07/28/2024
Now is usually about the time you might be thinking about giving the horses a break, stepping up a level or planning the remainder of your season. 10 things to keep in mind:
1️⃣ It’s all well and good planning the horses fitness programmes, but be mindful of your own too.
Rider fitness is not about getting strong so you can ride stronger, or because it’s the latest fashion trend; it’s about being able to finish a round in the same way you started it, and that your aids are not the limiting factor for peak performance.
2️⃣ You have to know your own mentality to get ‘in the zone’, motivational self-talk works for some, slight arrogance works for some, ‘faking it till you make it’ works for some; but a negative mindset works for none.
3️⃣ If plan A is not working, don’t immediately go to plan B, ask yourself is plan A realistic? What is stopping plan A working? Can I change that? If yes, keep with plan A and Make It Happen, if not there are 25 other plans available. Control the controllables.
4️⃣ Longevity over intensity. Horses only have so many runs in them, make sure you are well prepared for the task ahead, it’s a well thought out plan, and it’s not a wasted run. There is no point cramming two seasons worth of events into one, to then have to have a year out next season.
5️⃣ Keep dipping your toe in each of the zones, don’t live in one. Comfort zone (where things feel easy), learning zone (learning something new), pressure zone (pushing limits), you can’t live in the pressure zone or comfort zone. After a session in the pressure zone, drop back down to the comfort zone to keep horse and rider confidence up.
6️⃣ You’re only as successful as your last run. Take a moment to appreciate, enjoy and celebrate when something goes well (because we all know that’s not often), then think about a) how do I replicate that and b) how do I go one better.
7️⃣ Horse first. Way before you started eventing, competing and chasing results, I’m sure you loved just spending time with horses and being in their company, having fun. Remember why you started, and that we are indebted to them, not the other way round.
8️⃣ Split your jump sessions into different categories; building the height v developing technical skills. If it’s technical, keep the height low, if you’re building height, keep the technicality low. Some days are about training the jump, some days are about training the way of going; mostly it’s interlinked, but maybe not immediately visible.
9️⃣ Run your own race. Just because someone is stepping up a level, doesn’t mean you should; just because you really want to go to that event, doesn’t mean it’s the right thing right now; just because you feel really confident to step up, doesn’t mean your horse does. There’s always another day.
🔟 Put your own 10th in the comments👇🏽
