Ride like you LOVE it!
What to do when nerves influence your success…
Focused. Zoned in. Making it happen. That was the goal. It was she needed to put together to get to the jump and over it in a succession of strategic moves that was rehearsed ad nauseam.
She KNEW the goal.
She worked harder than ever. It was time to achieve. She rode her horse hundreds if not thousands of times and knew what to expect. She had flawless runs in practice but she was fundamentally aware of the nerves that affected her performance. She’s an experienced rider but STILL struggles to overcome nerves during competitions. She notices her horse is reactive and even more spooky in competitions. This negative cycle affects her scores and confidence. She’s feeling the pressure!
She is not new to the game. Yet the questions, thoughts, scenarios running through her mind like a team of wild horses are still daunting. What is the difference?
PRESSURE.
Just like a right-brained horse that is unable to think, her mind is unfocused, unclear and running away with her emotions.
What is it that creates the inability to focus and think clearly when pressure is applied?
You are not unique if you have experienced it. You are not alone.
It is the mind’s way of preparing the body to run faster. The blood rushes to the extremities to fight harder. It creates that frozen in the saddle feeling that so many are familiar with.
Adrenaline and noradrenaline have built up because of thoughts!
Thoughts created a rush of exactly what your body needs so it can get away from what is producing this rush —but if it isn’t dangerous, then we want to control this rush.
We don’t need to be in fight or flight when we are just trying to have FUN and perform the way we practiced.
Can thoughts really be in control of all these chemicals? Intriguing.
The question then turns to how to focus and eliminate thoughts that cause this phenomenon that we have all felt and have become overwhelmed by. How to release the nerves, fear and overanalyzing so that your brain is CAPABLE of producing what you DO need. To think clearly and relax.
Our horse performs better, is more calm and relaxed and able to think clearly and focus when his/her nerves are not on high alert.
We perform better, are more calm and relaxed and able to think clearly and focus when our nerves are not on high alert!
The first area to research are memories of feeling this same pressure and stress. Notice how you do it by what you see, hear or feel.
What’s the secret to releasing this stress?
Controlling our thoughts.
It can be simpler than you think!
Our nerves are triggered by previous experiences that have stuck in our mind to “help” us not have that same problem in the future. The problem with that is that when a bad experience (fear) (pain) (feeling like a failure) (being unable to perform well) is “stuck” in our mind it runs the show. The subconscious controls our thoughts by it’s previous perceptions. We feel emotion from a previous circumstance and it gets amped up to a very uncomfortable level until we DO something about it. Quit? Quit showing, riding, doing what you love? That would stop the emotions — at least when you are on a horse.
Quitting isn’t the fun option, so we push through. If we can deal with it and have some success, then we can start the process to becoming more skilled at re-programming the emotions and can be on the road to success. If not, we are making the stress programs stronger that are creating more nerves automatically.
There are some things you can do to reduce nerves. Notice the emotion you are feeling. Close your eyes and remember how you have felt it before. What did you see, hear and feel? How are you reproducing that now? Notice that it is over. Be grateful that you experienced it and recognize all the ways you are benefited because of what happened. Let go of the emotion that is no longer needed by just looking around you and noticing that you are here. Be present. Remember what makes you really happy — a place, animal, person, nature and really enjoy that memory of happiness.
Go back to the stressful memory and notice what stands out now. A sound, a voice, something you see or feel. Notice some differences. Notice what still bothers you. Notice how it is over and you survived and you are better because of it. Be grateful for how different you are because of it. Spend time in that remembering a place or animal or person that are making you feel loved, happy and at peace.
Continue doing this until there is no longer anything that is bothersome in the first memory. Write down all the changes and feelings and how different you feel.
Getting to the root of stress in our past will create new feelings in the present automatically!
Spend more time with those peaceful and happy memories.
Right before a performance focus on those calm and relaxed feelings. Notice how clearly you can create the best strategy for getting to that jump and how effortless it feels.
When nerves become overwhelming, get off your horse and run, do jumping jacks, jump up and down. It is best to release some of the “fight or flight” adrenaline by actually allowing your body to MOVE — which is what those chemicals are created for.
Breathe in for 4 and out for 7. Notice your senses calming down.
When our body thinks we need stress hormones, it really is impossible to perform our best as our mind is not able to zone in and relaxed. We lose our “thinking” part of our mind... pretty important when you are riding a 1200 lb animal at top speeds.
If you are still stuck in your nerves that are playing mind games with you and it is affecting your performance… If you really want to know the feeling of owning the arena, loving your ride and having ultimate fun and success, please reach out to me. With some simple techniques and tools, you will experience the ride of your dreams!
I can’t wait to hear how much better you are performing!
Tammy is best known for bringing people into a state of present, focus and fun! How would that change your ride?www.tammymagnuson.com
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