Hello,
My fellow equestrians,
And thank you so much for joining me today.
As equestrians,
We are familiar with the ups and downs that are part of life with horses.
Going through a vast range of emotions and sometimes all in one day can be exhausting.
But it is so worth it because through it all,
We have been able to create an amazing bond with our horse.
If you compete,
These feelings can be accelerated and exaggerated because there is a whole other aspect of being judged.
If you do a subjective sport where the judge's opinion dictates the outcome,
Like in dressage,
It can be extra challenging and seem personal if things don't go according to plan.
This practice was designed with dressage in mind and ideally is done before you compete to give you positive affirmations so that you can confidently go down the center line.
Please find a comfortable seat.
You can sit cross-legged on the floor on a cushion or in a chair or on a tack trunk with your feet flat on the floor,
Hip distance apart.
Start your tailbone down and the crown of your head upward so that you create length through your spine.
Place your hands on your knees with your palms facing up to be open to all that this practice has to offer.
Gently close your eyes if you feel comfortable or lower your gaze to a fixed point.
Now let's take three release breaths together to settle in and let go.
Inhale through the nose,
Taking in as much air as you possibly can.
Hold at the top.
Now exhale out the mouth with a big sigh.
Two more times.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Hold.
Exhale.
For the rest of this practice,
Inhale and exhale through the nose.
I will now guide you through some affirmations that will focus on you as a rider and your partnership with your horse.
I will repeat each affirmation three times.
Feel free to say them with me either in your head or out loud or you can just let my words wash over you.
Distractions are entirely normal so if your mind wanders,
No worries.
Just return to your breath,
Feeling it come in and out of your nose and follow my voice.
Let's begin.
I am thankful for the opportunity to compete at this show.
I am thankful for the opportunity to compete at this show.
I am thankful for the opportunity to compete at this show.
I have studied and practiced this test.
I am prepared.
I have studied and practiced this test.
I am prepared.
I have studied and practiced this test.
I am prepared.
I will stay present so that I can make the most out of each movement.
I will stay present so that I can make the most out of each movement.
I will stay present so that I can make the most out of each movement.
I feel what's happening underneath me and am able to respond accordingly.
That I can be in control of the only thing I can be,
Which is my response to the situation.
I will stay in the moment so that I can be in control of the only thing I can be,
Which is my response to the situation.
I will stay in the moment so that I can be in control of the only thing I can be,
Which is my response to the situation.
If we make a mistake,
I will acknowledge it and then quickly let it go,
So I can continue to ride the rest of the test to the best of my ability.
If we make a mistake,
I will acknowledge it and then quickly let it go,
So I can continue to ride the rest of the test to the best of my ability.
I will stay calm and focused no matter what happens.
I will stay calm and focused no matter what happens.
I will stay calm and focused no matter what happens.
Distractions may arise,
But I will choose to focus on the task at hand.
I will put in my best effort so that no matter the score,
I can be proud of myself for my performance.
I have put in the time,
Effort,
And money to get here,
So now it's time to enjoy the moment.
I trust that all the work we have put in will pay off.
I am grateful for my horse and our partnership.
We have the skills we need to succeed.
We are competent and capable of producing a great dressage test.
We are competent and capable of producing a great dressage test.
We have trained for this and we are ready.
I will enjoy the ride.
Slowly bring awareness back to your body.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Stretch your arms overhead,
Then release them back down and gently blink your eyes open.
Thank you for joining me in this practice.
I'm sending positive vibes your way for all of the success you deserve.
Good luck and most importantly,
Enjoy the ride.
