-15% off your first order*.
Enter your email address to receive your coupon code.
*except for SAFEFIT airbag
Thursday, November 10, 2022
"I'm not going to make it", "I don't have the level", "it's too hard"...What rider hasn't had these phrases in their head? The fear of not succeeding, of making mistakes, of embarrassing your horse, of disappointing others or yourself... These are feelings that are well known to all riders. Lack of self-confidence is not uncommon in this sport. What are the causes of these doubts? Why are they harmful? But above all, how can they be overcome?
To answer these questions, I met Marie Caucanas, clinical psychologist, riding instructor and former show jumping rider on the Pro circuit. She founded her own equestrian mental preparation method, L'ÊtreCavalier. I'd like to thank her for her time 🙏
📝 Table of contents
Self-confidence is the rider's of one's own resources and abilities. Quite often, fear on horseback paralyzes us and prevents us from considering our abilities lucidly and objectively. So we think we're not up to the task, we don't feel we're up to scratch... In short, we lose self-confidence.
Self-confidence means being aware of your abilities. Thanks to this awareness, you can put yourself into action.
Marie Caucanas
Marie points out that the word "confiance" comes from the word "confier", in which there is "fier", which refers to the notion of reliability. So to have confidence is to be convinced of the reliability of the environment, a situation or a person.
Self-confidence is the reliability of oneself towards oneself.
Marie Caucanas
Marie explains that self-confidence also includes the notion of movement. It allows us to move on to practicepractice into action. Conversely, loss of self-confidence paralyzes us...
Self-confidence is an important concept for the rider.
Marie Caucanas
first and foremost because it enables them, when in action on horseback,
totake the initiative ratherthan be subjected to it.
Self-confidence also enables us to adapt This means taking action, but also adapting and regulating it. It's because I have self-confidence that I dare to intervene on my horse, for example by making a clear decision when approaching an obstacle.
This decision-making process is very important for the horse, who needs to be guided. If the rider is absentIf the rider is absent, the horse will be disturbed, waiting for clearer instructions.
As we said earlier, a lack of self-confidence means not being aware of one's abilities. However, by dint of doubting, the brain integrates our fears as realities. Often, it's precisely because we doubt we'll make a bidet refusal... that we make a bidet refusal! This is why lack of confidence necessarily leads to a slower progressor even lack of performance.
Marie explains that lack of self-confidence can be linked first and foremost to internal factorsintrinsic to the person's psychological structure. Let's take the example of a rider who is used to performing well in competitions, and who is generally fairly regular. When he begins to experience a succession of small failures, it's at this point that the rider may start to question himself and his skills. He'll start to doubt himself, particularly in terms of his technical abilities. This leads to a loss of self-confidence.
But a lack of self-confidence can also be explained by external factors such as the environment or surroundings - i.e. things that don't affect the person from the inside. If, for example, the people around you constantly point out the negative, this can be detrimental to your self-confidence.
Another external factor that can undermine self-confidence is permeability to the gaze of others. permeability to the gaze of others. If other people's gaze has an impact on us, and we begin to interpret what others think of us, this can affect our self-confidence.
What's more, self-confidence is often built up during childhood, when the "psychic backbone", as Marie puts it, is constructed. If the environment, which is supposed to be protective and benevolent, has not made the child feel valued or capable, he or she can integrate this idea within him or herself.
Finally, if you have negative experiences can have an impact on self-confidence. But in general, self-confidence comes back because you've known it before.
To reaffirm your self-confidence and ward off fear and doubts, you need to be aware of your strengths. Our resources are often far more numerous than we think! To do this, grab a pen and paper and and make a list of all your technical and cognitive skills. Technical, i.e. your purely equestrian skills. For example, "I'm stable on an isolated obstacle at 80cm" or "I know how to adapt my balance to adjust my distance in a line". Cognitive skills, on the other hand, are mental. It could be "I don't give up even when I'm in a difficult situation" or "I can breathe well throughout my turn".
We're all capable of doing something.
Marie Caucanas
We need to be aware of this and value it.
Sometimes, you're so lacking in self-confidence that nothing comes of it and the page remains blank. In this case, the best advice is to get help. Call on your coach who can give you a clear, objective view of your abilities.
It makes sense to carry out skills assessments to gain confidence in your strengths and your ability to progress. Marie also advises you to set yourself objectives when moving up. It's important to "set intermediate objectives that are progressive but achievable. Each objective that is achieved and well executed should also be highlighted". To find out more about this, take a look at my video on goal-setting.
Finally, Marie returns to the essential role of the external environment in enhancing the rider's value: "It's also up to the coach to make the rider aware that he has done the exercise perfectly, and not to normalize something that is a success, even a small success".
Marie also advises the use of internal discourse, which enables us to " remind ourselves of our skills, our ability to do such and such an action. It has to be a real internal dialogue, based on real facts. The fact of becoming aware of it and creating this internal dialogue will (re)create circuits at the neuronal level, which will constitute, through awareness, a new apprenticeship of what we know how to do".
To do this, you can use positive affirmations. This involves repeating phrases that are kind to yourself. Do this regularly to integrate this positive internal discourse. For example, you can post your positive affirmations where you can read them over every day.
There's no doubt about it: wearing an airbag gives you wings 🚀
"I think there's a lot of psychology involved. I feel like I ride better with it, because I'm less scared so maybe I take a little more risk. So it's an advantage all round!"
Laura Rozier
For Marie, the airbag acts like a second skin. It acts as a protective envelope, both technically and symbolically. It frees the rider from the fear not only of falling, but also of getting hurt.
This also frees the rider from psychological upsets, allowing him or her to concentrate technical aspects.
犀利士 yle="background-color:#e6edff">The airbag will free your riding,
Marie Caucanas
it'll free up your skills, which you'll be able to put into action.
So you'll feel more confident and ride better.
So, tempted to boost your self-confidence on horseback? ✊
By Chloé Valentin-Granchet
Riding instructor, certified in sports mental preparation
To find out more...
On the rider's mental preparation:
On the mental preparation of athletes in general:
