Any tips on dealing with nerves at horse shows? I am a very anxious rider and as much as I love to compete sometimes my anxiety takes the fun out of it. 🙁
It's really hard! I think different things work for different people depending on the root of your riding anxieties (fear, self doubt, etc). I used to get terribly nervous before showing, but a combination of having the right trainer, being well prepared in my training, having the right horse and showing constantly has mostly eliminated my nerves unless I'm being faced with something new or unusual. Some small things that help though are listening to a playlist before getting, watching the classes before you to get a feel for the course/ring, give yourself lots of time so you are not worried about being late, repeating your course and the details of it in your head over and over again, positive self talk, and steady breathing to promote physical relaxation. I also do the exact same thing every time before I show as I like the routine. In all honesty though, what truly helps me if I'm feeling incredibly nervous is when my trainer looks at me at the in gate and says "you're ready". That one phrase for me is the key that turns me from nervous to ready to go. I'm sorry I'm not being super useful, but my best advice is to really think about what it is you want to hear when you're nervous and make sure you hear it (whether it's from your trainer, a parent or yourself). And also, if your anxiety is painfully debilitating and showing is just a stressful, miserable time for you because of it and nothing seems to help, then don't feel like you have to show! At the end of the day, showing is far too expensive to do if you're not enjoying yourself and if your happy place with horses is at home in a no-pressure environment, that's just great! Do what feeds your soul, anxiety is hard enough to deal with without forcing yourself into voluntary situations that exacerbate it. Hope that helps even a little :)
