Horses are very sensitive animals. They need to be aware of changes in energy around them so that they can avoid their natural enemies in the wild. We pamper our domesticated horses by feeding them, keeping them warm with horse blankets in cold weather and protecting them from midges with fly sheets in the warmer weather.
This doesn’t mean that they’ve lost their ability to sense what’s happening in their surroundings. Whenever you ride a horse you are in close contact with it so it will be picking up much more than just the sensation of your seat, legs and hands at their points of contact with its body.
Human beings are capable of reading body language and animals can do the same. They may even be more sensitive to it than humans. When you think about it your horse can probably sense when you are in a bad mood. You not only move in a particular way that displays anger but you are also broadcasting a strong energy. If they can sense that anger even if you aren’t touching them imagine what they can feel when you are on their back.
So, when you ride in competitions how do you feel?
If you are nervous your horse will pick up on it straight away. That can be very confusing for him because he’s looking for you to guide him and show leadership when suddenly he finds someone in control who is unsure of themselves.
If you are excited and eager to get going then, guess what, he’ll feel that too. He can take that as a signal that this is how you want him to behave and it can cause him to start acting up.
The best emotion you can have is calm and assertive. That way he knows that you are serious and that he should behave sensibly to get the job done. He will feel confident that you know what you are doing so he’ll feel safe taking your instructions.
That’s easier said than done, of course. It is natural to have some nerves before a competition and the extra adrenaline can be extremely useful. You just don’t need too much.
Just before you approach your horse to mount up stand still for a moment and focus on yourself. Take a few deep breaths and let each one out slowly. If you feel ‘butterflies’ in your stomach imagine them calming down and slowing down. Think about how you would ride the perfect round and how it would feel. Focus on the end result and how it feels to achieve your goal. Then, when you feel calm and centred, approach your horse and mount up.
This takes a bit of practice so keep doing it. If you find it hasn’t quite worked the way you wanted then think about what you did and identify one thing you could change that might improve it the next time.
Good luck and above all have fun!
