So often when we are riding, we are balancing our thoughts and our feelings to find a connection with our horse, to manage our emotions and understand how our horse is feeling and what they are offering. As Trainers we discuss the elusive feel which can be difficult to teach and to practice. Often over thinking can interrupt our connection with the horse and distract us from what is happening in that moment. To ride well, I need to be in a frame of mind that is allowing me to work with my horse. The same can be said for competing where I need to be in the moment to allow me to perform well.
It is important to recognise that this centrered, high performing zone is not activated with a flick of the switch. It is a process and a skill which needs to be learnt and practicised.
I have always loved competing. By the Autumn of 2000 I was tired and in pain and worried that my dreams and hopes were blurred and settled in a place almost out of reach. I was browsing in a book shop in Taupo on a rainy afternoon and Zinzan Brooke's book Competitve Edge ( by Lee Parore ) called me over. I am so thankful for that purchase. I hadn't really any understanding of his fitness regimes and training goals but several messages offered me a chance to rediscover my self belief and to take action. The book described the importance of mental and emotional training, finding balance in the body, seeking a postural assessment and training for core stability. There were many poignant moments for me reading the book including a description of postural imbalance that helped me to understand that I was feeling trapped by my own posture and that there were ways ( and physios ) who could help. Zinny was adamant that injury was not the end but that a player ( athlete ) must put their needs first to be able to offer anything to their team mates. He said about Injury, FIX IT. There was brilliant advice too on goal setting and I have used the Goal Staircase ever since.
In 2014 I was coming to terms with the impact of injury again, ( happily two years on from the incident I was back competing and posting PBs ) once again I was feeling tired and the book that called me this time was An Astronauts Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield. This book was perfectly timed to motivate me to work problems, to accept challenges and to prepare for life's adventure by acquiring and mastering skill. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Space Missions, the training and attention to detail that gave the team their best chance of survival.
A few months on I was asked to review a Perfect Mind: Perfect Ride by Inga Wolframm. I was excited to discover and reaffirm the importance of preparation, visualisation and reflection in an Equestrian Context. It was a timely reminder that it's important to understand yourself and the actions you can take to manage, accept and ultimately integrate the stresses that could impact on performance. Whilst I realise that it's unlikely that I and my fellow riders might play International Rugby or Command a Mission to the International Space Station I would recommend reading these books to better understand yourself and to enjoy your time in the saddle.
You can read my Book Review here http://www.hay-net.co.uk/member/haynetadmin/blog/8363/perfect-mind-perfect-ride-an-equestrian-book-review
I also wrote a recent Blog post about how I prepare and centre myself through kit organisation here http://www.solitairedressage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/organisation-is-key.html
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