O N M Y TAC K B OX
Taking the pressure off The equestrian industry has its fair share of pressure, writes mindset coach and trainer TANJA MITTON, who says that it is often our inability to cope with our environment that can rock our mental stability.
I
know so many people who shy away from the label and the stigma that’s attached to mental health illnesses and therefore don’t ask for help and support. As a coach and an educator, I’ve written this article to offer help and support, because we all struggle with our mental health at times.
INSET: Mindset coach and trainer Tanja Mitton. MAIN: Tanja’s daughter Laura and Nelson share some down time. Relaxing and bonding with your equine companion is an investment in both your relationship and your well-being (Image by Averil Crebbin, Picture the Moment Photography).
This is for all the riders, coaches, judges, officials and families involved in the horse industry. No matter what role you play, at what level you compete, or which discipline you participate in, we need to recognise the pressure when it builds and we need to learn to regulate ourselves if we want to survive in the sport long term. I know what it’s like to be under pressure and I know what it’s like to feel never good enough. I know the sound of that inner voice constantly reminding you that you’ve made a mistake, that you should have done better, that you will never be as good as someone else. I remember the feeling in my chest when the stress became too much and you fear that one day you will simply explode. I have cried the tears that only fall at night when no one is around, only to get up in the morning, put on a fresh layer of makeup, and face up to the world pretending everything was OK. What I came to realise much later was that whenever I thought I was alone, the only one who couldn’t cope, the 68 | H O R S E V I B E S M AY / J U N E 2 0 2 0
only one who felt the way I did, I was wrong. There were others who felt the
Whenever I speak to someone I watch their face and body language to gauge if they have understood not just my words but also the intention behind my words.
same. We were all hiding behind masks, playing our roles so convincingly that even people who were close could not see past the exterior smile, the bubbly small talk and the glittery glamorous picture we presented when we stepped into the open. I have been a mindset coach for over 15 years now and I recognise my own story in many of the people I talk to. There is always a common thread. We feel alone, misunderstood and overwhelmed. When I was younger I felt the only way to survive was to learn to fight, to be tough and strong so I would not be beaten. I made people ‘wrong’ if they did not
