Mental Skills Training

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

Organisation is key

I was reminded recently that we only regret the rides we didn't do. Last December I was sitting in my kitchen in the haze of a migraine anxiously aware of the ticking clock and the deadline of my training session. It was not really a question of sucking it up and getting a move on rather I was trying to streamline my thoughts to a cohesive action plan that would make it possible to drive to the horse box hire company, return, pack and load and arrive at training in good time to present myself and my horse. I knew I had to wipe all thoughts worries and anxieties from my pounding head if I had any chance of being on time and being in the zone to learn and improve. 

One step at a time I reviewed the challenge and we hit the road. Smooth turn around some 50 minutes later and on the return journey I thought about packing the gear and loading my horse. We were all aboard in under ten minutes, largely because all my gear and my horses essentials for travel are packed into bags. I did not even need to check the contents as since I discovered Kitbrix my gear has been ready when I am. So now the journey to training. I taped my wrist and concentrated on thinking about tacking up and riding into the arena on time. I did not allow any of my usual brain chatter room as the headache was all consuming. 

This turned out to be one of the best training sessions I have ever experienced, I arrived calm and followed my coaches plan and suggestions and a break through riding the canter half pass pattern from M75 gave me the best moment in the saddle ever. I felt the ease of the movement, I realised we would hit our marker in balance and with a good rhythm as we crossed the 3/4 line. I grinned at Emile I felt overwhelming pride and happiness and in that moment Jack looked back at me and shared the most incredible connection I have ever felt. I will never forget that moment or what it took to get there. We went home happy, my headache an irrelevance and the memory of riding through, of being oranised enough to cope is a lesson I hold on to.

Happy Days at Solitaire Dressage

Jack and the team are well rested after our weekend at Your Horse Live. We had a brilliant time sharing a behind the scenes look at creating dressage to music floor plans and music soundtracks. We also showed how helpful it can be to introduce riding to music to every horse and rider's schooling routine.
The whole demonstration was made possible thanks to Nick Reeve, a professional music producer with an interest in dressage and the impact (and fun) of adding music to create a performance the audience (&Judges) will remember. Nick produces music to ride to as well as creating scores for Grand Prix to Prelim routines that receive high marks and excellent feedback.
I rode my medium routine on Saturday and by Sunday Jack was adding in his super moves and offering flying changes which appear in his advanced medium routines. Space was at a premium and the shorter arena meant he offered some excellent and acute angled half passes. Well done Jack! I particularly enjoyed the live coaching segments with my regular pupils, Francesca, Nicola, Alasdair, Hayley and Amanda - well done team, I was delighted that we were able to give an insight into our training sessions. The Audience asked me some good questions and I was able to discuss introducing music to horses, working with tempo and different musical styles and to share the audience feedback on the process of matching music to combinations.

My thoughts are now with the approaching British Dressage Summer Season which officially begins on December 1st, my last few 2014 music competitions and the preparation for the 2015 regionals. Training at home and with Emile Faurie is going well and Jack and I continue to enjoy ourselves. Christmas is on the horizon and we have some team parties as well as training clinics to look forward to.

It's been a busy month so far with a clear round at the Area Festival at Moreton Morrell and a Coach CPD day with BD Central at my favourite venue Brampton Stables. I've also welcomed new team supporters KitBrix who have helped me organise all my kit for training and competition with their brilliantly designed modular kit bag system. Jack has been testing a few new products too; at Your Horse Live we discovered the brilliant Caviera bedding which is warm, dust free and doesn't contain any of the additives that he is allergic to. Jack has had a long career and I'm always looking at ways to support him, in the same way that I take extra supplements I am always pleased to try new products for Jack when they are from a company I've used before. Protexin have always been a trusted brand and I was pleased to review their Recover Aid. Jack has always used Equine America Applelytes and recently began to trial their new Cortaflex with added Supafen. I have been very pleased with the results.

I am always very careful with Jack's diet because of his allergies and sensitivity to starch. I feed Baileys No4, Stud Balancer and Speedibeet. This has been his staple diet since 2008 and the only thing we change is the ration in consultation with the Baileys Team. Together with good quality forage, a joint supplement and occasional digestive support this has been the winning formula for Jack's high performance career . Along with good grazing and lots of winter layers he is content. Jack is a fun if demanding horse to look after!

I'm really looking forward to the next round of clinics at Solitaire and away from home in Bucks and Northants. For those who would like a freestyle routine our next date with Nick Reeve is February 7th. I'm also looking forward to working with my partners at Elonex to promote Equestrian Sport- look out for new digital advertising campaigns at events and venues near you - tweet me SolitaireDTM if you would like to see your brand on the big screen !