Virtual Brush Box

Welcome to our co-post. PonyPomAdventures and I have written a joint post on pre-show nerves. To get here, we both wrote posts. We swapped. We commented. The result is a combination of guest post and conversation.

Yesterday on Virtual Brush Box: My comments. Lauren’s response.
Yesterday on Pony Pom Adventures: Lauren’s comments. My response.
Today, we swapped.

You can read both by clicking over, or by clicking back.

Welcome Lauren.
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Combating Pre-Ride Nerves by Lauren

Show nerves
Show nerves, what do they even mean?

I find I refer to show nerves as the anticipation of what’s to come.

I find its not actually the riding part of horse shows that makes me nervous. I mean I ride my horse most days, why would I be nervous to ride him specifically on show days?

For me, I find its the other things that come with going to a horse show that makes me nervous.

For example, if I was to forget my dressage test, or forget where I’m going on a jumping course. Not that I have ever done any of these things, but it still makes me nervous. Or if I fluff it up and there are lots of people there watching, that makes me nervous.

I also find I am nervous about being disappointed in my performance. Not so much disappointed if we loose or don’t get a great score, but I feel nervous that we only get one chance in the ring on show day. I think these nerves come from some imaginary pressure I feel from people who have come to watch us. They probably don’t care if we do well or not, but I feel nervous about letting them down. About letting my horse down too.

Also nerves for me come from getting my horse to the show ground, and getting him ready while we are there. What if he falls in the wagon? What if he wont stand still to let me get on? Again none of this has ever happened, but I sort of imagine these catastrophes in the lead up to the event.

When I’m on this all melts away, and I have a jolly good time! Which is why I guess I keep going back for more!

Change of mindset
These are all nerves I feel in the lead up to an event. However I have come up with some ways to try and combat these.

I was having a discussion with a dressage instructor about mine and Bobby’s canter. I’m nervous of him breaking the canter before we’ve done our canter movements. Her reply was, so what? Bobby doesn’t care if we mess up the test, he will still get his tea when we get home. This got me thinking, what does it actually matter if we mess it up?

Now, if we get something wrong when we are competing, I can take that as a positive. I now know what I can do next time to make it better.

I also recently went to a confidence seminar with Karl Greenwood. This was great for helping me change my mind set. See the blog post here Karl Greenwood confidence seminar.

Things to help

I find that if I’m worrying about something, such as forgetting to take all mine and Bobby’s things to a show, I write them down. That way it doesn’t seem like much to worry about. See my post Keeping an equine diary about other things I write down.

I also try to be as prepared as possible. I learn my test until I can do it in my sleep. That way I am the most confident I can be about not forgetting my test. And if I do, then so what?

I have a plan on show days that I know works. I do as much as I can do the evening before. Then I have less to think about on show day morning. I make sure I get to the yard with plenty of time, so I can get to the venue with as much time as I need.

Also I now remember I’m at the competition for me and my horse. I love other people coming to watch us, but I now know they are there to support us no matter how well we do.

I now don’t let negative thoughts into my head. This takes a lot of brain power and it’s something I’m still working on.

Katherine’s Response to Lauren’s Advice

Lauren asks a lot of good questions.

Am I worried about forgetting my test/course?
I do NOT want to say I don’t forget my tests/courses. I don’t want to put that out into the universe. Getting lost is always possible. I have done so in dressage and over jumps. I will say that the IDEA of doing so doesn’t keep me awake at night. I wouldn’t like to. It would be bad. I am not paralyzed by the possibility.

Plus, saddle seat classes don’t allow much possibility for freestyling. Classes runs in the same order: trot in, walk, canter, walk, reverse, trot, walk, canter, walk, lineup. The announcer calls the changes. Not much to forget. Still nervous.

People watching me?
Meh, I’m used to it by now. Besides, horse show audiences are generally your barn, who are watching you, and other barns, who are watching their people.

Worried about disappointing people?
Always. Not any more so on horse show days.

Getting ready, having crises?
I’m a Pony Clubber at heart. Imagining and preventing what can go wrong is my hobby. I prepare. I bring stuff. So much stuff.

What exactly makes me nervous?
I really don’t know. It’s more of a primal scream inside my head. It doesn’t stop to answer questions.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott

Welcome to our co-post. PonyPomAdventures and I have written a joint post on pre-show nerves. To get here, we both wrote posts. We swapped. We commented. The result is a combination of guest post and conversation.

Today on Virtual Brush Box: My comments. Lauren’s response.
Today on Pony Pom Adventures: Lauren’s comments. My response.
Tomorrow, we swap.

You can read both today by clicking over, or wait and read the second installment here tomorrow.
Welcome Lauren.
~~~

PreRide Nerves, Now What? By Katherine

Where I Stand
I’m at an impasse with my nerves.

First problem: Beforehand, my stomach hurts, I cry, I hide under the covers. Not fun.

Second problem: Once I get on, all of this goes away. I have been known to rise to the occasion at horse shows. Afterwards, I think horse shows are wonderful.

This applies to horse shows, lessons, and sometimes just getting on my own horse to school.

It is exhausting.

What I’ve Done
I’ve tried to find a way to mitigate the first without damaging the second.

I’ve tried books. The ones I’ve found focus on not letting your nerves affect your ride. A worthy goal. Not relevant to my situation, see above.

I’ve tried sports psych appointments. Haven’t see much change one way or the other. [ And So We Leave Behind the Sports Psychology Adventure]

I’ve tried self-talk. I liked it. Coach Courtney didn’t. [Show Reports NE GA Charity: The Before]

I’ve tried OTC meds. I loved it. The horses didn’t. [From – Weekend Reports: The Physiology of Nerves To – Show Report MSSP 2016: No More Magic Bullets]

Examining when I’m not nervous leaves me mystified. Examining when I am nervous makes the nerves worse. Neither route brings me closer to an answer. I wish I had advice to give out. Or a redemptive anecdote to share. I’m in a log-jam.

What I Can Do
The best answer/only thing that makes any difference is the same as for the rest of my life. Moving. Keeping busy. Not thinking about it. This is easier when showing my own horse because there is more to do. This method doesn’t help at 3 am or when I’m sitting in the truck on the way to the show. Nor does this approach solve anything. I represses the problem rather than addressing it. But it’s all I got.

Lauren’s Response

Katherine talks about wanting to hide under the covers. I can totally relate to that. However I always get out because I know I will enjoy it when I’m there. And, I’ll be sad if I don’t go.

I also feel wonderful on the way home from a horse show.

Contrary to Katherine, I think I’d quite like some sports psychology. However, I can imagine it doesn’t work for some people. Something I’d like to try though.

Agree keeping busy is the best way. But, as Katherine says, it’s easier said than done at 3am when you can’t sleep/trucking to the show. Sometimes, all you got is good enough.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott