Strides for Success

Tag: confidence

  • Are Your Outdated Expectations Ruining Your Riding Progress?

    Are Your Outdated Expectations Ruining Your Riding Progress?

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1232_Are_Your_Expectations_Ruining_Your_Riding.mp3″ title=”Are Your Outdated Expectations Ruining Your Riding?” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Equestrian mindset workout on the podcast this week….” hashtag=”horsepodcast” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Isn’t it amazing how so many riders just seem to ‘know’ what will happen each time they ride? They have certain expectations that, almost magically, seem to always come true for them. Unfortunately, the keywords in that sentence are ‘for them’.

    I see time and again how riders, regardless of what is really happening, will define each ride based on their beliefs and expectations.

    And, for most of these riders, these beliefs and expectations are simply untrue or unrealistic.  Meaning that they are creating a cycle where they simply repeat the same ride, the same month, the same year, over and over again with their horse.

    And all because they are unaware of how much their expectations are impacting their outcome.

    Creating an Invisible Bottleneck

    These often unknown and invisible beliefs can really play havoc with your progress as a rider. From becoming the underlying reason you lose motivation to actually go tack up, to help you feel a little like a prophet of doom where each ride is concerned!

    If you have been ‘trying’ to develop yourself or your horse – but have seen little to no success, I’m willing to bet that there is something going on in your head that has you both stuck

    The challenge is beginning to figure out what that is. When you begin to see your beliefs for what they really are – both conscious and subconscious – the work can begin. You can then begin to dismantle them and find new ways of thinking (and believing) that will actually serve you and your horse on your journey together.

    The Filter of an Expectation

    Having a certain belief or expectation is like putting colored goggles on. Anything you see will be affected by the lens of the goggles. It doesn’t matter where you see it, or when you see it – it is all through the colored goggle lense.

    When you believe or expect a certain thing to happen, you also see everything through the lens of that belief. It will literally color every experience you have – until you remove it.

    It can be frustrating to see riders ‘blame’ everything that happens with their horse on a certain belief that they have. Every unsuccessful schooling session. All of their areas need more work. Even random happenings and events become part of the story of their expectation!

    One of the best things you can do for yourself and your horse is to begin identifying these unhelpful expectations – and then begin dismantling them!

    Unable to See…

    Years ago I worked with a rider who struggled to keep her heels down. We are talking tippy tow ballerina style in the saddle. Any reminders, suggestions, or blatant ‘telling’ her to get more weight into the heel was met with excuses, objections, or the absolute instance that her heels were down.  She clearly thought I was blind!

    I suggested a video review session together – and during it, I noticed something.  She was literally latching on to every second of the video where her heels were down.  With an air of triumph, she would point out “Look, my heels are down”.

    Her mind was so invested in the belief that she was right, it wouldn’t allow her to see a clear truth – down for 5 seconds at random points when reminded, does not constitute ‘consistently down’!

    What Is Your Mind Looking For?

    Your mind wants to keep you safe.  And it also wants the path of least resistance.  When it can combine both of those things together, it feels like it’s winning!  Unfortunately, this is usually not the best combination for growth in our lives.

    Developing or getting better at something, growing, often requires us to become uncomfortable; and a lot of our beliefs try to prevent us from experiencing that unpleasant feeling!

    If you have found yourself saying something over and over again to do with your abilities as a rider, or your horse while being ridden – that needs to be examined! 

    Things like; “My horse always spooks when it’s windy”, or “my horse hates cantering, he always bucks”.  Seemingly harmless things like “I struggle to ride without stirrups”, or “my heels just won’t stay down”.   Or even things that may seem very true like “I don’t have time to actually train my horse” or “no matter how much we train, we don’t make progress”…

    All of the above statements started with a single thought which, for whatever reason, your brain decided was absolutely true – and it is now a belief for you and your riding. 

    And our minds look for ways to prove our beliefs correct.  Always.  They are ‘evidence gatherers’… They pay little attention to whether or not the thought is actually true anymore, but rather focus on proving or backing up the initial belief.

    Looking for Evidence

    Evidence can be many things.  It can be the sudden number of cars exactly like your new one on the road… Your mind ‘proving’ to itself that it did, indeed, make the right choice when purchasing the car.

    Evidence can also be failing to see the small progress you make each ride, in order to keep enforcing a story where you remain in the same place and therefore ‘safe’.  It can be looking for any sudden movement to ‘prove’ that your horse is indeed spooky.  Or any hint of an unbalanced step, or a difference of opinion in order to show you that your horse does indeed want to buck and throw you off…

    The fact of the matter is that whatever your mind believes, it will automatically – without hesitation – look for examples to strengthen that belief. 

    Some of this evidence will come from your own day-to-day experiences, and others will come from other riders.  It makes no difference.  Evidence is evidence… And it will all be used to strengthen the case for whatever belief you have when it comes to riding.

    Not All Expectations Are Bad

    Some expectations are fantastic and serve us so well.  I have seen riders who, purely because they believed they could, were able to do things that normally I would have said ‘wait for a little ‘too… And, they not only do them, but they also do them quite well.  Again, because they believe that they can.  Some people call this ‘beginners luck’.  Maybe it is – but it also works well at the moment :)

    Other riders simply believe that because they are training, they will improve.  They focus on looking for evidence of this – and is usually the case, they find it.

    I find that having positive expectations helps so much when working with riders and horses.  I feel that consciously bringing their attention to the ‘little wins’ helps to build confidence and momentum.

    However, I also spend a lot of time explaining that ‘what got you here, will rarely get you there’.  Meaning that just because this one thing works now, does not mean it will stay that way forever.

    It is so important to try and look at everything in your riding through unfiltered, unbiased, and unprejudiced eye. 

    Changing a Belief or Expectation

    To successfully change something, you have to first know it is there.  Become aware of it.  Go back to the stories you tell.  For me, a personal one the past few years involved time and commitments. To change this, so that regular riding once again became part of my day-to-day activities, I simply thought to myself “What is the opposite of this? What would that sound like?”.

    In my case, the opposite was “I am self-employed, I work from home, and I live on a horse farm – there is at least one opportunity each day to work with a horse”.

    Once I had the ‘statement’ or ‘thought’, I simply put my mind to work, consciously, to look for proof or evidence of this.  

    Now, initially, it took quite a bit of diligence and consistency on my part.  My mind clearly believed that it was much better for me to believe the old thought!  However, each time I caught myself actually speaking something to prove that old belief, I change it.  I simply changed the words coming out of my mouth… From there, I put my mind to task regarding creating a story around this new thought.  One that felt ‘real’ and ‘true’.

    Remember, our minds are a tool we can use to improve our life.  However, if you just let it run on autopilot, your life will probably either stay the same – or detoriate! 

    Creating Lasting Change

    At the moment, this current new belief is serving me well.  I am still aware enough of it to consciously look for opportunities to ‘prove’ it or find evidence for it.  And my mind has also begun to subconsciously do the same.  Not always, but I have noticed a few occasions!

    I really do believe that, in your riding, if you are allowing your mind to run on autopilot, you are doing both yourself and your horse a disservice. 

    Be aware of the words you are saying about your riding, your horse, and your journey together.  Always second-guess them.  “Is this actually true for me right now in this moment?” is often a good question to ask yourself.

    Don’t simply accept everything you think as the truth…  Ask to be shown evidence ‘for’ the stuff you want.  Give your mind a job and ask it to ‘prove this for me’…

    Being aware of this one simple thing as the power to change everything for you and your horse…

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources to Help Riders

  • How Well Must I Ride to Train My Horse?

    How Well Must I Ride to Train My Horse?

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dailystridespodcast/1211_How_Well_Must_I_Ride_To_Train_My_Horse.mp3″ title=”How Well Must I Ride to Train My Horse?” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Do you ride well enough to train your own horse? Here’s how to find out…” hashtag=”equestrianpodcast” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    It’s a big question, and it’s a question that so many riders wonder about.  “Can I train my horse, alone?”.  For many riders, they will answer this question with another one; “An I a ‘good enough’ rider?”.   There are millions of riders all over the world, all with different combinations of skills and talents; being a ‘good’ rider is relative!

    However, if you want to begin truly working with and training your horse, I feel that there are a few simple questions that you can ask yourself to see if you are truly ready or not.

    How Much Do You Know?

    I have already said that ‘good’ is relative, but so too is training.  I love the idea that it doesn’t take a black belt to train a white belt in karate.  Meaning you don’t have to be a complete expert or master at something in order to teach someone who knows very little to nothing about that thing. “So I can train my horse then?”. Well, that depends…

    What is important is that you know more than your horse on the topic you want to improve.

    Let’s focus for a moment on rhythm.  If you begin working on improving your horse’s natural rhythm, it stands to reason that you at least have a good understanding of what that improvement would look like.   An even better situation would be to have achieved this previously with another horse.  However, depending on each unique situation, I don’t always feel this is essential. What is key is your understanding of the movement, principle, or topic.

    Hoping to train a horse on a topic that you have little knowledge, understanding, experience, or training on yourself is simply wishful thinking

    Having spent a number of years riding alone in an open field, I can definitely say that having resources is important.  Now, I am not saying that you need a perfectly manicured arena to make progress with your horse.  But there are certain things that, if you have them, will definitely make the training journey a more smooth one!

    Do You Have the Resources?

    Time is the number one resource you will need if you are going to ever hope to correctly improve your horse’s way of going.

    Lack of time is why most riders never really get going when they are working with their horse.  They will go ‘hell for leather’ for a week, maybe two.  And then, something happens and all horse-related activities are put on pause for another week or two.  This stop and start method will only serve to ensure that you keep reliving the same few weeks, over and over.  With little to no visible progress.

    Taking a break, intentional or otherwise, every now and again is not bad; in fact, sometimes it can be really helpful.  However constant stopping and starting with your training program is a recipe to remain stuck. 

    “I have the time, does this mean I can train my horse?”.  Again, it depends…!  Another important resource to take stock of is your riding area, especially if your climate is less than favorable a lot of the time.  Muddy, slippery, or baked hard footing is neither good for the horse or the rider (we tend to fall every now and again!).  If you are really serious about training your horse, make sure that you have somewhere to work, especially when the weather becomes a little otherwise!

    Remember to take stock and connect with the people in your life who can help you achieve your goals. 

    From a trainer for occasional advice, to an online course and community, to a babysitter or driver for children. You will need support if you are to successfully train your horse over the long term. Finally, resources can also include different tack and equipment, floodlights, poles and uprights, a lunging arena, suitable trails and hacking areas, and so much more.

    Are You Consistent with Consistency?

    At this point, many riders get a little excited!  “Yes, I have all of the above, so I must be ready to train my horse”… Well, not quite!  When training your horse, you will have to do different things in order to achieve different results.  Repeating the same thing over and over again will not take your horse from here to there (wherever you’ve decided there is).

    As a trainer, it is your responsibility to make strategic changes to what you are doing, and remaining consistent with those changes in order to track the result or outcome. 

    One of the biggest mistakes I used to make when riding in the fields when younger was trying things once. You see, I was usually open to giving things a go.  However, if I didn’t see immediate success, I was also quick to drop said thing and either revert to the old way or try something totally new again. Not the approach to take if you want to see success!

    Be willing to find out what you think may be the next thing to try, change, introduce to your horse’s training. Then track how your horse responds to this over a period of time.

    Being consistent means that you are intentional about every aspect of your approach to training.  From your schedule to the way you communicate, to your aids, to your rewards, to your corrections, and your attitude in general.

    How Supple Are You?

    “Okay, this has nothing to do with how I train my horse, surly?”  Oh, but it does!  You see, it’s easy to think of suppleness as just being something for your horse.  Ride a few bends and circles every now and then, and Bob’s your uncle, Sally’s your aunt!   However, I believe that suppleness is just as important for riders; and it’s not just about your physical aids.  It also concerns your emotional and mental development as a rider.

    I see many riders, who ride pretty well, become mentally ‘stuck’ on something in their horse’s training

    Usually, it is something they don’t want or desire.  And whatever the thing is, they fixate on it.  They have this all-or-nothing approach to it, and this means they cannot see past it.  For example, the horse that throws a buck in the first 10 or so strides of canter. An independent rider doesn’t even notice the buck; they are busy assessing the quality of the transition, and the quality of the canter they find themselves in.  The buck is just a distraction that they easily ignore.  And this generally means it will soon go away!

    The unsupple rider rides the transition into the canter, and the canter itself completely waiting for the buck.  Their only focus is what they ‘know’ is coming.  And, inevitably, it does!

    Training your horse will require you to look past any distractions that show up. It will require you to remain focused on the desired outcome, and to try keep your horses focus there as well. 

    How Independent Are You?

    Finally, if you have checked all of the above boxes, the last question I would ask in this situation is regarding my level of independence.  This is for both in the saddle and out of the saddle.  If you struggle to stay on in the trot, you need to be honest with yourself in that you are not the person to improve your horse’s trot!  Similarly, if you are struggling to stay on board in canter, or over a jump, you’re not the person to help your horse with these things!

    I suggest assessing your independence by asking yourself “Am I responsible for my own balance and support? Or am I using my horse to support and balance me?”

    “Oh, so I probably can’t train my horse then…”  Not exactly, I am a great believer that if there is a will, there’s a way…  If the answer to the previous question was the latter, I suggest getting help in developing more support and independence first; and probably on a different, more experienced, or schooled horse).  However, keep in mind that there are lots of ways you can begin to train and school your horse that don’t require you to be the world’s greatest rider.

    Lunging and groundwork do not require skill in the saddle, and, if done right, they both help to develop your skills as a rider – and your horse’s skills as a riding horse. 

    “Okay, so I can use lunging to train my horse! This is great, except I don’t know how to get started…”. I’ve got you covered; I have a free guided audio training ‘3 Days to Successful Lunging’ that you can get HERE
    .

    Confidence is Key…

    For many riders, training their own horse is essential due to a lack of resources.  There are no trainers close by, not enough of a budget to afford a trainer, or a lack of time to commit to a trainer.  If you find yourself in this situation, notice how the thoughts of training your own horse make you feel…

    Often we talk ourselves out of training our own horses because it will require us to do something we have never done before – and that is uncomfortable!

    If you are feeling uncomfortable about training your horse, yet you have ‘ticked all the boxes’ with the questions above, you’re probably ready!  It is simply the fear of failing that is holding you back.

    Growth requires us to get uncomfortable.  And as adults, because many of us are out of the habit of learning new things – and failing the first 10 or 20 times, training your horse can feel really uncomfortable!

    Start with what you know.  Go deep in your knowledge and understanding of something.  Think about the best way to explain this to your horse.  And then go do it. Remember to be intentional about changes, actions, aids, etc. Record it all… And see where the journey takes you

    So, to answer the question “Can I train my horse?”… The answer is clearly that it depends on a couple of different things, but if you are keen, there are lots of resources listed below to help.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources on This Topic:-

  • 5 Ways to Have Fun with Your Horse This Month

    5 Ways to Have Fun with Your Horse This Month

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dailystridespodcast/1202_Being_Strategic_with_Fun_and_Your_Horse.mp3″ title=”5 Ways to Include More Fun with Your Horse This Month” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Has riding become a little ‘same old, same old’? Here’s a few ideas to include more fun…” hashtag=”horseriding” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Fun can mean lots of different things to lots of different riders.  And your idea of what is really fun can change as you develop and grow as a rider.  I always encourage my riders to be intentional about including fun stuff in their plan or schedule with their horses.

    So, as you plan out your weekly riding, see where you can include one or two activities that you are including with the simple intention of having fun and enjoying the time with your horse. 

    Now, again, notice how what may have been fun when you rode horses as a teenager, might not be as much fun anymore. Pay attention to your day-to-day activities with your horse.  Anywhere you notice you are really just ‘having fun’, go deeper and see where it takes you.

    1 .  Groundwork

    2 . Natural Horsemanship

    3 . Grooming

    4 .  Relaxing together

    5 . Trails or Hacking

    Now, obviously, these are just a few ideas to get you started.  I have a more comprehensive list HERE where I explain how to being including fun in your riding as well. 

    What I would love to hear from you is how you are planning on intentionally including fun into your riding this week.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Links to Help You:-

  • How Your Stories are Influencing Your Horse Riding

    How Your Stories are Influencing Your Horse Riding

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/dailystridespodcast/1192_How_Your_Stories_are_Influencing_Your_Horseriding.mp3″ title=”How Your Stories are Influencing Your Riding” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”Have you a story about your riding that might be holding you back?” hashtag=”equestrianpodcast” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    Last week I caught myself telling a story. One about not really having a ’suitable’ horse to ride. Now, a while ago that was the case. However, now? Now I am blessed to have a farm filled with ‘suitable’ horses…

    Stories are a funny thing. They are usually part of an experience that was very real at some point. However, as a rider, it is important to always update and be aware of your stories. And this requires you to begin actively analyzing what you are saying to yourself on a moment-by-moment basis.

    Your Stories on Autopilot

    This sounds relatively easy… However, when we are doing something which we have done often and regularly before, we can become a little complacent.

    Our actions and our thoughts, so, therefore, our stories, tend to just repeat themselves.  Without a whole lot of effort from you.

    This is great when the story is causing a positive outcome.  For example, “my horse really listens to me when we work together on the ground” might be something you say on a regular basis and, therefore, believe.  However, these same stories can really work against us at other times.  The story, maybe “I struggle to control my horse when he spooks” begins to negatively affect your riding.

    The story itself is not that important.  However, the actions that accompany this story can often cause us to become literally ‘stuck’ where our riding is concerned.

    The same story causing the same outcome, over and over without any real conscious intention or questioning. 

    Your Horse Riding on Autopilot

    As I said before, I believe that one of the reasons many riders fall into this trap is due to the routines we create for ourselves when with our horses. Horse riding is, usually, an ‘often and regular’ activity.  Don’t believe me?  Think about the last time you tacked up or mounted up.

    I can bet that you were not being 100% present and mindful.  You probably just ‘did both without very little thought at all.  In fact, you were most likely thinking about something else.  And it is in these types of activities that a less than great story can begin to take hold when it comes to your riding.

    Being present is a bit of a ‘buzzword’ lately.  However, very often the difference between a mediocre experience and a great experience with your horse comes down to how present you are in each other’s company. 

    Being Present To Your Stories

    The next time you are with your horse, see how truly present you can be.  Notice each action you take.  See each one as being a sentence of the conversation.  Is it adding to the overall quality of your interaction with your horse?  Or are you doing it simply because it’s what you’ve always done?

    Notice what your intentions are for the time you have with your horse.  Staying alive is not a great intention!  Neither is ‘staying on’.  If you are approaching your riding with this low energy, is it possible that your story about the interaction is producing the outcome?

    By setting a clear intention for the interaction, you can begin to create stories (either updating existing ones or creating brand new ones) about what you want to happen. 

    Stories Versus Fairy Tales

    Maybe you feel a little silly or ambiguous telling a new story.   Your mind will probably be reminding you about all of the evidence to ‘prove’ your existing story.  And pointing out the complete lack of evidence for anything else.

    However, you can help to ease this actively by looking for proof.  If you don’t have this for yourself yet, try this; find others who are doing or who have done what it is you want to do. 

    Use their example to help you begin to create a new story for yourself.  Instead of saying “I struggle to control my horse when he spooks”, you can start by saying “I’m actively working towards developing my abilities to remain present and with my horse when he spooks”.  This is not a lie, it is an intention for each interaction with your horse.

    Upgrading Your Stories

    Once you begin to practice upgrading your stories, you will notice that you can begin really changing the outcome of your conversations with your horse.  Think of it as being a little like having a road map and then traveling on an actual road.  On the map, it’s mostly straight lines and everything looks close together.

    However, when you get on the road and being traveling, things always take a little longer. Creating new stories and seeing long-term positive results will most likely be a similar process for you with your horse. 

    If you can understand and expect this from the get to, it will help you to begin making the necessary small adjustments that will eventually take you to the destination you’re looking for.

    It all starts with identifying what you’re telling yourself on autopilot, and then from there, making consistent tweaks and changes.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Links to Help You:-

  • Reacting Versus Responding in Your Riding

    Reacting Versus Responding in Your Riding

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1175_Reacting_Versus_Responding_in_Your_Riding.mp3″ title=”Responding Versus Reacting in Your Riding” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”The difference between riders who can keep their focus, and those who can’t when things go off track…” hashtag=”equestrianpodcast” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    How do some riders seem to simply handle ‘speed wobbles’ when they are riding? It seems as though nothing phases them.  They simply effectively and efficiently get things back on track with minimum effort and drama… Their secret?  They have swapped reacting versus responding when they ride.

    If you are the sort of rider who gets ‘triggered’ by certain things in your riding, you have possibly looked at those ‘other’ riders with a mixture of awe and jealously!

    Today I want to tell you exactly how you can begin riding like them; and begin responding rather than reacting when riding, and working with, your horse.

    What’s a Reaction?

    Reacting is impulsive, instant, and, usually, does not help the situation you find yourself in. It is when you have a ‘worn path’ in your mind. “If this happens, do that.” Literally.

    A reaction is usually created by ‘that’ has helped you at some point in your life when you felt a certain feeling.

    The trouble is, now every time you feel that same feeling, your body automatically jumps to ‘this’ reaction, even when ‘this’ reaction is not helping you at all in your current situation. For example, you feel like you are being ignored and you begin shouting and using more aggressive body language. Or you feel like you are in danger, so you cower away and try to look for ways to hide.

    Those reactions may have helped you at a different point in your life. But I can almost guarantee that they are not serving you right now in your riding.

    What’s a Response?

    A response is a calculated action or series of actions that you take in order to get the desired outcome. Often, the correct response when riding can feel like it is in complete opposition to how you would normally react.

    The key to responding well is to remain committed to your intention. This is as you take action that will move the conversation with your horse closer to it.

    As an equestrian, it is important that you continually look for areas in your riding where you are reacting rather than responding. A specific transition. Or perhaps when your horse does something. A good way to assess if you need to begin working on a response, rather than the current reaction, can be looking for areas where progress is ‘stuck’.

    Reacting Versus Responding

    The trouble with reacting is that it keeps you ‘stuck’ and focused on the very thing that has triggered you.  The focus for the ride moves away from your initial intention.  And towards the very thing that you, clearly, don’t enjoy so much!

    Responding allows you to mindfully and intentionally re-direct the focus back to your initial goal, movement or task at hand. 

    Now, I want to encourage you here a little.  ALL riders have certain things that they react to.  Yes, all riders.  This is due to the fact that we can place so many of the basics onto autopilot in our riding.  Autopilot is not a bad thing.  In fact, it is the very thing that will help you to begin working on more complex ‘conversation topics’ with your horse.

    The key is to ‘revisit’ those autopilot basics regularly and upgrade as you do to align with your current riding skills and mindset. 

    Moving Towards Responsive Riding

    If you have identified something that you feel you are, indeed, guilty of reacting to on a regular basis, congratulations!  Actually seeing that this is the case is the first step towards moving from reacting versus responding in your riding.  However, you will also know realise that you are only noticing long after the reaction has happened!

    My first suggestion is that as soon as you catch yourself reacting, begin thinking about how you potentially could have responded differently.

    Keep the focus on your desired outcome and figure out what would have potentially gotten you to that point easier and with less stress if that same trigger occured again. 

    After doing this a few times, you will begin ‘resetting’ your reaction clock closer and closer to the trigger itself.  Soon  you will actually notice yourself reacting while still ‘in the thick of it’!  When that happens (yes, it will), simply make those better decisions and take those more responsive actions.

    Responsiveness is a Habit

    Overtime, you will find yourself reacting less and less to each potential trigger.  You will allow yourself hte space to take a more measured, mindful response.  That response has the potential to really begin re-shaping your overall conversation with your horse.

    Responsivenss is a muscle.  The more you use it the right way, the stronger it will become. 

    And the stronger it becomes, the easier it will be for you to use this in your riding to help steer the course of each conversation between you and your horse.

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources for Equestrians

  • Developing & Celebrating Your Unique Style as a Rider

    Developing & Celebrating Your Unique Style as a Rider

    [fusebox_track_player url=”https://op3.dev/e/traffic.libsyn.com/dailystridespodcast/1172.Developing_and_Celebrating_Your_Unique_Style_as_a_Rider.mp3″ title=”Developing and Celebrating Your Unique Style as a Rider” social_linkedin=”true” social_pinterest=”true” social_email=”true” tweet_text=”How about beginning to ride like the best version of you… Rather than someone else?” hashtag=”equestrian” twitter_username=”strides_success” ]

    What would happen to you and your riding if you began embracing your unique style as a rider? If instead of trying to ride like someone else, you began to really understand and know what it is to ride like you?

    I think that many riders are trying to ride like or act like someone else in their riding. Maybe it’s the rider at the barn who has been at this a few years longer than you. Or the rider who is 10, 20, or 30 years younger than you. It could be the rider who has never had their own horse, meaning they have ridden any horse they had the opportunity to ride for the past 10 years. Or the rider who is quiet, reserved, and calm under pressure…

    As equestrians, we all have riders we admire. Riders we would like to become ‘more like’ in our own riding. But they are not you.

    The key is to really begin to understand your own unique style as a rider, and from that place, begin blending complementary techniques and styles into your mix.

    Personality Tests

    Right now, there is a trend towards understanding how we can work with others better from the results of different personality tests. There are the DISC Profile, the MyersBriggs, the Enneagram, and the Kolbe to name a few. Even your unique birth chart. Most are used by employers when finding potential employees for teams and projects. The tests help identify strengths and areas where each person would thrive.

    The underlying factor is that we are not all great at everything. You have your unique strengths and areas where you shine. And, due to the polarity of the world, you also have the areas where you would not naturally feel comfortable or thrive. I believe that you, as a rider, experience a similar situation.

    As a rider, you naturally have areas that you excel at with little effort – and you have those other areas that you find uncomfortable or difficult.

    If you can begin looking at your riding from the perspective of identifying your strengths and abilities, it will really help simplify ‘getting better’ and improving yourself in the saddle.

    Modeling – That Works for You

    I am a big believer in identifying someone who is doing the thing you want to do in a way that you enjoy them doing it. What trips many people up (my past self included) is that we get disappointed when that person then does something we don’t quite enjoy. We feel ‘let down’ or deceived in some way. Which is absolute madness when we really look at it.

    Nobody will do everything just as you would do it, or just as you want it done.

    If they did, they would be you! Wouldn’t they?! So how about, rather than stressing ourselves out about all the things we don’t enjoy, we simply begin to just focus on the couple of elements that we do?

    Choose specific things about specific equestrians that you enjoy and can begin modeling in your riding and your horsemanship. Leave the things you don’t!

    Blend The Elements Together

    By then blending those different elements together, you can begin to really work on developing your own unique style. Your unique approach to working with, training, and just being with horses.

    Infuse modeled techniques and methods with your personality and experiences.

    This is how you can then begin to create a style of your own. Will everyone enjoy it? No. They most certainly won’t. But this is their opinion, and it is also none of your business. They can choose to take the parts of your riding style that they enjoy and being modeling those if they want. And, they can simply leave the bits they don’t enjoy alone!

    Celebrate Your Unique Style

    Once you begin to actively work on this process, you will find that you develop a certain rhythm. Your rhythm. This will carry over to everything that you do in the saddle. Will it work for all horses? No. Every horse, just like every person, is not for every rider.

    However, by taking the time to identify and then ‘be’ yourself as a rider, you will have a much easier time communicating and working with the horses who do respond and enjoy your unique style.

    And that is where the magic occurs…

    Happy Riding
    Lorna

    Additional Resources for Equestrians