“This guide from John Haime will help equestrians build their confidence, handle their emotions, and deal with pressure. I highly recommend it to competitors looking to take their riding to the next level.” —Beezie Madden, Olympic Gold Medalist, Show Jumping

"SUCH a brilliant book and I’ll be recommending it to everyone I know—there’s such a lovely balance of theory with case studies on famous riders. So much variety in the structure that I’m sure will make it really engaging for whoever picks it up!” —Rebecca Philpot, Editor, Horse & Rider Magazine (UK)

“Equestrian sport is complex and individual for all riders. Ride Big will help you be better equipped to solve problems, be more confident when confronting challenges, and better enjoy your experiences with horses. Read this book.” —Michael Jung, Individual Olympic Gold Medalist 2012 and 2016 in Eventing

“Equestrians spend hours riding and training amazing athletes—their horses. But we know that nothing great can be accomplished without rider confidence. And, we know riders spend little time developing it. Ride Big provides the rider with the tools to build that confidence.” —Gary Carpenter, Commissioner, National Reining Horse Association (NRHA)

"In equestrian sports there are so many variables making it easy to find an 'out' or an excuse for failure. But when the rider chooses to take responsibility, Ride Big, and all the athletes in it, will share the secrets and home truths that allow equestrian athletes to unlock their full potential. And on those occasions when things do go wrong, they will know how to genuinely learn from their mistakes and do better in the future.” —Laura Tomlinson, Olympic gold medalist, Dressage

“I LOVE this book! Confidence is everything. It’s the key ingredient that makes a winner a winner! This book is a ‘must-read’ for every serious rider and coach—it is a treasure to reread and process before each competition. It will get your head in the game!" —Julie Winkel, Hunter/Jumper trainer and competitor, USEF R-rated judge, and sport horse breeder

"A confident rider is vital to the overall performance of the horse/rider partnership and John Haime’s Ride Big is a great tool for any rider to help improve their confidence in equestrian sport.” —Oliver Townend, FEI #1 World-Ranked Eventer

"I'm looking forward to recommending John Haime's Ride Big to all of my students. The book is a fantastic read and will give all riders tools to help them reach their top potential in their chosen discipline. These tools will help riders increase their confidence in the competition arena and get the most out of every training ride. They will also teach riders how to create a positive voice that will transfer to your equine partner." —Reese Koffler-Stanfield, USDF Gold Medalist and FEI Certified Instructor & Co-host of the Dressage Radio Show 

“A fascinating and insightful look at the performance mind of the rider and the critical importance in the rider/horse relationship. A must for equestrian athletes looking to improve confidence and gain insight into their own emotional state." —Dr. Sarah McKay, Neuroscientist, Speaker and Author of The Woman’s Brain Book: The Neuroscience of Health, Hormones and Happiness

"John Haime's new book Ride Big is a must-read for all equestrians, regardless of their chosen discipline. Haime's step-by-step program will help you strategize your mental approach to the sport and give you the tools to handle the inevitable ups and downs. Haime's insights into the challenges equestrians face, and his comprehensive collection of exercises and techniques will have you reaching for this book again and again. I particularly enjoyed reading the perspectives of some of the great athletes in our industry, and the mechanisms and mindsets they use to stay consistently at the top of their game.” —Beth Underhil, Olympic Show Jumper, Jump Canada Hall of Fame Inductee

"I believe that the rider is only as strong and as successful as the mind allows him to be. If an equestrian athlete is not 100% confident in what he is doing, then the chance of not reaching objectives is much greater. John Haime’s Ride Big will give you the tools to grow your confidence and improve your mental game both on and off the horse." —Jared Zenni, Professional Polo Player, US Open Champion

“John Haime's new book Ride Big is a well-researched exploration of riders’ minds and is both thought-provoking and educational. The processes that he describes are well explained and provide an insight into the challenges riders face and ways to overcome them. Confidence and mindset are vital in any sport, but particularly relevant in one where a horse is involved. As creatures that are reliant on a flight of freeze instinct, and who’s training is entirely communicated through the silent body language of the human partner, it is paramount that the rider is able to control their own thoughts and emotions when under pressure.” —Harry Meade, Eventing World Championships Silver Medalist

“Reading Ride Big, by John Haime, will benefit all polo players, from the weekend warrior to the top-level professional. Equestrians from all disciplines have a shared passion of the horse/rider connection and its mental and emotional benefits to us as humans. Young riders, in particular, will not only see a benefit in the saddle, developing trust and confidence while riding, but also out of the saddle, developing these interpersonal skills key to a high emotional intelligence.” —Justin Powers, Executive Director, United States Polo Association – Polo Development Division

"Haime offers an easy-to-implement system proven to grow rider confidence and unlock your performance potential." —Polo Players' Edition 

"Haime’s “self-help” book is all about helping riders build and keep confidence to achieve the results they want—regardless of riding discipline. Throughout the book he includes snapshots of featured equestrian athletes, e.g., McLain Ward, Laura Tomlinson, Michael Jung, Oliver Townend, Beezie Madden and Fred Mannix." —Mid-South Horse Review

“Haime’s book serves as the ultimate guide that helps equestrians assess and reflect on themselves as individuals and riders, and addresses the root causes behind shaken confidence. It stands out among other books on sports psychology and managing your mind…. The book’s structure and language ease the transmission of information in such a way to fully digest it, and prompt a holistic approach on how one behaves on and off the horse, during training, competitions, and at the stables, too.” —Horse Times Magazine

"If you are an aspiring professional with huge dreams, then this is the book for you." —Horse & Hound Magazine

John Haime is a former tournament professional golfer who left his life as a professional athlete to first produce workplace learning programs and eventually blend his areas of experience and knowledge into an innovative system of performance coaching. He has helped some of the world’s top performers in sports, business, and entertainment build mental and emotional muscle so they can maximize their abilities, creating a winning formula of sport psychology, emotional intelligence, performance psychology, neuroscience, and executive coaching. His company, New Edge Performance, has generated breakthrough results for clients in major professional sports leagues, including the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLS, and Haime has counseled athletes in a variety of other sports—golf, tennis, and equestrian. For the past seven years, he has worked with dozens of equestrian clients, from young hunter riders and adult beginners to the world’s top show jumping, dressage, and eventing athletes. He has coached Nations Cup winners, Grand Prix winners, and national champions, and has worked individuals competing at top events like the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Florida, the American Gold Cup in New York, and the Badminton Horse Trials in England. Haime is the author of You Are a Contender! Build Emotional Muscle to Perform Better and Achieve More … in Business, Sports and Life and is based in Canada (johnhaime.com).