Does anyone else feel like they have trouble riding to the best of their ability on a consistent basis? I feel like I am only at the top or near the top of my game about 20% of the time. Another 10% I am riding terribly and the rest somewhere in-between. I feel like I cannot focus a lot of the time when I am on the horse. Like many adults, I juggle kids, a demanding job, and other things. Any tips for trying to be in the moment on the horse and to get focused for lessons and shows, trying to clear the head of the stresses of the week? Strangely when I do have show anxiety, it generally helps me to concentrate and ride better. I am not afraid of the jumps I jump or the horses I ride, so its not that. At any rate, thank you!
First this is true for most of us. But it’s also true for the horse. The horse is not performing 100 per cent every day. You can have a great ride one day and a tired or sore or distracted horse the next. Learn to read your horse. I mean a big upright canter is a joy to sit but a tired on the forehand canter flings you around.
Second if you want to get good at anything then you need to learn how to get in the zone and shut down the monkey brain. That’s why riding well is like meditation in the moment. You have to let go of the anxiety about life stuff at the door of the barn. When I can’t do that I don’t ride at all because that’s when you get hurt.
Sports psychology likely has a lot to say about this because it’s true for every sport.
So I’d say figure out what works for you as meditation to clear your head and be in the moment. Then get really good at reading your horse and problem solving.
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Couple of suggestions:
Have a routine at the barn when you arrive (or even as you are preparing to head to the barn) to let your brain wind down without having to think about what you are doing. Generally a thorough grooming is a good way to let your brain shift focus to the immediate. If I am chatting with someone, I generally stop grooming and focus on them, but when I’m grooming, I’m only doing that.
As I am putting on my boots and helmet I think about my plan for the ride that day. I may have already planned the week, but I use that time to refresh on what the focus is - today we are working on forward and back and transitions, etc. That way when I start schooling, I already know what exercises to work on (at least until the horse decides my plan for the day should be something else).
Third, I do a 10-15 minute walk warm up and am generally not talking to anyone while I am doing that. I get time to observe my surroundings, check in with how my horse is feeling about things, and make note of how we both feel in our bodies.
If I am still having a hard time focusing after the walking warm up, then I usually just do a quick warm up, a few exercises or a light hack, and call it a day.
Some people at my barn think I’m shy or honestly kind of snobby because I don’t have conversations with others while I’m riding, but I tell them I’m usually pretty focused. I can talk during walk breaks, etc. but when I am schooling, I’m trying to put my all into those moments.
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No advice, just commiseration, and I’ll be following this thread. I feel like I’ve been unable to leave work/life stress at the barn door for the past year or two and it’s really been affecting my riding. On the one hand, no big deal, I’ve been doing lots of low-key hacking and trail riding with some lessons here and there. On the other hand, I’m incredibly frustrated at how much I’ve backslid and wish I could ride like I was riding a few years ago.
This advice comes with a HUGE caveat: safety first, always, and do what works best for you. But, when my monkey brain won’t shut up (ADHD means it’s… often), I tack up and ride with music. Typically just playing from my phone in my pocket cause I’m always alone, but I have bone conducting headphones too - safer since I can still hear my surroundings.
I plan my rides out in the car on the way to the barn, or while I’m working, and I have a pretty consistent routine. I get my stuff out and groom/tack much the same way every time. Helps me not forget anything AND helps chill my brain out. Music on top of that helps keep my mind from spiraling by drowning it all out.
Also, I’ve heard RideIQ is amazing for helping give direction and focus to rides outside of lessons and it’s on my radar to try! As far as focusing at shows/during lessons, in that case it’s worth talking to a sports psychologist. Usually it’s pretty affordable these days and there’s plenty of horse specific people!
When I was a high anxiety animal in high school, I always started every ride - lesson, riding on my own, at a show - with a hack on a long rein outside the ring. It helped me take a deep breath, stop thinking about everything else going on, and focus on what I wanted to do that day. Granted, I had a horse who loved it as much as I did, so I didn’t have to worry about getting some energy out before we went out of the ring.
Thank you for the comments, especially about the horse, my guy is very hot or cold and this is an excellent thing to keep in mind.
I love this idea, I think I tend to get on too late at shows and then it puts us both in a stressed state. Thank you.
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I am definitely going to look into RideIQ and to try to get into a music routine at least before the ride. I am interested in the sports psychologist, just need to get myself connected to a person, thank you!
It is hard t get out of a rut and to believe you can do it again, I hear you!!
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The talking is really a detriment for me I think. I get into this casual vibe and then when it is time to focus, I am still someplace casual and can’t get in the moment. Thank you!
Barns can be many things to us ammies with jobs and busy lives. Obviously the main reason is the horse. But the barn is often the key “third place” for us, neither home nor work. So it also develops a social function. That social function can range from light and innocuous to deeply involved in barn drama to actual real friendship with people you trust and respect.
But the social function can also be in conflict with focusing on the horse. Especially if we are stressed out in other aspects of life and the social function of the barn at whatever level becomes part of how the barn helps us unwind.
We all know people who spend 3 hours at the barn chit-chatting and rarely or never ride (I’m in self board so the options to putter and chatter are endless).
I’ve been looking after at least 2 horses for several years now. At one point I was riding 2 daily and doing groundwork with a 3rd. I got very efficient. I also got good at not socializing as much.
If you are talking to a person you aren’t talking to your horse. This is true even in lessons. So it’s important to have a routine that gets you into the zone with your horse and away from the Chatty Cathy folks.
But you also say your horse has multiple personalities, which is not unusual. You need to develop a routine that gets you into the zone with him from the moment you enter the barn. I’d also suggest keeping a journal that notes all possible factors like weather, time of day, length of warmup and what you did.
I found out eventually my mare does best on about a 4 or 5 day on, one day off routine. She cant do the 6 days on routine everyone assumes for horses without getting tired and low energy. I’ve also experimented with switching between dressage and jump saddles, and that will give her a boost. Both saddles fit well, but I know I myself can’t wear the same shoes multiple days in a row without my feet getting sore! Even my best sneakers or hiking boots.
Also she typically needs 20 minutes walk warmup preferably outside on trails before we evrn know what kind of day we will be having.
Obviously your competition horse is likely bringing more over all work ethic to the game but it’s still worth analyzing every day in detail to see what gets him to the energy level you want and if “cold” is fatigue or subtle discomfort.
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