Whether you've competed before or this is your first time, the day before the event you may be getting a bit nervous about your upcoming performance. Preparation is key.
I remember one of my first three-day events. I thought I knew the dressage test, went in the arena, and by the third movement completely blanked out. The bell rang, I left, and felt terrible for days. But it turned out to be a good thing -- I never let that happen again. (We'll talk about dressage, but the tips will apply to jumping and xc as well.)
Prepare for Competition
You don't want to do your dressage test over and over on the same horse. Break it up into sections; mix it up with other activity for the horse's sake. The last few days before the competition, practice it twice a day all the way through on the horse you'll be competing on.
But don't think you're done now! Find another horse to ride to practice the entire test, over and over until you're sick of it. Don't worry about how well that horse does, just be thinking about what you'll need to correct on your competing horse as you go through the movements.
You're still not done. You want to over-learn the test. Find some space in the living room, draw letters on scraps of paper on the carpet to mark out your arena, and walk, jog, and canter through it from letter to letter. Over and over and over.
Do you feel some anxiety about the test while you're in line at the grocery store? In the palm of your hand, trace out the test movements. Make nervousness your friend by letting it be the reminder to prepare even more. Use it to motivate yourself to go over the test and the things you'll need to watch out for with your horse. When you're sure you know the test and all that you need to do to ride it properly, practice the test some more.
If you can't sleep for anxiety, get up and walk that test on the carpet one more time.
At the Show
If you're the nervous type, don't fight the feelings of anxiety. Accept them. Note your body: shaky hands, knotted stomach, racing heart, dry mouth ... note them, but don't try to change them. Become aware of your breath. Focus on your breathing for as many breaths as you have time for. It will settle you.
When you get on your horse to warm up, pick one element of your ride that you need to make happen for your horse to do well. Does he tend to lag behind your seat and legs? Concentrate only on making him go forward. As you go to the on-deck arena, focus again on your breath. Take three deep breaths. Then concentrate on the horse again. Make sure the one key thing he needs to do to excel is fresh in his mind. If he lags, it's going forward. If he rushes, it's responding to your checks. If he tends to not move well off one of your legs, move him off it again and again. He'll be happy to enter the arena and have something else to do when your number's called.
In the Arena
Dressage is such a great sport because you work and work, practice, improve, work some more ... and your entire performance lasts only a few minutes. It all comes down to this. And in that spirit of zen, turn your attention to your present moment as you enter the gate. Keep your attention on the horse, your body, where you are and where you will go next and how you will do it. The only moment you have is now so keep your attention on it, and you can't go wrong. If thoughts like, "I have to do well today!," enter your mind, just redirect your thoughts to riding your horse.
After the Test
Of course give the horse a pat after the test. And yourself. Reflect on what you did well and what you will do differently the next time. There's always the next time. By the time you ride in 100 tests, you will not feel nervous, guaranteed.
Join the Conversation