The year-end majors are upon us. Congress stall assignments and patterns have been posted. Pre-entries have been paid. And we are just around the corner from crowning our 2023 AQHA Congress and World Champions.
While this time of year can be incredibly exciting, it can also be incredibly stressful due to all the pressures we feel, many of which are self-imposed. Pressure can cause collapse, but it can also turn coal into diamonds. We spoke with AQHA Congress and World Champion exhibitor Meghan Tierney for her tips on preventing self-pressure from paralyzing you at major shows.
Be Prepared
One of the best ways to eliminate show day pressure is to be prepared. This will allow you to be confident and less-likely to give into self-doubt and nerves. If you feel like you know what you’re doing, you’re more likely to look like you know what you’re doing.
Tierney laughs, “They say ‘teamwork makes the dream work, but I say homework makes the dream even possible!”
“Nobody has ever gotten better by doing nothing. If you want to improve the 5 minutes you have inside the show pen, it starts with the 5 hours you’ve put in outside of it – so to speak.”
Therefore, if you want to avoid the crippling impact of self-pressure, do yourself a favor and make sure you know what you need to do in the ring and how to get it done. Things will rarely, if ever, go perfectly, but the best way to set up a great go is to practice, practice, practice.
Work with the Pressure, Not Against It
Tierney admits, “Self-pressure can be a double–edged sword. Anything can be used for good or evil, so make sure that the pressure you’re putting on yourself comes from a good place and that it can be used to help you improve and gain confidence.”
For example, Tierney believes that it is a good thing to allow pre-show nerves to inspire you to sacrifice a night out in order to practice more or to exercise at home to work on your strength in the saddle. However, it would be bad to allow the pressure to lead to sleepless nights or missing meals – which you will need to help you be at your best.
“Healthy pressure pushes us beyond our current capacities. It can inspire us to improve, learn, and get stronger. Unhealthy pressure can come from setting unrealistic goals for either your current capabilities or your horse’s abilities. Be fair to your horse and yourself – it will set you up for the right mindset for success.”
Set Reasonable Goals
Coming to a big show with reasonable goals is one way to control the outcome so that you are set up to win, regardless of the placings. It is much easier to eliminate many unnecessary pressures when “winning” is certainly within your reach.
Tierney explains, “Reasonable goals are crucial – the key word being ‘reasonable.’ Don’t make it your goal to win because so much of that is out of your and your horse’s control.”
“Instead, focus on your goal being ‘today I’d like to navigate the pen better’ or ‘today I’d like to improve my upward transitions,’” Tierney recommends.
She reminds us, “It’s easy to learn how to be a good winner, but the second you master how to be a good loser, this entire sport will become so much more fun for everyone. Indeed, if the only thing that matters is winning, then there will only be one happy person that walks away from the class.”
“When you’re able to consistently meet or exceed reasonable goals, you will not only be more likely to win, but you will also have a mindset that will allow you to be happy, even when you don’t win – and that’s a major pressure reducer!”
Don’t be Too Hard on Yourself
Tierney believes that, “99% of pressure we feel at big shows is something we do to ourselves. For the most part, we’re the only ones that will fixate on our performances. Our horses certainly aren’t fixated on the outcomes.”
Teirney has learned a lot about how useless being hard on yourself can be by showing yearlings – mostly because they do a great job of humbling you.
“I truly don’t feel very much pressure when I put a baby out on the longe line, because I’ve learned it is a waste of emotion. At the end of the day, it’s all ‘hope on a rope.’ I’ve learned to accept the fact that no matter what you do or how much you stress, babies will be babies. And I think that mentality is helpful for showing older horses as well.”
Tierney continues, “Our sport involves the cooperation of an animal and they’re going to do what they want to do. You will be best served by having trust in your program and the homework you’ve put in – then all you can do is hope for the best!”
“I fully understand the feeling of dwelling on the bad. It’s hard not to when your hopes are up and you’ve spent all this money and time trying for something that doesn’t work out like you wanted. It sucks, simple as that.”
But, Tierney advises that you don’t allow yourself to engage in too much negative self-talk after the bad goes. Instead, accept what went wrong, develop a plan to improve, and move forward.
Identify Your Real Competition
Unlike what this tip may imply, Tierney does not suggest you go around the show looking for who you think will be tough to beat. Indeed, that will likely only add to the pressure you feel.
Alternatively, Teirney recommends you remember that your biggest competition is…you – the you of yesterday or last year. And the purpose of training and showing is to improve, not to guarantee a win.
“I try to remember that the only person I’m actually in competition with is myself. You can’t let your inner saboteur get the best of you.”
It can be easy to let the hype of the big shows and big names add to the pressure you feel when competing. But it is important to remember, it isn’t you against the world, it’s you against you, whether you’re at the World Show or at home.
Remember the “Why”
Finally, Tierney recommends that you, “Remind yourself that showing is supposed to be for fun. Competition is a force to be reckoned with, and that in itself can be exciting for those with that sort of mindset and passion. However, it’s not life or death, so stop putting that pressure on yourself or your horse.”
Once you remember why you show and what you love about the competition and the animals, “it will take the weight of the pressure off your shoulders and make horse showing fun again.”
Tierney jokes, “We’re not curing cancer, people. It’s just a big arena and the opinion of fellow horseman. If your go isn’t great, the sun will rise again and the world will continue to turn. So, book some fun dinner reservations and have cocktails with your friends back at the stalls. Everyone can be a winner at that stuff!”
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So, best of luck to all exhibitors at the fall championships – with practice, reasonable goals, positive self-talk, and a little bit of humor, you’re guaranteed to have a great show!
