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Rider Sports Pyschology
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Equestrian Sports Pyschology Tools & Exercises
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Perfecting the Lines of Communication: Part I
By Tonya Johnston, MA
Have you ever reflected on your communication skills and wished you could do better? In riding there are two things that are essential in communicating effectively: sharing your thoughts clearly and saying things that serve you as a rider. When you communicate well you are easily understood and your messages support your efforts to be an excellent horseperson . . . More
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Equestrian Mind Skills - The Fundamentals of Visualization
Tonya Johnston
Most people have heard about it, read about it, and will say they use it to prepare - but do you really know the primary benefit of all visualization? It's to make your body and mind experience a sense of deja-vu when you perform; to feel as if you have done it all before so that you can relax, trust your skills . . . More
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Post Ride Notes
Tonya Johnston
DOWNLOAD: Tracking progress and planning what to work on next helps riders improve and stay motivated. Use this download to help you track and improve your riding at shows and at home. . . . More
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Equestrian Motivation Statement Download
Tonya Johnston, MFA
This download will show you how to write a Motivation Statement. Your Motivation Statement will help you focus and clarify why you ride. This download will help you identify what it is that fuels your dedication and helps you achieve your goals. . . . More
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Pre-Ride Routines: A Key to Your Focus
by Tonya Johnston, MA
In a typical 8-hour show day, how much time are you actually in the ring? 15 minutes? 30 minutes? This is the nature of horse showing, and it creates an interesting challenge. With all of the other things going on in your busy horse show day, how can you best prepare yourself and get focused for the ring when it is actually time to ride? . . . More
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Control Your Energy with Circle Breathing
by Tonya Johnston, MA
Take a deep breath!" "Relax!" "Stop holding your breath!" "Don't worry about it!" "Just breathe!" Are these phrases part of your riding? Perhaps it was at a show while you waited for a client's class, on a large group trail ride, or during a frustrating moment in a lesson. These phrases are meant to be helpful, but . . . More
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Use Your Focus to Succeed in the Show Ring
by Tonya Johnston, MA
Walking through the in gate at a big show feeling focused, excited and ready is a skill that all riders need. It doesn't matter if you are in a novice equitation class or a World Cup qualifier, the ability to harness energy or adrenaline and direct it to your riding skills is essential. In fact, it is . . . More
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Visualization: Before the Horse Show
By Tonya Johnston, MA
Most often riders think of visualizing their courses once they are at the show. However, a lot of valuable practice can be done in the weeks prior to your most important shows by visualizing sample courses at home. . . . More
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Stay Focused on Your Progress
by Tonya Johnston, MA
Using sport psychology to track your progress and build the quality of your schools between clinics and shows can be very valuable. As a professional, you often school your horses on your own. This fact not only contributes to the physical abilities of both you and your horse, it also creates a need for you to have a variety of mental skills and strategies at your disposal. . . . More
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Conquering the Horse Show Warm-Up Ring
by Tonya Johnston, MA
About warm-up rings, I have heard it all: "I try to make my warm-up as short as possible, it just works better for me." and "I can't stand the warm-up ring. It makes me: scared/nervous/frantic/nauseous." and "The warm-up ring makes me lose my confidence." and "If I didn't have to warm-up I would win more often!" So, do you recognize any of these thoughts? Have you ever wished for a different warm-up ring experience? . . . More
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Using Video to Improve Your Performance (and Your Confidence)
by Tonya Johnston, MA
Watching video of your rounds, tests, or cross country runs can be many things: fun, exciting, useful, frustrating, enlightening, painful, or entertaining. Some riders run from the mailbox to the DVD player when a video arrives from a recent show. Then there are the riders who buy video of themselves but never watch them. There are also plenty of riders who don't think about video at all. Whatever your current approach it is . . . More
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Strengthen Your Focus with Book-Ends
by Tonya Johnston, MA
Often your clinician or ground person can help you create specific 'homework' for each horse. By having a specific idea of what you will work on, you ensure a productive schooling session. Integrating exercises and training solutions from prior schools can really add to the value of the ride, and can increase the intensity of your focus. . . . More
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Energy Management: An Introduction to Breathing Techniques
by Tonya Johnston, MA
What if I told you that a skill necessary for riding well and being successful in the show ring was something you were doing right now? Do you think it would it be sitting at your computer? Reading informative articles? Imagining your next horse show? No, not quite. If I whisked you away at this very instant from your home or office and put you on stage in front of 1,000 people or sat you alone on a mountaintop you would still be . . . More
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At the Show: Relaxed and Confident
by Tonya Johnston, MA
Use powerful cue words to direct your attention to the specific areas you need to focus on in the ring. This will keep your mind directed to your performance (over which you have control!) and away from outcomes or ribbons (over which you do not have control!). . . . More
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Five Strategies for Coping with Horse Show Nerves
Tonya Johnston, MA
It goes without saying that when you are heavily invested in something, you care a lot about how it turns out. But this same care, if left unchecked, can mushroom into feelings of pressure and fear of failure that often create excessive nervousness. This can affect a rider's enjoyment of the show, and will certainly impede their ability to ride well. . . . More
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March 2010
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