By April Clay, Chartered Psychologist & Consultant in Equine Sports Psychology
If you are like many riders, there are times when you wish you could relax on command. Like those times when your nerves are making your head spin and your stomach impersonate a tsunami. Or when your horse is so tense and fresh it feels like he is practically vibrating.
Of course, it’s very difficult to will yourself into a pleasant lull when you most need to.
Fortunately, you can learn how to truly relax your body so you can “push the relax button” in times of stress. It just takes a little, um, work.
Before we get to technique, consider the myriad of reasons this psychological skill is worth investing in.
The first reason is obvious: your body connects to your horse. All sports are about the power of the body, some more about the finesse. The latter is true of horse sport.
For riders, the most important benefit that comes from learning the skill of managing your body is the improvement in the feel or connection with your horse. Excess tension in your body acts as interference in the communication between you and your horse.
To communicate clearly, you need to remove that interference, which can be accomplished with regular practice of relaxation strategies. The payoff is more horse rider conversations free of conflicting messages that may confuse aids.
A second important reason has to do with what effect a prolonged unrelaxed state can have on your ride. In the sporting world, energy is the gas that drives all performances.
Unfortunately, stress and excess tension can zap the athlete of this much-needed resource. Have you ever noticed how tiring it is to be nervous and anxious? It’s because your body in this high state of alert uses a lot energy.
Teach yourself how to get to the relaxation state and you will have a corner on the power market.
Finally, relaxation is the foundation of all many other psychological skills, such as imagery, concentration and managing your nerves. Before you visualize your superior performances, it is important to be relaxed so you pair this feeling with what you are seeing in your mind.
Concentration is next to impossible if you are highly charged, as I am sure you have experienced. The ability to calm yourself is a Godsend when you’re under performance pressures.
So in short, if you are going to get good at your mental game, then the skill of managing your own body is an absolute must.
To begin, sit comfortably in a chair or bed and place one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Breathe normally. At first, just watch and pay attention.
Now begin to breathe again, this time focusing on dropping your breath low, like you are breathing through your feet. As you are inhaling, it may be helpful to imagine that you are filling up three separate sections of your lungs.
First, concentrate on your abdomen, making it expand with air, next fill the middle portion of your lungs by expanding the chest cavity and raising the rib cage and chest.
Finally, allow the upper portion to be filled and you will notice your upper chest expand and your shoulders raise slightly. When you feel “full”, begin to exhale by pulling the abdomen in (this is what pulls the diaphragm up), and you should notice your shoulders drop, as well as your upper chest, as the air begins to leave your lungs.
Make sure the exhalation is complete, forcing all the air out and letting go of all muscular tension as you do. You can also try saying silently to yourself on the exhale: “As I breathe out I let go of all the tension in my body”.
Now ask yourself, do you notice any difference from where you began? By simply practicing this exercise, you will begin to notice the difference become more dramatic. This will help you directly experience what it feels like to breathe correctly, and increase your confidence in your ability to regulate your breath.
When you get comfortable with this skill, try it on horseback. You can also pair it with a key word or phrase, like “cool and calm” or even “chill”.
Repeat the key word like a mantra until you form a strong association between your relaxed state and the word. You can then use your key word during stressful times to help you reboot your body.
Chartered psychologist April Clay is a former A Circuit rider and a member of the Canadian Mental Training Registry. She performs seminars and consultations in equine sports psychology including: Individuals or groups,
, On the ground or mounted, Email consultations. The perfect topic for your next association meeting! To find out more, call (403) 714-2529, email: april@bodymindmotion.com or visit www.bodymindmotion.com.
