United States Eventing Association

A few months ago we began a series of Pressure Proof tips dedicated to the many different choices we have when thinking about our riding potential. We labeled these choices mindsets and discovered that some lead us towards growth, grit, and gratitude while others lead us in the opposite direction, towards feeling disappointed, defeated, and discouraged.

Two months ago we began a conversation about growth and fixed mindsets and the many different mental habits and behaviors that create them. In my Thanksgiving Pressure Proof tip I introduced you to the first two of many such habits: the greed and gratitude mindsets.

Last month we began a series of Pressure Proof tips dedicated to the many different mindsets that impact our potential to succeed, but I’d like to pause that conversation as we prepare for New Years so that we can discuss the topic of goal setting.

This holiday season I’d like to begin a series of Pressure Proof tips dedicated to helping us all become a little more joyful and thankful…and we’ll do that by discussing two opposing mindsets: the growth and fixed mindset.

A strong frame and foundation and are required to build a healthy horse and home, but did you know that they’re also just as important when it comes to building a healthy mindset? The good news is that everything we experience, from our struggles to our successes, combine together to create a strong mental foundation.

Last month we discussed flooding and exposure therapy, two techniques that help us overcome things that overwhelm us. While both are very effective, there are two unfortunate problems with them: (1) some of the things that overwhelm us require more practice than we’re able to give while in the saddle (like twice a week) and (2) some of the things that overwhelm us aren’t exactly the kind of things we want to practice (like falling or reacting to a spook).

You have to agree that when you arrive at the barn, you arrive at a place that’s more than just fences, paddocks, and arenas—it really is your happy place: the place you go to when you need a little positive distraction from the craziness of your crazy world. Unlike other sport venues, however, your happy place isn’t defined by the venue itself but by the relationship with S the trainers, peers, and horses found there.

Sooner or later we’re all going to experience something that’ll leave us feeling a bit uncomfortable, doubtful or even afraid. High-velocity sports like riding often creates these kinds of emotions, but it’s the unpredictable nature of our horses that really fire the fear in many of us.

One of my favorite sayings is, “You don’t win ribbons at horse shows, you only pick them up there.” The idea behind this message is that our ability to succeed is really created in our schooling sessions where we learn and practice the many skills required to ride successfully.

Any day spent with a horse is bound to be a good day, because each and every one of those days will be filled with endless learning experiences and memorable opportunities. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be a bit tricky to see those opportunities for what they are, or even worse, mistakenly view them as obligations, and it can all start with a few innocent words, called obligation-creation phrases, that we might unintentionally mutter to ourselves.