| One of the biggest mistakes riders make when we're | | | | permanent. All you have to do are two simple things. |
| trying to overcome horseback riding fears is that we | | | | Reprogram your mind through visualization and |
| direct our efforts toward the conscious mind. You | | | | self-talk. |
| know--willpower, iron-jawed determination. The | | | | Here's all you need to know about visualization: |
| problem with that strategy is that you can only make | | | | 1. Relax. (Take 3 deep breaths.) |
| short-term, temporary changes when you direct your | | | | 2. Fill in details. (What are you wearing? What does |
| efforts to your conscious mind. To make permanent | | | | your horse look like? What do your surroundings look |
| changes, direct your efforts to the part of your brain | | | | like?) |
| that truly determines your actions--your subconscious | | | | 3. Use your five senses. (Feel the contact with your |
| mind. | | | | horse's mouth. Smell the clean, fresh air. Hear the |
| You see, your subconscious mind believes everything | | | | rhythm of your horse's gaits. See the ring where |
| you say and imagine, sees it as the goal and tries to | | | | you're riding. Taste the salt from the sweat dripping |
| make it come true. It's just waiting for your instructions. | | | | down from your protective headgear!) |
| So, like a guided missile, it'll keep you on the course | | | | 4. Use emotion. (Fully experience being brave, |
| you've set for it. And you alone are responsible for | | | | confident, and relaxed. To help you do this, just |
| charting that course by what you see in your mind's | | | | remember another time in your life when you actually |
| eye and by what you say you want. | | | | felt that way.) |
| When I think about changing mental software, I'm | | | | 5. Repeat daily. (It takes about 21 days to develop a |
| reminded of Albert Einstein's definition of insanity. He | | | | habit.) |
| says, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over | | | | Here's all you need to know about self-talk. Always |
| and expecting a different result". If you're a fearful or | | | | speak to yourself in the following way: |
| timid rider, you've probably been beating yourself up | | | | 1. Use the present tense as if you already possess the |
| about it for a very long time. The software in your | | | | quality you want. (I am confident, courageous, or calm.) |
| mental computer says you're a chicken so you're | | | | 2. Use a positive phrase. ("I am relaxed" as opposed to |
| going to feel like a chicken. So, if you want to demolish | | | | "I am not tense." There is no picture in the mind for the |
| fear, the only way you can change the way you feel | | | | word "not". So when you say, "I am not tense, your |
| is to reprogram your mind by installing new software in | | | | mind only hears, "I am tense.") |
| your mental computer. | | | | That's right, folks! It's that simple. Use visualization and |
| The bonus of changing your mental software rather | | | | self-talk to become the bold, fearless rider you've |
| than using will power or iron-jawed determination is | | | | always dreamed of becoming. |
| that it's a lot easier to do and the results are | | | | |