The amount of pressure you perform best under varies from person to person. When your nervousness exceeds your optimum levels, you lose focus, and your skills suffer. Here are a few ways to manage that anxiety you feel before an event.
1. Plan Ahead
• Make lists of the things you need to do, pack or clean before you leave.
• Find necessary items ahead of time to avoid frantic last-minute searches.
• Load your tack and clothes the day before so you can take a mental inventory and make sure you don’t forget anything.
2. Slow Down
• Planning ahead allows you to avoid overwhelming stress and concentrate on the competition.
• Rushing to get the horse or yourself ready only magnifies unproductive stress.
3. Exercise
• Working off your stress relaxes your muscles and helps you get a good night’s sleep.
• Exercise speeds the flow of blood to your brain, allows you to think more clearly and releases endorphins into your bloodstream, giving you a sense of happiness and well-being.
4. Relax
• Use relaxation techniques at the event to help calm pre-performance jitters.
• These will take your mind away from nervous feelings and reinforce your energy in a positive manner.
• Tension prevents you from riding your best, so think about what part of your body becomes most tense before you perform.
• To relieve physical tension: contract your tense muscles as tightly as possible, hold the tension for a few seconds, relax and then relax even farther to a state of complete relaxation.
Continue reading for more helpful horse show stress-reducing tips.
