When You Have a Bad Ride.

Riding is supposed to be fun, but sometimes it's not. Sometimes your rides don't always go as planned & this can happen for many reasons. For example, you're stressed about work & your muscles are tense so communicating with your horse isn't going so well today. Or maybe your horse is having a bad day & just doesn't feel like working too hard - funny how they're just like us! I want to encourage you that it's okay to have less than stellar rides. They do happen.They don't make you a bad rider. More often than not, the "bad" ride wasn't actually that bad. How we decide to respond to our bad rides can make them seem much worse than they actually were.

Confession time: I personally have not always had the greatest responses to bad rides, and my crappy reactions to the bad rides (or rides that I decided in my mind were "bad") have kept me stagnant in my abilities.

So what can you do to help work through a perceived bad ride? Here are some principals that I have found helpful to prevent growth plateaus while riding:

Remember Your Why

Remind yourself of the reason why you decided to ride in the first place: you fell in love. In love with the horse, in love with the sport & in love with the support of the equestrian community. There are many different intensities in which you can participate in this sport - from backyard riding to competing at an Olympic level, but the basis of why you started to ride is still the same: it is a passion stemming from deep love - not obligation - to ride.

Remember Your Two Options When Riding

You either win, or learn with horses. Nothing more, nothing less. Keep in mind, winning doesn't mean ribbons or prizes. Winning moments happen all the time while you're riding. That awkward trot to canter transition that you've now got down pat? That's a win. Getting one quality leg yield during a lesson. Also a win. That amazing circle that you did with correct bend? Another win. How about the way that you kept your leg in the correct position when your horse picked a long spot while practising your jumps? Winning! Small, victories are your friend!

And if you're not winning, your learning - which is also still winning because you're adding to your knowledge base. Often the perceived bad rides are literally just a bunch of learning moments. That's okay. Growth doesn't come from just repeating the handful of things that you can do really, really well! It comes from the grit of learning.

Re-Conceptualize

This is an important one that ties into the previous point. Especially if you're a very goal oriented, achiever type person that can be highly self critical if things aren't going as you think that they should (aka ME!)

Instead of getting frustrated with the learning moments, learn to get excited about them. Why? Because it keeps your attitude in check & keeps your mindset healthy towards what's actually going on. Learning isn't supposed to be easy. It will be difficult & sometimes downright challenging - and that's a very good thing. It means that you're levelling up & that's something to be super thrilled about! Repeat this line in your head the next time that you get frustrated while riding: This is a fantastic opportunity for us to level up!

Go Back One Step

If you get really shaken up, don't be afraid to go back a few steps to something that you're confident with. If you have had a traumatic experience, this is especially helpful. Horses are big, powerful animals & the fear that we can experience after a scary ride is real. Give yourself the grace to start from where you last felt confident & go from there.

Sometimes you, or your horse gets hurt. These are the types of rides that can be labelled as being bad. Acknowledge the feelings that come along with it. Don't be afraid to take a little break from riding. Don't be afraid to discuss your feelings after a scary ride. Don't be afraid to say that you're afraid even in the middle of a ride! Tell your coach. They can help you form a plan based around the situation that you're in.

Remind Yourself of What Did Go Right

Keep the confidence rolling by reminding yourself of what did go right during your ride. Reflect on it & keep it fresh in your mind until you ride again. I find that keeping a journal with a rough outline of what I did while riding, plus what went right, helps to keep me on track for my riding goals. Find a system that works for you to keep your mindset correct.

Enjoy riding!

xo, Alyssa