Mental Performance Coaching
As much as I love to show, I still get butterflies and those awful sweaty palms as I ride to the ring. I know; I’ve been doing this for 50 years. You think I would be over it? Well, I’m not. Many experienced and new showgoers get the show ring shakes. The worst part is that it can make the difference between 1st and 5th place. Let me share the story with you.
My Story
About nine years ago, I started riding Western Dressage. There were no instructors or trainers near me. I downloaded tests and watched YouTube videos to learn the maneuvers, seat, aids everything. My outdoor ring was too small for a dressage ring set up, so I made a mock dressage ring in one of my pastures. I used markers to put letters on the orange cones I had. I used poles and tires to mark the sides and corners. I walked the tests out there in my mock dressage ring several times a day. I practiced different test parts with my big Paint horse, Jax. I even had a drawing of the dressage ring that I used to trace the tests with my finger and tell myself, “Ok, transition here, pick up rein here.” I thought I had it memorized.
Jax and I went to several schooling shows and made it to the Championship Show. I was so excited I worked harder at that final test, walking my field ring, memorizing where to change gaits, where each maneuver occurred, and how to cue Jax. The day finally came. I was enthusiastic and nervous. Unfortunately, my anxiety grew as it got closer to my time to ride.
As I rode to A, my heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty, and I could barely breathe. The bell rang, and I rode in and started my test. My mind would not work, but somehow, I got through the first half of the test. Then, halfway through, I was to turn at B, go across to E, and turn left. Disaster struck! I suddenly could not remember which way to turn. Jax got fussy, wanting to go left, but I turned right. Then I heard the dreaded bell ring. I was off-pattern. My heart sank, and my head dropped. I held my tears back and turned around. We finished the test, but I felt utter defeat. I knew that test backward and forwards. What happened? I kept thinking. I can’t do this. I don’t have what it takes. Does this sound familiar?
What I learned
I learned two things from that experience. One, trust my horse. He knew the test better than I did. Second, I had to find a way to decrease my anxiety at shows. After all, I have worked in Mental Health for 20 years. Surely, I can come up with something to reduce anxiety. So, I began a crusade to get control of my anxiety and boost my self-confidence. I started working with mindfulness techniques, self-talk, imagery, and routine. I tried everything I could find to reduce stress.
Then I found a way to put all these things together. I became a Certified Mental Performance Coach. What does that mean? As a Mental Performance Coach, I can help riders get those butterflies out of the way so they can feel confident and ready for competition. I use several techniques. The most important one is changing the mindset. Mindset is how we view things and ourselves in those situations. Changing your perception of how you approach riding and showing involves overcoming the mental barriers we all have and taking your riding and competing to a higher level of performance.
I call this the Blue Ribbon Mindset. I help riders invest in themselves. Riders can become less anxious, more focused, and more comfortable in the show ring. Just like how you do drills to practice balance, transitions, and rein changes, mental performance drills help you practice focus, confidence, and resiliency. Both are important for the equestrian athlete. If my story is like yours, I invite you to talk to me about it and learn more about Mental Performance Coaching.
Ready? Let the changes begin.
