Moving on up

Do you feel it’s time to step up a notch with your horse? Perhaps you’re comfortable with your competing but feel unsure about when and how to stretch your comfort zone? Maybe your dream is to compete at a certain level, or perhaps your coach is telling you you’re ready for a bigger challenge. Whatever your reason, the idea of moving up can feel exciting and daunting at the same time.

Some riders struggle with mental blocks around jumping bigger tracks, performing well in more demanding dressage tests, or qualifying for regional or national competitions. Being able to step up to the next level is an important part of developing ourselves as competitive riders and achieving our equestrian goals, but how can you can find the motivation and confidence to make the changes you want?

Concept of uncertainty

When you challenge yourself, your mind can create all kinds of distortions and limiting beliefs in its attempt to keep you safe. The mind loves the concept of certainty and does everything it can to reduce risk. If you’ve ever experienced nerves around riding and found yourself conjuring up all kinds of imagined threats and risks, you’ll know this only too well.

As riders, we need to learn to become more comfortable with the concept of uncertainty, since there are few guarantees when we ride our horses. Many riders struggle with this, as their minds are looking for a 100% guarantee that nothing will go wrong and they’ll be safe However, there’s plenty we can do to keep as safe as possible, achieve our goals and, ultimately, enjoy riding our horses.

Developing riding skills and security in the saddle, communicating effectively with your horse, having regular lessons and working on your fitness, mindset and confidence are totally under your control and help create the physical and psychological foundations for doing what you love with your horse.

Recognise the issue

There are many reasons why riders can feel nervous or apprehensive about moving up to the next level…

• fear of (perceived) failure: You may worry about what other people might think, or compare yourself unfavourably with other riders. Or perhaps you focus too much on the end result, fretting about whether you’ll jump clear or achieve a certain score
• lack of confidence: You may lack confidence in your ability and worry that you won’t be able to handle the challenges of higher-level competition
• lack of experience: When you haven’t competed at a particular level before, you can feel uncomfortable, as you’re not always sure what to expect
• pressure to perform: You may feel pressure from coaches, peers or yourself to succeed at the next level and then worry that you won’t be able to meet those expectations
• fear of being hurt: Riding at a higher level often involves greater physical demands on both horse and rider, which could make you feel nervous about falling
• lack of support: If you don’t have a strong support system – whether that’s from coaches, peers, or family and friends – you may feel isolated and uncertain about your ability to be successful when riding at the next level

Feel confident moving up a level with more of Alison Buttery’s tips in July Horse&Rider – on sa­le now!