Part 2: Mindset for competition success. Visualisation. Once you know which test
you are going to be doing you can begin to start visualisation work.
Competition Success Part 1: Scheduling the tests for success The year is ______ and my goal is ______________________ For the month of ________________ I will compete at _____ level. My competition is on ________________ at ______________________ Test _________ Time _________ Ring ______________ Riding before No _______ Bridle no ______ Get up: __________ Feed horse: _______ Load: _____________ Leave: __________ Arrive:__________ Plait up?: ________ Give in grading cards:____________ Saddle up:______________ Get on:____________ Gear check: ____________ Test:____________ Unsaddle:____________ Rest:____________ Saddle up:____________ Get on:____________ Test:____________ Unsaddle:____________ Remember leave enough time for everything; extra traffic, tests running early, etc.
Part 2: Mindset for competition success Visualisation Once you know which test you are going to be doing you can begin to start visualisation work. The unconscious brain can not tell the difference between something that happened for real or something made up in your head. So if you practice in your head ten times, your unconscious thinks it has done it 10 times already! So it is very important to imagine or visualise the right things! So run through the test how you want it! Not “oh-oh” - here is the dodgy canter and see it being dodgy. See it easy and effortless - the way you want it. Visualise yourself as if you are watching yourself like TV, as well as when you are in your body looking down at your hands and feeling what it would feel like. Turn up the colours, feelings and sounds, so it is as real as the real thing. I have visualised my perfect test going exactly the way I want it, easily, effortless, even more right now. Test: ___________ Visualised how many times: _______________ Write out the script of your ideal test, including sounds, smells, feelings and what you see. Add as much detail as you can and really turn it all up! ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________
Part 3: The day of the comp: So you have visualised, scheduled and planned the day! And now it has arrived! So you are in the warm-up, and your horse and you could be doing two things: your quiet lazy horse is tense and forward, your tense and forward horse is lazy and quiet, or you could be riding the same as the horse is at home. Whatever it is, keep responding to how the horse is underneath you. I know through years of practice with one of my horses, when he is quiet and soft in the warm-up I should not be fooled! As by the time I am in the ring he is too quiet and too laid back, so I actually have to cook him a bit and make him a bit tense so when he drops 50% in the ring, I still have enough energy to get through it. So at home my horse is normally:
At the comp he was:
I normally ride at home:
I rode at the comp:
I had this much warm time:
I will try this much warm time next time:
Part 4: Building trust: The horse must learn your voice when you say it is ok it’s ok and the horse goes where you want it to go: 3 situations you built trust at home: 1.
2.
3.
At the comp: I needed trust to get my horse near the arena and I had it: how did you know?
OR I didn’t have it. How did you know?
Part 5: Actually riding the test: Half of my brain was telling me where to go and how to prepare for the movements - I achieved this. How did I know OR if I didn’t, how did I know?
Half of my brain was giving me feedback on how the horse was and how to fix the current stride - I achieved this. How did I know OR if I didn’t, how did I know?
I succeeded in quieting the chatter of mind? How did I know? Or I didn’t, how did I know?
1st test safe and no risks achieved? Yes no? Why, Why not?
2nd test go for it! Achieved? Yes, No? Why, Why not?
Play and enjoy! Part 6: After the test What did you learn?
What did you do well?
What do you need to do better?
What do you need to change?
What do you need to keep the same?
Were you happy with the test?
Judges scores and marks, what do you need to work on, improve in that regard?
Even if it was a shemozzle of a day or the best day you could conceive ... are you a better rider/competitor because of the experience? Yes, No? Why, Why not?
To your success!!!
