Confidence is variable and not static, it is something you can work on having control over once you understand yourself better.
Step 1: Ask yourself ‘Where am I Now?’
- This is your starting point. It is where you are today. Where are you on your journey to becoming the rider you want to be?
- Write it down, including a list of your qualities and a list of your challenges
State these in the positive e.g. ‘I am…’ - This will help you write a short statement about your current state and beliefs.
Step 2: Set your Goals i.e. Plan your journey
Goals can be:
- Long term – THINK BIG! These are your motivators
- Medium term – These are your confidence boosters
- Short term – The steps you will take to achieve your goals.
Alternatively you can think in terms of:
Process goals: The things you do on a day to day/week to week basis. You have a lot of control over these things and they are your foundation. You might like to think of them as the roots of a tree through which you draw all of your strength and development.
Progress goals: A way of checking that you’re on track towards your ultimate goal. For example entering local shows and learning from your experiences before you look at entering affiliated competition or improving scores and consistency so that you’re ready to move up a level.
Outcome goals: By following your processes and monitoring your progress then you will successfully work towards your desired outcome. You might like to think of this as the top of your goal setting tree.
Step 3: Preparation
This is a practical step which includes everything you want to do to prepare yourself, your mind and your horse as you work towards your goals.
For example:
- Fitness regime (self and horse)
- Horse feeding
- Coaching
- Equipment
- Timetables and lists
- Farriery
- Transport to venues
Step 4: Managing Stress
This is something to keep working on throughout your riding life. Like any new skill it takes time to develop and refine until you have a tool box of tips and ideas to help you in all sorts of different situations.
- Re-think your thoughts. Are you thinking in black and white? Are you concentrating on the negatives and ignoring the positives? Are you over generalising?
- Challenge your self-talk. Talk to yourself as you would to a good friend. Are you using words such as ‘should’, ‘must’ and ‘ought’? Speak kindly to yourself.
- Look at how you interpret feelings and thoughts and change them to more helpful interpretations e.g. ‘I’m ready’ vs ‘I’m terrified’!
- Look at expectations and remember that you have no influence over other people’s thoughts and actions.
- What does it mean to you? Do you see your training and competing as a learning process?
- How is other stuff in your life affecting your riding? Can you make any changes there?
- Learn and practice active physical relaxation techniques and relaxing breathing. Breath in calmness and breath out tension.
- Focus on riding “in the moment” rather than on the past or the future.
- Remember that mistakes are simply an opportunity to learn.
- Remember all your years of experience and training and believe in yourself. YOU CAN DO IT!
Step 5: Visualisation
- Seeing is believing.
- Visualise what you want to achieve and repeat regularly.
- Use ALL of your senses to make your mental experience as real as possible.
- If visualising a test or a course, do so in real time using all of your senses to mentally rehearse what you plan to do.
- Focus on what you DO want to happen rather than on trying to avoid mistakes.
- Remember that your mind is very powerful and can help you to achieve your goals.
By working through this five-step program you are setting yourself up to grow in confidence and self-belief. Give it a try and if you have any questions then please just get in touch – jane@horseridingwithconfidencescotland.co.uk
Read Jane’s previous article on ‘What is Confidence’ here.
Jane Brindley is a confidence and mindset coach who has been working with horse riders, at all levels, since 2004 when she set up her business Horse Riding with Confidence Scotland. Jane works both face to face if you are local and online via Zoom wherever you are in the World.
Jane uses hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, NLP and performance coaching to help riders overcome anxiety, grow in self-belief and resilience and develop a strong mindset for performance. www.horseridingwithconfidencescotland.co.uk