complaining about it.
These distractions are really a waste of energy.
» Hamel said people are naturally drawn to getting involved in others' distractions.
For example, if they think an obstacle is unfair, they might drag you into obsessing over it too.
Weather is another common topic that creates distraction and anxiety for riders, especially eventers.
Hamel explained to the Windurra camp participants that sometimes we simply forget how powerful the human mind can be, and avoiding distractions can help with sharper focus.
Hamel pointed out that when the weather forecast looks disappointing, you might be tempted to tell yourself: "Well, I don't think this course is fair anyway.
With this weather, I don't think I'll compete today because I'm a good person for the horse.
» Boyd has also found that riders as a group seem to collectively obsess over the weather.
He said: "Whether it's a bit warm or rain is forecast and everyone keeps checking the radar, it can be incredibly distracting.
In our sport, it doesn't matter if it rains, hails, or shines.
If your start time is 8:32, you go at 8:32.
» During the dressage competition at the Kentucky Defender Three-Day Event 2025 at the CCI5-L level, Boyd and Commando 3 delivered a powerful performance amidst a torrential downpour, climbing to second place on the provisional leaderboard by the end of the day.
While the heavy rain soaked the Rolex Stadium and spectators and journalists ran for cover, Boyd remained completely focused on the centerline.
Boyd laughed and said: "I remember thinking to myself, I can do anything for seven minutes.
» He later told Hamel that he hadn't noticed the rain at all.
In fact, Hamel thinks that perhaps the rain helped him focus more.
Boyd Martin and Commando 3 delivered a powerful performance in the dressage competition at the Kentucky Defender Three-Day Event 2025 at the CCI5*-L level, under heavy rain, climbing to second place in the end-of-day rankings.
Hamel emphasized that we sometimes simply overlook how powerful the mind can be, and avoiding distractions can help with sharper focus.
But he explained that staying away from others' distractions is not always enough.
For example, if you make a mistake and then blame yourself for it, you are actually creating a margin within yourself.
He said: "So the question is, after such a thing happens, how do you reset yourself?
I cannot teach you to be perfect.
You will make mistakes.
You will fail.
You will be disappointed and may even feel ashamed.
" Hamel added: "The main point is not to try to prevent these things from happening.
"The point is how you bounce back from them.
How quickly you can get out of the margin your mind has created; that you are not good enough, this never happens to so-and-so, or if only you had a better horse or more money.
All of this is just useless noise and margin.
" The C.
H.
A.
M.
P.
code framework.
Hamel said that before any potential drop in performance, every athlete experiences warning signs.
The difference between riders who cannot overcome these warning signs and champions, in his view, is that top riders learn not to judge themselves or create margins for themselves when these signs appear.
He explained: "They just recognize these signs and reset themselves so they can return to the next necessary action in front of them.
" In his session at Windura Camp this year, Hamel introduced participants to what he calls the "champion mindset"; a set of performance standards that have helped Boyd progress on his path to participating in four Olympic Games.
Hamel created this acronym C.
H.
A.
M.
P.
through a masterclass he designed with Boyd titled "The Champion Code" to help riders better understand and find their way in how champions think, behave, and hold themselves accountable.
Calmness Hamel said this relates to your ability to stay in the moment when pressure, anxiety, uncertainty, or expectations rise.
He noted: "Calmness allows you to focus on what you can control and take the right next action.
This is very difficult, but it is extremely important for growth as a rider.
You want to be able to trust your mind and body in those moments.
"It might be something you always think you'll eventually make time to solve.
But this process starts with every single moment; staying in the moment regardless of the pressure.
So exactly how can you train yourself to stay in the moment as pressure increases?
" Hamel explained that positive signs for presence of mind include confidence, correct execution, and focusing on things you can control.
He added: "Even focusing on small things, like the position of your hands, heels, and gaze, can help you find your calm.
Thinking about things you can't control at that moment never helps.
" The ability to maintain a clear and focused mind on the moment is crucial for your success in the saddle.
Riding not only requires instant decision-making but also depends on your partnership and ability to communicate with a living, breathing being.
Hamill advised the camp participants to think of a moment in the past when the pressure was high, and they lost their calm and focus.
Perhaps you had an inappropriate distance to an obstacle in cross-country or made a mistake in your dressage test.
He advised: "Let your mind relive that moment and think about how it felt to lose your presence of mind.
Then ask yourself: 'What exactly is my duty at that moment?'
Your brain has probably given you a million different answers.
Choosing a positive cue for correct execution is up to you.
Maybe it's as simple as lowering your heels.
Just visualize yourself doing that same thing."
Humility, Hamill said, especially for riders, means being ready to learn, grow, and progress without fear of mistakes and without drowning yourself in a flood of negative feedback.
He said: "Even champions make mistakes.
If Will Coleman can miss an obstacle in cross-country, so can you.
I'm sure Boyd has missed one or two obstacles as well.
You are human and have the right to make mistakes."
Hamill explained that humility does not mean making yourself too big or exaggerating your abilities, but it also doesn't mean belittling yourself.
He added: "When you belittle yourself, that's the voice of your ego.
This prevents you from being fully present in the moment.
Has blaming yourself for a mistake ever really worked for you?
Probably not."
"In fact, this distracts you from what you can control.
At that moment, you shouldn't allow yourself to get caught up in the belief that a failure defines your identity.
Instead, ask yourself what you learned from that mistake and how you can commit to preventing it from happening again in the future."
Boyd has made many mistakes throughout his long professional career.
Hamill says the key is not to get caught up in the belief that failure defines your character.
Instead, ask yourself what you learned from that mistake and how you can avoid it in the future.
Hamill jokingly said that if Will Coleman can miss an obstacle in cross-country or face a horse refusal, you might have such an experience too.
Humility allows a rider to learn, grow, and progress without fear of mistakes and without drowning in negative feedback.
Hamill emphasized the importance of truly experiencing the feeling of disappointment when recovering and resetting after a mistake.
He said many riders push these feelings aside and just continue on the path.
Hamill explained: "From the moment we are born, we learn to avoid our feelings.
The more capacity you create within yourself to cope with disappointments, the less power these disappointments have and allow you to reset yourself faster.
Sometimes our mind becomes overly active to help us bypass feeling.
That's why you need to learn to sit with this feeling and endure it.
If you pass over these feelings and ignore them, that reset doesn't happen."
Alignment, Hamill said, relates to knowing yourself, understanding your desires, and staying true to your personal path.
He explained: "I see that many young riders struggle with this issue.
As we grow older, we become more comfortable with ourselves and what we want.
But for young riders, it's easier to get caught in the cycle of comparison.
I hear that young riders constantly compare themselves to others; who has more or whose parents have spent more money.
This can be tempting, but it doesn't help you.
Instead, stay in the moment and make the most of what you have."
Hamill explained that mastery relates to your ability to accept reality.
He said: "The point is to take responsibility for your own experience and guide yourself through challenges.
This allows you to respond consciously, rather than being driven by emotions, mental narratives, or circumstances.
Doing this is really difficult and requires a lot of practice.
That's why it's called mastery."
Hamill pointed out that performance standards relate to the level at which a rider holds themselves accountable, regardless of conditions, mood, or motivation.
He said: "This allows you to act based on commitment and consistency, rather than waiting for the feeling of readiness to come to you.
Essentially, you have a plan and you stick to it."
Hamill said some warning signs in this area include changing plans at the last minute and avoiding setting goals or creating routines and habits that help achieve those goals.
He said: "You can't wait for motivation to suddenly come to you.
And you shouldn't feel entitled.
Coaches, others, and horses owe you nothing.
Instead, you owe it to yourself to stick to your own standards."
Hamill suggested that riders who do not yet have their own set of performance standards follow the standards of riders they admire, like Boyd and Silva Martin.
In addition to his motivational coaching session at Windurra Camp, Hamill also met individually with participants to help them with any personal mindset issues they might be dealing with in riding.
Positive signs on the path to achieving performance standards include discipline, commitment, and the belief that you have as much chance as anyone else.
For camp participants who may not yet have their own set of personal standards, Hamill recommended thinking about riders they admire.
He said: "Think of someone like Boyd and what his next step would be.
His days, weeks, and months are pre-planned; Boyd's train is constantly moving.
In fact, it takes more energy for him to get off this train than to just show up in the morning and get on it."
He said: "But this doesn't come from waking up and adjusting his tasks based on how he feels that day.
This is the result of having a plan and putting 100% effort into executing that plan.
Champions take full responsibility and learn to act with strategy and use mistakes as building blocks for success."
For more information: You can listen to the Practical Horseman podcast with Natalie Hamill here.
To learn more about Boyd Martin and Natalie Hummel's masterclass titled "The Champion Code," see here.
For more information about the annual Windurra camp hosted by Boyd and Silva Martin, click here.
About Natalie Hummel Natalie Hummel, individual performance coach.
Natalie began riding at the age of 10 and after progressing through the ranks, eventually reached the three-star level and started working with Michael Pollard.
However, after two consecutive disasters that involved the sudden death of several horses, she was so emotionally affected that she could no longer continue in the equestrian sport, and the energy and passion she had for riding gradually shifted towards pursuing higher education.
After receiving her doctorate in clinical psychology, she launched "Natalie Hummel Coaching," her individual performance coaching program designed to help riders overcome mental and emotional barriers.
By utilizing neuroscience and somatic integration, Natalie helps elite athletes reset their physiological response to stress so they can access mental clarity, stability, and flow during the most critical moments.
She has worked with numerous prominent eventing figures, including Boyd Martin and Hannah Sue Hollberg, as well as countless other riders who were trapped in negative recurring patterns, patterns that often emerge at the worst moments; on the centerline, at the arena entrance, or in the quiet corners of everyday life.
In her coaching methods, Natalie focuses on helping riders reset their baseline, remove unconscious performance barriers, and compete with more calmness, strength, and purpose.
Source: Practical Horseman – Health