Tonya Johnston, Mental Skills Coach

09/15/2026

Happiness in the teamwork, effort, preparation and experiences first… everything else after. When you love the process, the winning takes care of itself. Bet. 😉🫶🫶

Pic: Shawn McMillen

09/09/2026

One of the hardest mental challenges an athlete faces is how to handle uncertainty. Here’s a solution: Find comfort and confidence in the homework you have done with your horse, instead of trying to predict a certain outcome. Let go of worry about the results or expectations. Simply control the controllables. Being ok not knowing what the future holds is a mental super power. Trust yourself, find strength in your focus and preparation and let yourself ride with freedom and curiosity! Have fun and believe in your horse and your team. 💫🎉🌈

09/08/2026

Effortless is a myth. It takes hard work, perseverance, grit, courage and tenacity to get to where something looks natural and smooth. So if it feels hard now, remind yourself that’s it’s part of the plan. Track your process and trust the process. You’re getting there, and you can do it!! ✨⭐️🌟💫

09/03/2026

🎧🎧🎧

In this episode of The Plaidcast, Tonya Johnston, Mental Skills Coach sits down with professional rider and trainer Dustin Goodwin, whose career has included an eight-year break from horses before returning to become one of the country's most accomplished hunter professionals.

Dustin shares the experiences that shaped his approach to riding, training, and developing horses and riders, while Tonya explores mindset lessons inspired by two Olympic gold medalists and how those same mental skills apply in our industry.

🎧 Listen now at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tonya-johnstons-inside-your-ride-with-dustin-goodwin/id1192996514?i=1000753537391 or wherever you get your podcasts.

08/27/2026

You know it, I know it, we all know it… 😉 so why does it often feel like a challenge to be supportive and kind to yourself? 🌻 How can you develop new habits of thought? What can you do to shift your outlook to being more productive, supportive and instructional as you talk to yourself? It is 100% within your capabilities, keep working on it! ⚡️

08/26/2026

The quality of your journey with your horse is more important than how fast you arrive at your destination. Don’t let the calendar create added, unnecessary stress. Your goals and the speed you push to achieve them follows your process and progress… not vice versa. Set your direction, work together with your team and enjoy every step you take together - that’s success. ✨💫✨

08/24/2026

Do you have a mental skills question for the next Inside Your Ride podcast?

08/22/2026

I wish I had understood the concept of controlling the controllables when I was younger. Growing up, I wanted to ride well and be successful sooo much, but my energy was scattered and I worried about so many things that were out of my control. At the horse show I thought about who was in my class, or the weather, or the judge - rather than things like packing a healthy lunch or taking a breath in each corner of the ring. We can’t get the past back, but we can dedicate ourselves to focusing on what is in our control as we strive to be our best with our horses. Do you do a great job of focusing on what is in your control? 🌞👍👏

08/19/2026

Friendly reminder: Hard work is the key that unlocks all the doors. Keep going!! 💪👏💫

08/17/2026

I really enjoyed this conversation with Brad Stulberg!

What if lasting success wasn't about pushing harder... but about building habits you can maintain for a lifetime?

In this episode of The Plaidcast, Johnston, Mental Skills Coach sits down with bestselling author and performance expert Brad Stulberg to discuss the ideas behind his book, The Way of Excellence. Together, they explore what sustainable excellence really looks like, how to pursue ambitious goals without burning out, and why the best performers focus on consistent growth rather than perfection.

🎧 Listen now at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tonya-johnstons-inside-your-ride-with-brad-stulberg-by/id1192996514?i=1000748510716 or wherever you get your podcasts.