Steffen Peters (San Diego, Calif.) and Suppenkasper, a 2008 KWPN gelding (Spielberg x Upanoeska), Adrienne Lyle (Wellington, Fla.) and Helix, a 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding (Apache X Zeester T), Marcus Orlob (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Jane, a 2014 Dutch Warmblood mare (Desperado x Zandra) Endel Ots (Wellington, Fla.) and Bohemian, a 2010 Westphalian gelding (Bordeaux x Sunshine)
The U.S. Para short list has Roxanne Trunnel and Kate Shoemaker. Both lived and trained in REGION 9 while Kai Handt was U.S. Chef d'Equipe for Paras.They both competed at a number of HDS Shows. Kate used to compete in able body classes (and won) in spite of an amputated leg! So HDS has historical ties to the para Paris team! Two other short list riders, Rebecca Hart and Sydney Collier competed at the 2015 U.S. Para Champs held at GSWE hosted by HDS!!!!
minutes hds board meeting;
june 10. 2024
In attendance: Jane, Jessica, Noel, Madison, Angel, Flo, Sarah, Diane, Jody, Cate, Fran, Ashley Guests: Simone van der Schalk, Leslie Rohrer, Leslie Cummings
CDI discussion:
• A member with an interest in the CDI asked to participate in the meeting because she wanted clarification as to whether the HDS newsletter article was the opinion of the Board or that of a member speaking out.
• Fran made a motion to consider dropping the CDI because it has not fulfilled expectations.
• A lengthy and passionate discussion ensued enumerating the merits and downfalls of hosting the CDI
• The Board agreed that the choice to go forward with the CDI should be a membership decision.
• It was agreed that a ballot would be forwarded to all HDS members asking for their opinion on whether or not to continue with the CDI – yes or no format.
• HDS is committed to abide by the membership’s votes regarding the CDI provided that there is at least 20% of the membership responds as required per HDS bylaws
The annual Region 9 meeting will be held at the Hyatt Hotel in College Station on July 19 – 21. Jane and Jody are planning to attend. Interested members of HDS may participate in the meetings. Adjourn: 8:29
ISSUE DEC 2023
TRAINING PLAY IT SAFE FROM THE GROUND UP
BY DR KERRY MACK
ISES, the International Society for Equitation Science, has 10 principles applicable to all training across all disciplines. These have evolved over the life of the institution. The first principle is that there must be regard for horse and human safety. Of course, in my other life as a doctor we are taught safety is the first principle. Even in first aid the DRSABCD guide to resuscitation starts with recognition of the “dangers”.
Unless you stay safe you cannot reach your goals.
Horse riding and handling is dangerous. It is more dangerous than we would like to think. The hospitalisation rate is around one hospitalisation for every 350 hours of contact. This is 20 times higher than motorbike riding. It is a fact that 81% of horse riders will have an accident; 21% will have a serious accident. In fact, the risk of a serious injury is higher when riding than any other sport except Formula 1 racing. About 20-30% of accidents occur when handling horses, not actually riding. Loading on a truck or float can be especially hazardous.
Horse riding is inherently dangerous, however there are steps we can take to make it safer.
The International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) has seven recommendations to maximise safety:
• To acknowledge that the horse’s size, power and potential flightiness present a significant risk
•Avoid provoking defensive and aggressive behaviour (kicking/biting)
•Ensure recognition of the horse’s dangerous zones (hindquarter)
•Safe use of tools, equipment and environment
•Recognise the dangers of being inconsistent or confusing
•Ensure horses and humans are appropriately matched
•Avoid using methods or equipment that cause pain, distress, or injury to the horse.
There is no surefire way to avoid an accident but there are things that you can do to reduce the risk. Protective clothing, safe equipment, correct handling and correct training will reduce risk.
Let’s start by looking at training. We can train our horses to be safer partners. The size, power and flightiness of a horse can be managed in a more predictable way if a horse is trained well to respond to cues, and if a horse is trained to respond to novel things with curiosity rather than flight. The flight reaction of a horse can be dangerous. People get knocked over, trampled etc. when a horse suddenly runs away in fear. If your horse is afraid of something, for example a tarp, don’t use flooding, like the old ‘sacking out’ technique, and don’t punish him for being afraid. Rather, reward him for approaching it, approach and let him settle and relax, then approach some more.
Teach horses good ground manners, including how to lead correctly
Tristan Tucker recommends using the in-hand training pattern to train relaxation and then use this to teach a horse to approach something unknown. We put treats in all the scary things like umbrellas and plastic whales so the horses learn that if they go up to it, they may find a little piece of carrot.
“The flight reaction of a horse can be dangerous.”
PROPER GROUND MANNERS
Proper ground manners are important. Horses should know where to stand in relation to humans, not crowd people, not to walk over people. Even experienced horses may need to be reminded how to lead correctly, alongside the handler, not dawdling behind, so a startled horse who jumps forwards can jump on the handler. Nor should the horse go too far forward so the handler is too easily in a position where they are vulnerable to being kicked.
I like to train a horse to stand still on a cue. A horse that understands a cue to stand still is more likely to stand on command if he is in an unfamiliar environment. He will be safer for people to handle and less likely to hurt himself. At our place “whoa” means stop – all four legs stationary. “Easy” means slow down but “whoa” means stop. We pair the voice cue with raising a hand like a stop sign – elbow bent, palm facing the front. Being around horses for a long time I see it is intuitive that people will do this when trying to stop a loose horse. So train your horse to stop with that signal so that if he gets loose – either because he has lost his rider or pulled back – he is more likely to stop when someone approaches him. Every time you lunge him, or each time you get on tell him to “whoa” with a stop sign with your open hand. You can use positive reinforcement and reward. You can click when he is standing still and continue to click and reward as he stands. You can teach him to ground tie. If the rope is on the ground he should stand still. When you take him out and about remind him to stand still and reward him. Dr Andrew McLean calls this teaching a horse to “park”.
“Horses need to
respond to your pressure in a predictable way to move or stand.”
Horses do need to know how to yield to pressure. They need to respond to your pressure in a predictable way to move or stand. Some bad accidents can happen when a horse panics because it is restrained. Teach a horse to tie up to a solid post using a neck collar for safety, so he learns not to pull back and panic. Do not use a rope halter for this lesson as he is more likely to injure himself. A rule of thumb when tying up is tie him at the height of his eye (so he can’t get his leg over the rope) and the length of your arm, so he can’t get his head caught under the rope. When he knows how to tie up then it is generally safest to tie him to something that will break, twine, or have a strong cable tie attaching the clip on your cross ties.
A horse who understands hobbles is less likely to panic if he is caught in a fence or a loose piece of wire. I have known a horse to wait for up to a couple of days caught up in a fence without panicking, just patiently waiting. This horse was trained to hobble. She had no injuries, and was just very thirsty. We could extract her safely as she didn’t panic about the wire.
We are all taught to stay away from a horse’s hind legs. The kicking speed of a horse can be up to 300kph. There is no way a human can move away fast enough to avoid a kick, so you need to stay out of reach of a potential kick at all times. This includes when loading on trucks and floats. A horse that races out can push the side gates into your face and cause terrible injuries.
CLOTHING
Using protective clothing is important. Wearing a suitable helmet will reduce the risk of death by a huge 80%. The price of a helmet is not a guide to its safety. You can find reports on the safety of different helmets online. You should discard a helmet after five years as the material may deteriorate. Of course, a helmet that has suffered a significant impact should be replaced. The helmet is supposed to break on impact so that your head doesn’t. Always wear suitable footwear when you are around horses. Gloves are important, especially when you are loading a horse or leading a horse in an unpredictable environment.
Learn how to tie a safe knot, such as a bowline, which will not over-tighten if a horse pulls back.
Tying a bowline knot.
Safe equipment includes the use of rope halters, chain leads and bits to lead a horse who might need you to have a bit more strength. Remember, it is the release of pressure that trains, but the pressure must be enough that the horse values the release. You must be able to keep his attention even if he is distracted by whatever is going on.
Well-maintained gear is important. After reading this article, please check the stitching on your reins and stirrup leathers, and oil your saddlery. Dry leather is brittle leather that is more likely to give way.
Correct position will help you avoid a fall. Gold medallist Matt Ryan describes that keeping your legs forwards and underneath you, with your heels down, is like a seatbelt when jumping or on a horse that might be unpredictable. Short reins to keep his head up is good practice too. However, we can’t always avoid a fall. The “tuck and roll” technique is recommended if you do have the wherewithal to remember as you fall. You let go of the reins, kick your feet out of the stirrups, bring one arm across the body, avoiding reaching out, and tuck your chin in. The aim is to take the impact on the shoulder. Then try to roll clear. I have to admit, I did break my shoulder one time when I landed like this, but certainly there are worse injuries than that.
Anyone experienced will have a list of things they rate highly to ensure safety. Never wrap a lead or lunge rein around your hand. Fold the rein back and forth. Never leave a halter clipped on to a lead after you take it off your horse. He or you may put a foot in it. It is best not to wear spurs when
Matt Ryan and Kibah Sandstone.
lunging. Never lay the lead rope over your shoulder when leading. Someone in the UK was killed when her horse spooked in a way that the lead rope went around her neck. When you are loading a horse on the float it is safer to use a laneway (not wire) or stable alley (or shed wall so that at least one side is blocked) but better off on both sides so he can’t just run around.
Never wrap a lead or lunge rein around your hand.
“Choose an equine partner who matches your level of experience.”
Horses can be dangerous creatures. Good habits, good training and good gear can help you stay safe – but accidents will still happen. I recommend you learn first aid, have an ambulance subscription, and suitable insurance. Choose an equine partner who matches your level of experience and capabilities. So go out and stay safe, so you can have fun, but learn first. EQ
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champions summer show 2:
Building Confidence: A Brief Overview of Athletes’ Strategies
By, Sandy Venneman PhD
Determine and emulate positive role models
Modeling fosters desirable emotional states and improves performance if athletes can easily identify with a highly skilled competitor who possesses characteristics that are similar to their own. This can be riders, but it doesn’t have to be.
I often have clients visualize the most confident person or character they can think of. We work on visualizing ourselves “as” that person. For an equestrian, I admire Isabell Werth who never appears to have any thoughts except her horse’s immediate movement, not even being detoured by her horse running backward in a piaffe during the Olympics. Evgenia Medvedeva is a favorite non-equestrian. Before her figure skating routine at the 2028 Olympics, she was obviously doing her own visualization and appeared completely relaxed even though she was about to compete in the individual finals and looked like a kid. Later Visualizing her calmness and repeating a mantra using her was helpful for me. I was showing a particularly nasty little mare that was just started under saddle that year. When she would get tense, I would relax by slow breathing, saying “Meda Vedeva, Meda Vedeva, Meda Vedeva with each breath.” You are correct that that wasn’t her name, but I am not good with names and that is how I remembered it and visualized how calm she was, when I didn’t want to picture myself getting pitched off. One time in particular I recall going around the dressage ring before our test right next to all the cattle pens at The Rose Palace during an ADA show. The mare didn’t like the ring, perhaps because of the smell of a foreign animal, or perhaps because the soda machine they had on the other side was being used with a huge swoooop, thud, as the can hit the opening to collect it, or maybe because it looked very different when it was dark outside the night before when we were in it and now in the daylight with activity behind the judges stand. Being “Meda Vedeva” was way more attractive than being me at that point. She did well.
One of my clients chose Wonder Woman as her role model. Wonder Woman was always in charge, strong and never showed any signs of fear. I had he buy a little Wonder Woman figurine and had her put it in the pocket of her riding coat. She could touch it as a reminder that she “was” competing as Wonder Woman, not herself.
Use cognitive strategies
Mental techniques such as positive self-talk, mental imagery, thought-stopping are used for building confidence. Thought-stopping serves to prevent athletes from engaging in negative self-talk, a response that should not be allowed.
I already mentioned mental imagery above. There are different types of imagery and are very powerful tool as a mental warm-up before competition. One type that many people figure out on their own is visualizing the test they will ride. This can be done
from the perspective of an observer or from the vantage of being on your horse. I use the later. It was particularly helpful when I rode jumpers. I needed to “see” the fences in the correct order and “ride” them correctly many times before going into the class. The best visualizations use all our senses. Very important for equestrians is our sense of vision, what the ring and letters look like; our hearing, what the bell or whistle will sound like, and extremely important; our sense of touch. “Ride” the full test in your visualization feeling your horse beneath you, the effectiveness of your half halts as you do them in your unmounted visualization. If you have “ridden’ your test this way many times you are more likely to use muscle memory in the ring without having to consciously think about everything at once and possibly becoming overwhelmed. You already know and practiced rebalancing your horse in your corners, you already know and practiced your half halt before giving a cue for a gait change etc. The beauty of visualization is that you and your horse are always perfect, unlike our actual practice. Research shows us that visualizing an athletic task correctly compares a well as actually physically performing it the same number of times. For beginner, visualizing the competition from start to finish means it isn’t your first show even if it physically is.
We have all experienced our thoughts going to dark places and if you are denying it happens to you, that is called denial, haha! When you start to think, “Oh, my horse is going to freak at that Southwest corner of ring 2 in the Tellespen Arena at the GSWEC, like so many horses do,” you can visualize a stop sign, and think “stop.” At this point you need a replacement for that thought or it will just return. This is when replacing the picture of the freak out with your visualization of using you seat to rebalance your horse in that corner. These types of visualizations are what you will need to keep going back to as the negative thoughts resurface.
Positive self-talk can be challenging for many of us as we have internalized many negatives from our childhood and life in general. Giving yourself a pep talk may sound corny, but particularly if no one else is going to do it for you, try it. “My plan for this class/show/season, is to get this horse some exposure.” That is positive self- talk. Regardless of the outcome, you will have given the horse exposure and therefore you will have met your goal. That is success. A plan and self-talk may be “I am here to experience what a rated/schooling show/lesson with this horse or person is like. You will succeed in that when you show up. I am not saying aim low with your goals, but making goals that are dependent on YOU and not the judge, your parents, friends, instructor, will give YOU control over success in meeting your goals. I do a yearly goals list with my students. They have their lofty goals and then we fill in the steps towards meeting those. Many little steps along the way eventually add up. Attempting a huge leap at once often results in disappointment.
Learn and PRACTICE self-relaxation techniques. I teach these to my clients. You can also try learning them on your own by reading about them. I know that my students are lying when they say they are practicing and report no problems. If you actually practice, and get good at these, when doing them at bedtime puts you to sleep before you finish. ;) I mentioned say “Meda Vedeva, Meda Vedeva, Meda Vedeva with each
breath” to myself one season. If you are talking (not loud enough to be counted as an error by a judge!) you cannot be holding your breath. Holding your breath causes tension and letting it out relaxes you. There are breathing exercises to learn and practice too.
Reflect on previous successes
All riders have a history of quality performance. If you have self-doubts about the present situation, reflect on those past successes, even if they occurred in practice.
Interpret anxiety “butterflies” as a sign of enthusiasm and readiness, not fear. Virtually all quality riders feel anxious before a competition. It is the interpretation and management of this feeling that separates successful from less successful competitors. Rather than pretending you do not have anxiety, interpret it as a positive sign, a display of readiness and confidence. Label you feelings as “excitement” rather than fear. One nice example I like is practice getting your “butterflies” to fly in formation.
Be ready
Nothing builds self-confidence like good preparation. Riders should practice hard, be in good physical condition, listen to their coach, learn from past mistakes, remember skills and strategies already learned and practiced, and strive to always do their best. Remember, your horse shouldn’t be in any better condition than you are! It is not always the most talented horse or rider that wins a class, it is a solid performance from a team that has spend many, many hours working together that perform as a team that is very often the winner.
Have fun
One of the most effective pre-class thoughts a rider can have, especially prior to “high-pressure” competitions or in tense situations, is the thought of enjoying the competitive experience. I’ve seen athletes ride their personal best against their most superior opponents when their coach reminded them to “go out there and have fun. If you are an amateur, what are you doing if you aren’t enjoying yourself? This is an expensive sport and if you aren’t enjoying yourself, it may be time to think about the suitability of your horse, your instructor, your barn, your expectations, etc. Go back to why you wanted to ride in the first place. For almost all of us it was a love of horses and the trill to get on one.
Know your horses’ strengths and weaknesses
Riders should know them, and through their competition plan, and exploit them. Show your strengths and downplay your weaknesses. (Then go home and work more on those weaknesses). Every ride is a learning experience. Put your less that stellar performances to work for you as a start to an imp jumper better and fell in love with it because it was “hard,” better described as a rovement plan. I began riding dressage to make my “challenge.” I had won all the local and state awards in the divisions in which I could compete in. What fun is that knowing that each show will be the same, even if it does mean winning. Having the training pyramid as a guide and the dressage levels as very structured multiple steps to strive for improvement makes each horse and each day a challenge to be met.
I hope you enjoyed a small taste of psychology for equestrians. I can be reached for help with the mental aspect of your riding at vennemansandy@gmail.com or (361) 293-1728.
HDS Board members:
President – Jane Holman
Vice President – Angel Gunn
Secretary – Jessica Jemison
Treasurer –Terri Harlan
Membership – Diane Dougherty Education
Education - Sarah Denham
Recognized Show Chair – Angel Gunn Schooling Show Chair –Dawn Morris Junior/Young Rider Chair – Kate Schmidt Special Events – Ashley Shaw
Sponsorship and Advertising – Jane Holman/Madison Smith Awards Chair – Patricia Henderson
Texas Rose Fall Classic-Tyler, TX www.showsecretary.com Oct 3-6 GAIG/USDF and SWDC Region 9-Katy Nov 7-10 Nationals-Kentucky
Nov 9-10 Haras-Magnolia, TX www.horseshowoffice.com
2024 Schooling Show Schedule
WKF Fall Dressage www.windyknolldressage.com/ Sep 14
Sienna Stables sienna-stables-hds-schooling July 21
New Horizon Stables new-horizon-stables Sept 29
New Horizon Stables new-horizon-stables Oct 20
New Horizon Stables new-horizon-stables Nov 10
Sienna Stables sienna-stables-hds-schooling Dec 01
2024 HDS Schooling Show Championships Dec 07, 2024
Check HDS website for additional schooling shows added to the schedule!
Olympic Equestrian Schedule!!!
Katie Bortel created KB Equestrians as a place to welcome all who are interested in dressage as a path to develop a better relationship with their equine partners. She works with horses and riders from the very beginning stages to FEI and believes in using the foundations of classical dressage combined with biomechanics to shape mentally and physically sound partnerships. Her students have shown through the national levels, and Katie has her USDF Bronze and Silver medals, with competition experience through Intermediare. While Katie encourages and supports her students that are interested in competing, she also welcomes students who prefer to pursue their journey outside of the show ring. In short, a happy sound horse and a happy rider is her ultimate goal, whether that includes going down centerline at Grand Prix, or having an enjoyable hack on the trail.
As a fourth-generation horsewoman, Katie believes strongly that the principles of dressage can improve every horse and rider combination, no matter the discipline. She grew up riding with her grandmother, a lifelong horse trainer, who had an outstanding ability to bring out the best in each horse, regardless of their history, breed, conformation, or price tag. From this foundation, Katie developed a training method that supports horse and rider as individuals with unique talents and goals and strives to create a specially tailored program for each team.
From a young age, Katie studied the classical “heros” of dressage, reading every book she could find on the subject. As a junior, she mainly competed Arabians and Saddlebreds but worked with a variety of breeds at home, including
Quarter Horses, Morgans, Thoroughbreds, ponies, Tennessee Walking Horses, Friesians, Draft horses, and more. This background gave her an appreciation for horses of all shapes and sizes and shaped her individualized approach. After rescuing her 15hh leopard Appaloosa, Stoli, in New Orleans while finishing her master’s degree at Tulane University, Katie recognized she wanted to focus her equestrian pursuits fully on dressage. Despite being an unorthodox choice for a dressage partner, she and Stoli would go on to earn a USDF Bronze medal together. Stoli is now one of Katie’s top school horses, teaching the next generation of dressage riders and giving them confidence in the show ring.
Katie takes a “whole horse” approach to training, working closely with her owners and a team of exceptional professionals to ensure each animal is healthy and happy both in and out of work. She feels strongly that we should always listen to our horses and pay close attention when they express discomfort or concern. An experienced team of vets, farriers, saddle fitters, and body workers are crucial to keeping our horses fit and trusting in their work. Additionally, she encourages her human students to stay mentally and physically fit both in and out of the saddle
Anyone interested in pursuing the art of dressage understands that constant learning is at its heart. Katie clinics regularly and encourages her students to do the same She is lucky enough to ride regularly with her coach, Rebekah Wesatzke, who also has her business based at Hearthstone Equestrian. Rebekah has been invaluable in guiding Katie in her deeper understanding of dressage and biomechanics.
HEARTHSTONE EQUESTRIAN is a premier dressage facility located just 20 miles west of downtown Houston. Hearthstone has been providing top-notch care for nearly 30 years under the watchful ownership of Greg RobersGreg is a perfectionist at heart and maintains our beautiful facility to the highest standards.
TRAINING
KB Equestrians moved to Hearthstone in early 2023 and shares the facility with 3 other dressage professionals, including her coach, Rebekah Wesatzke. Rebekah isaUSDF Gold,Silver,and Bronze medalist and also has her Gold Freestyle Bar. She has decades of experience working with beginners to Grand Prix and works with all breeds and levels of horse and rider AndreaHart, of RightStartDressage, alsohosts herbusiness at Hearthstone and has her USDF Bronze and Silver medals and freestyle bars. She works with Adult Amateurs and Junior/Young Riders to help them develop a safe and harmonious connection with their horses. Rounding out the training team is SiriBezdicek of Dressage Dreams. Siri is a USDF Bronze and Silver medalist and utilizes the principles of dressage to build willing equine partnerships. Our training team offers something for everyone and strives to always maintain a supportive and safe learning environment.
FACILITY & CARE
Hearthstone boasts 49 12x12 stalls with fans, misters, and fly spray systems on 20 manicured acres that include riding paths and well-maintained paddocks for its equine guests. Individual turnout is available during the day and overnight, and each paddock has solid fencing and slow feeders for regular access to hay Stalls are cleaned at least twice a day, grain is fed up to three times per day, and hay is given four times per day. Horses are checked for injuries, signs of discomfort, or missing shoes regularly and are rinsed as needed coming in from turnout. Our experienced staff of grooms as well as our property manager live onsite to providethehighestlevelofcare.Thepropertyisfullyfenced with secure gates accessed via code and is equipped with security cameras throughout to ensure the safety of our horses.
Hearthstone has two dressage courts, one indoor and one outdoor, with footing maintained daily. Our indoor arena can be used during all weather conditions and has several large fans to keep the air moving during Houston summers. It is equipped with mirrors, and the footing is a combination of Nike Airfoot, recycled rubber, and sand. The outdoor arena is fully lighted and was recently updated with Premier Equestrian’s Athletex Fiber Footing We also have an indoor round pen with fans and Nike footing that is maintained daily. It is large enough for riding or any groundwork needs.
BOARDER AMENITIES
Premium amenities are also provided for our human counterparts. Hearthstone has climate-controlled tack rooms conveniently located throughout the barns with individual lockers for each stall. Our lounge and kitchen have a full view of the indoor arena so boarders and guests can recover out of the elements, and we provide strong wifi throughout the property. Our restrooms are clean and comfortable, and there is a shower and washer and dryer available to all boarders as needed. Additionally, Hearthstone has covered and lighted washracks with both hot and cold water.
Mental Toughness
yourdressage
June 7
By Ellen Broadhurst
Oley Valley Combined Training Association (OVCTA) held a Mental Toughness Clinic with Dr. Tyler Held, on April 12, 2024, at the beautiful Heron’s View Farm in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Held is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and former 5* groom, who specializes in working with equestrian athletes of all levels and disciplines. She owns her own practice, Thought Quest, and hosts the utterly charming and inspiring podcast, The Whole Equestrian.
Held is a case study in how to have a career in horses without being a trainer. After earning her Bachelor's degree from Findlay College, Held began her post-college career working her way up to become a 5* groom, ultimately traveling around the world with Jennie Brannigan. While working as a groom, Held earned her Master’s degree in Sports Psychology and began hosting The Whole Equestrian podcast in conjunction with 5* rider Emily Hamel. The podcast’s theme is “Bridging the Gap between Riding and Wellness,” and the mission, in Held’s words, is to “Promote health and happiness through our love of horses. We do this on our podcast by having conversations about being more well-rounded individuals via our pillars of mindset, fitness, nutrition, and community.”
Held also holds a PhD in Sports Psychology, and focuses on her sports psychology practice (for more information on Dr. Held: Sidelines article).
The objective of the mental toughness lecture was to give riders perspective on fostering and maintaining mental toughness, given the unique challenges equestrians face. In equestrian sports, the risk of serious injury is significantly higher than in most other sports, and the fear that holds many riders back is both real and well-grounded. Sports psychologists step in to provide strategies that help us focus, and actionable advice for building and maintaining confidence.
First up, what is ”mental toughness”? Traditionally, in the equestrian world, mental toughness has been equated with being able to push through pain. The “if you’re not in the hospital, get back on” mentality has a long history in our sport.
But more recently, sports psychology practice recognizes that we should not sacrifice our mental health to be perceived as mentally tough. Rather, mental toughness is our ability to overcome obstacles using mindfulness, and other tools, for working through fear. Mental toughness is about developing resilience, discipline, and strategies for dealing with barriers to success.
The four Cs of mental toughness, according to Dr. Held, are: confidence, control, challenge, and commitment. By thinking through what each of these means to us as individuals, we can develop strategies to help us become more successful equestrians.
CONFIDENCE: AM I CONFIDENT? WHY OR WHY NOT?
As a rider, are you capable and do you have the competencethe ability - to achieve the goals you have set? If you are not feeling confident, it’s important to think about why. Are you physically strong enough? Are you showing at a level appropriate for you and your horse? Mentally, are you focusing on the positive or are you doubting yourself?
Confidence increases as we acknowledge the positives about ourselves and our riding; no one ever got better by thinking, “I suck.”
To develop confidence, Held suggests “flipping the script.” Start by writing down three good things that happened after every single ride. At first, it might be difficult, but what happens, quickly, is that as a rider, you begin to look for the “three things,” and finding those “three things” becomes a pattern of how you think positively overall about your riding.
CONTROL: AM I FOCUSING ON THE THINGS I CAN CONTROL, OR THE THINGS I CANNOT CONTROL?
With horses and horse showing, there is a lot we cannot control: weather, our horse’s mood, judging, other competitors, behavior of other people’s horses, and a big one, other people’s opinions. Centering our thinking on these things, which are out of our control, can take away from our mental focus, and our ability to perform to our best.
So, it’s important to, instead, center our focus on the things that we can control: our preparation, our outlook, our warm up, and our pre-performance routine before we get in the saddle. Essentially, we can control our mindset. Between things happening that are not in your control and your response, there is a space for you to decide how you are going to respond.
For example, if you wake up on show day and it’s raining, how do you respond? Rain is out of our control, and a response of “woe is me, the day is going to be awful,” isn’t a positive or actionable reaction. Instead, train your brain to think, “Here is this thing that is happening, it’s raining. What steps can I take to make this a comfortable day?” Instead of assigning positive or negative attributes to things out of your control, form an action plan and stick to it.
Importantly, Held asserts, peak performance lives in the present moment. When you focus on things you can’t control, you burn mental energy that is hard to replenish. Focus, instead, on things that are positive actions instead of reactions. A question to ask yourself is, “Am I focusing on the things I can’t control? If so, I need to double down on the things I can control.”
And, Dr. Held pointed out, sometimes we need to evaluate what is happening and change more than just our mindset. If a rider is throwing up every time they step in the ring at a horse show, the right action might be to step back from showing for a bit. Horse shows are meant to be fun.
CHALLENGE: DO I VIEW THE OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF ME AS A CHALLENGE OR A THREAT?
As prey animals, humans are hardwired to look for threats. If we look at the psychological needs of humans, safety is number one. The amygdala is a paired structure inside our brain that is a key part of emotional control. When we feel fear, our amygdala is activated, and our brain makes snap decisions about what to do next. Its goal is to keep us safe, seeking the choice that will get us away from perceived danger with minimal harm.
Early Human: If I think a rustle in the bush is a saber tooth tiger, I’m getting out.
Equestrians: If I go to a show and worry about what is going to happen today, my brain is going to look for what might go wrong and kick into a fear response.
With horses, as mentioned early, fear is linked to real, possible danger. If you fall off and feel fear, that is normal. Riding is dangerous, so it is understandable when we feel fear. But how we manage that fear can be the difference between success and failure.
Freezing at horse shows is a real response. It can happen because a horse is misbehaving, a rider suffers from social anxiety, or simply fear of failure. Techniques for riders who need to rewire the fear response involve thinking about their pre-performance state.
We can use mental exercises to imagine ourselves in scenarios that are frightening, and practice managing the things that frighten us when we’re in a non-fear driven state.
To start, you can think about what goes through your head when you are being successful at home. Work with your coach to create cue words or a mental script that you can run through to help you prevent a mental short circuit when the amygdala kicks into a fear-driven response.
The fear response is real, but being able to manage how you respond to your body telling you it's time to run, when it’s really time to focus and ride as well as you ride at home, takes thoughtful practice, prior to heading to a horse show. Mental preparation to help your brain redirect perceived threats as challenges is a key to managing fear when away from home.
COMMITMENT: AM I COMMITTED TO OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF ME?
Goals are important. Without them, we can wander a bit aimlessly. But, an important thing to recognize is that goals, especially with horses, can and do fall apart. But values hold us steady, no matter what. A goal might be, “Attend three shows this year to be eligible for a year-end award.” A value is, “I am a dedicated horsewoman, and I care for my horse’s mental and physical well-being.”
If you are scheduled to ride at a show, for example, and your horse ends up with an abscess, the rider who focuses on the loss of a weekend is focusing on the goals. The rider who understands the value of horsemanship knows that in the long
term, there will be another weekend, and focuses on the welfare of their horse rather than being discouraged about a short term goal not being met.
Another way that our goals can get in the way of our own success is by letting expectations drive our reactions. Pressure happens when we couple expectations with fear of failure. There are a lot of perceived consequences in the horse world. If a rider goes into a test getting caught up in what score they get, that’s pressure and it can get in the way of performance. Sports psychology research tells us that athletes who are task-oriented, or focused on the process instead of the outcome (riding a personal best test versus achieving a specific score) tend to be more successful.
The net of understanding commitment as it relates to “mental toughness” is understanding that we must couch our longer term goals by facing and growing from short term challenges. Feeling discouraged is natural and human, but building a mental mindset where we face challenges without allowing them to stop our forward momentum is mental toughness.
CONCLUSION
Mental toughness does not mean a win-at-all-costs mentality. Mental toughness means finding your core values, recognizing where your mental game needs work, and putting in the pre-work to face challenges to our success as equestrians.
As equestrians, we put a tremendous amount of time and energy into training ourselves and our horses. Training our “mental toughness” also takes time and energy, in order to develop strategies to overcome the barriers to our success.
For more information, please visit the The Whole Equestrian website where you can find the Whole Equestrian Podcast as well as contact information for Dr. Held.
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DRESSAGE TRAINING
I feel we dressage riders sign up to develop our horses to their fullest potential — but how can we be sure we’re developing our horses in the right direction?
We can’t use only competition results or progression through the levels as markers of correct development, because some horses may excel at lower levels yet never reach Grand Prix, while others may not stand out initially but become exceptional at higher levels.
Dressage is about the long-term development of individual horses, and every horse can achieve remarkable progress if we change our definition of success.
Brett Parbery with PPH Zeppelin. Image by Magnus Agren.
BEYOND THE RIBBONS
When I think of success in developing the best version of a horse, I envision a happy and healthy animal. This is evident in their mannerisms, eyes, ears, coat, muscle development, and overall demeanor. Does the horse enjoy being with me? Are they willing and eager to work?
I also consider my influence on the horse am I training them in a way that fosters willingness, and rewarding them appropriately? Training should be understandable and enjoyable for the horse (even though they might naturally prefer standing under a tree).
Our goal should be to train them in a way that makes them feel good physically, balancing and gymnastically developing their bodies. Training sometimes may take longer than we anticipate. We should listen and adjust our expectations if the horse needs more time. Remember, we’re doing this for the horse’s benefit, not for our friends, ego, or kudos. Our focus should be on developing the horse to be the best it can be in the sport.
THE LONG GAME
The demands on dressage horses aren’t high-powered or fast-paced. It’s a slower developing sport compared to, say, racehorses, which need to develop blistering speed quickly and whose careers are often over by the age of five. Or cutting horses, where the intense stopping and turning take such a toll that their careers are often short-lived.
In contrast, dressage horses are just getting started by age nine. It takes that long for them to learn the full spectrum of what they need to know to be a Grand Prix horse. Then, it takes another two years to become more established and comfortable with the Grand Prix movements. By the time they are around 11 or 12, they have several more years of competition ahead, potentially until they are 18 or so.
Brett Parbery competing with Iresias L owned by Sarah Hanslow. Image by Amy-Sue Alston.
Therefore, we need to train them with a long-term perspective, ensuring they remain happy and healthy throughout their careers. Dressage work helps keep them at their best, releasing endorphins, enhancing suppleness, and building strength. I believe that dressage, done well, is great for horses.
GREEN FLAGS
Let’s think about the indicators that we’re doing a good job for our horse’s development.
I think the way the body is developing is a good indicator of positive development, particularly coat and muscle development. After all, dressage is not only about riding but the whole management of the horse. Everything you do, from good feeding to farrier care, saddle fit and grooming is reflected in your horse’s appearance and behaviour.
Consider the outcomes of your training and how that impacts the horse’s development. When riding, you should feel that you need to do less as your training progresses. The goal is to have your horse understand your aids better, requiring smaller cues over time.
If you find yourself needing to use more aids than before, this indicates a problem. It means your horse isn’t responding well enough and is becoming less sensitive to your cues, convincing you to do more while it does less.
As you progress through the levels and the exercises become more challenging, ask yourself if you are working harder or if you are effectively addressing problems through fundamental training. Ideally, you should feel that you and your horse are developing and improving, with a sense that continued work will lead to success in the coming months.
Brett with DP Weltmieser, the horse with whom he represented Australia at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. Image by Stephen Mowbray.
USING COMPETITION RESULTS AS GREEN FLAGS
A strong competition result, or several over time, can definitely be a green flag, but I wouldn’t use them as the sole indicator that we’re on the right track.
Understanding why you receive certain marks from judges and why some judges might not favour your style or horse is crucial. If you take the time to understand and agree with their feedback, you can address those areas, work on them, and potentially see an improvement in your scores. This can indicate that you’re on the right path.
Additionally, if you find a certain level easier than before and feel very competent, it might be time to move to the next level. Even if your scores haven’t increased significantly, feeling more confident and competent can be a sign that you’re ready to advance and are on the right track.
RED FLAGS
Behavioural issues are probably the first thing to address, and that starts with looking at the role the rider plays in the behaviour. Horses respond to pressure and release. If we ride with constant pressure and the horse experiences relief only when they resist, they will explore that further. Horses prefer to be left alone, even when ridden. While it’s impossible to leave them alone entirely during dressage, our aim should be to use the minimum necessary aids.
By using minimal aids and giving the horse relief when they respond correctly, we stay out of their way more, guiding them with subtle cues. The best riders create energy and responses with small aids and leave the horses alone in between. If you find yourself constantly holding the reins and kicking to keep the horse going, neither you nor the horse is enjoying the experience. That’s just constant pressure.
Developing this skill set for a rider is challenging but essential. It’s easier to hold on tightly with legs and hands than to go through all the components needed to make the horse feel great. The skill of riding involves developing your understanding and being open to improvement, giving your horse a more natural way of going that they will want to repeat.
I’ve seen riders get “results” with a more forceful style, but there can be a dead end. Horses are amazing and will give everything, even if they’re not enjoying it. However, by lightening the aids and improving your skills, you can uncover a horse that is more willing and fully developed.
This process often feels worse before it feels better, and riders may feel inadequate at first. It’s easier to hold on and push, but true progress requires taking a step back to move forward. This
leads to a horse that is the best version of itself, willing and capable of advancing further in the sport.
LOOKING IN THE MIRROR
Horses are not our servants; they’re living creatures with their own thoughts and the ability to choose whether they want to do something or not. Most of the time, because they are wonderfully compliant animals, they will find a way to do what we ask, even if it’s uncomfortable for them. However, if we truly want to bring out the best in our horses and have them eager to work for many years, we need to consider how we can be better athletes ourselves.
We must be smart in identifying strengths and weaknesses in both the horses and ourselves. This self-assessment is crucial because a horse’s weaknesses often reflect our own. To improve, we need to work on these areas, becoming stronger and more capable.
By focusing on mutual development, horse and rider can achieve their full potential, making the journey rewarding and successful. Image by Jasper Glavanics.
The sport itself helps create the best version of the horse, but only if we apply our knowledge and skills as riders and horse people. By focusing on mutual development, both the horse and rider can achieve their full potential, making the journey rewarding and successful.
UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
My goal is to develop each horse so that they have a certain look that reflects all the positive attributes I’ve mentioned here.
I aim to enhance each horse’s natural beauty, including their eyes, ears, neck development, body structure, and movement. There are so many nuances in how proper development impacts how a horse moves, from their fluidity and quickness off the ground to the time they spend in the air.
The beauty of this approach is that each horse unlocks their potential as they go. There’s no need to compare yourself to others with “nicer” horses. That energy is better spent shaping your own training and management system in pursuit of a customised program that supports your horse in being a happy and healthy athlete for many years to come. That is success!
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YourDressage.org
Mental Toughness
yourdressage
June 7
By Ellen Broadhurst
Oley Valley Combined Training Association (OVCTA) held a Mental Toughness Clinic with Dr. Tyler Held, on April 12, 2024, at the beautiful Heron’s View Farm in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Held is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and former 5* groom, who specializes in working with equestrian athletes of all levels and disciplines. She owns her own practice, Thought Quest, and hosts the utterly charming and inspiring podcast, The Whole Equestrian
Held is a case study in how to have a career in horses without being a trainer. After earning her Bachelor's degree from Findlay College, Held began her post-college career working her way up to become a 5* groom, ultimately traveling around the world with Jennie Brannigan. While working as a groom, Held earned her Master’s degree in Sports Psychology and began hosting The Whole Equestrian podcast in conjunction with 5* rider Emily Hamel. The podcast’s theme is “Bridging the Gap between Riding and Wellness,” and the mission, in Held’s words, is to “Promote health and happiness through our love of horses. We do this on our podcast by having conversations about being more well-rounded individuals via our pillars of mindset, fitness, nutrition, and community.”
Held also holds a PhD in Sports Psychology, and focuses on her sports psychology practice (for more information on Dr. Held: Sidelines article).
The objective of the mental toughness lecture was to give riders perspective on fostering and maintaining mental toughness, given the unique challenges equestrians face. In equestrian sports, the risk of serious injury is significantly higher than in most other sports, and the fear that holds many riders back is both real and well-grounded. Sports psychologists step in to provide strategies that help us focus, and actionable advice for building and maintaining confidence.
First up, what is ”mental toughness”? Traditionally, in the equestrian world, mental toughness has been equated with being able to push through pain. The “if you’re not in the hospital, get back on” mentality has a long history in our sport.
But more recently, sports psychology practice recognizes that we should not sacrifice our mental health to be perceived as mentally tough. Rather, mental toughness is our ability to overcome obstacles using mindfulness, and other tools, for working through fear. Mental toughness is about developing resilience, discipline, and strategies for dealing with barriers to success.
The four Cs of mental toughness, according to Dr. Held, are: confidence, control, challenge, and commitment. By thinking through what each of these means to us as individuals, we can develop strategies to help us become more successful equestrians.
CONFIDENCE: AM I CONFIDENT? WHY OR WHY NOT?
As a rider, are you capable and do you have the competence - the ability - to achieve the goals you have set? If you are not feeling confident, it’s important to think about why. Are you physically strong enough? Are you showing at a level appropriate for you and your horse? Mentally, are you focusing on the positive or are you doubting yourself?
Confidence increases as we acknowledge the positives about ourselves and our riding; no one ever got better by thinking, “I suck.”
To develop confidence, Held suggests “flipping the script.” Start by writing down three good things that happened after every single ride. At first, it might be difficult, but what happens, quickly, is that as a rider, you begin to look for the “three things,” and finding those “three things” becomes a pattern of how you think positively overall about your riding.
CONTROL: AM I FOCUSING ON THE THINGS I CAN CONTROL, OR THE THINGS I CANNOT CONTROL?
With horses and horse showing, there is a lot we cannot control: weather, our horse’s mood, judging, other competitors, behavior of other people’s horses, and a big one, other people’s opinions. Centering our thinking on these things, which are out of our control, can take away from our mental focus, and our ability to perform to our best.
So, it’s important to, instead, center our focus on the things that we can control: our preparation, our outlook, our warm up, and our pre-performance routine before we get in the saddle. Essentially, we can control our mindset. Between things happening that are not in your control and your response, there is a space for you to decide how you are going to respond.
For example, if you wake up on show day and it’s raining, how do you respond? Rain is out of our control, and a response of “woe is me, the day is going to be awful,” isn’t a positive or actionable reaction. Instead, train your brain to think, “Here is this thing that is happening, it’s raining. What steps can I take to make this a comfortable day?” Instead of assigning positive or negative attributes to things out of your control, form an action plan and stick to it.
Importantly, Held asserts, peak performance lives in the present moment. When you focus on things you can’t control, you burn mental energy that is hard to replenish. Focus, instead, on things that are positive actions instead of reactions. A question to ask yourself is, “Am I focusing on the things I can’t control? If so, I need to double down on the things I can control.”
And, Dr. Held pointed out, sometimes we need to evaluate what is happening and change more than just our mindset. If a rider is throwing up every time they step in the ring at a horse show, the right action might be to step back from showing for a bit. Horse shows are meant to be fun.
CHALLENGE: DO I VIEW THE OBSTACLE IN FRONT OF ME AS A CHALLENGE OR A THREAT?
As prey animals, humans are hardwired to look for threats. If we look at the psychological needs of humans, safety is number one. The amygdala is a paired structure inside our brain that is a key part of emotional control. When we feel fear, our amygdala is activated, and our brain makes snap decisions about what to do next. Its goal is to keep us safe, seeking the choice that will get us away from perceived danger with minimal harm.
Early Human: If I think a rustle in the bush is a saber tooth tiger, I’m getting out.
Equestrians: If I go to a show and worry about what is going to happen today, my brain is going to look for what might go wrong and kick into a fear response.
With horses, as mentioned early, fear is linked to real, possible danger. If you fall off and feel fear, that is normal. Riding is dangerous, so it is understandable when we feel fear. But how we manage that fear can be the difference between success and failure.
Freezing at horse shows is a real response. It can happen because a horse is misbehaving, a rider suffers from social anxiety, or simply fear of failure. Techniques for riders who need to rewire the fear response involve thinking about their pre-performance state.
We can use mental exercises to imagine ourselves in scenarios that are frightening, and practice managing the things that frighten us when we’re in a non-fear driven state.
To start, you can think about what goes through your head when you are being successful at home. Work with your coach to create cue words or a mental script that you can run through to help you prevent a mental short circuit when the amygdala kicks into a fear-driven response.
The fear response is real, but being able to manage how you respond to your body telling you it's time to run, when it’s really time to focus and ride as well as you ride at home, takes thoughtful practice, prior to heading to a horse show. Mental preparation to help your brain redirect perceived threats as challenges is a key to managing fear when away from home.
COMMITMENT: AM I COMMITTED TO OVERCOMING THE OBSTACLES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF ME? Goals are important. Without them, we can wander a bit aimlessly. But, an important thing to recognize is that goals, especially with horses, can and do fall apart. But values hold us steady, no matter what. A goal might be, “Attend three
shows this year to be eligible for a year-end award.” A value is, “I am a dedicated horsewoman, and I care for my horse’s mental and physical well-being.”
If you are scheduled to ride at a show, for example, and your horse ends up with an abscess, the rider who focuses on the loss of a weekend is focusing on the goals. The rider who understands the value of horsemanship knows that in the long term, there will be another weekend, and focuses on the welfare of their horse rather than being discouraged about a short term goal not being met.
Another way that our goals can get in the way of our own success is by letting expectations drive our reactions. Pressure happens when we couple expectations with fear of failure. There are a lot of perceived consequences in the horse world. If a rider goes into a test getting caught up in what score they get, that’s pressure and it can get in the way of performance. Sports psychology research tells us that athletes who are task-oriented, or focused on the process instead of the outcome (riding a personal best test versus achieving a specific score) tend to be more successful.
The net of understanding commitment as it relates to “mental toughness” is understanding that we must couch our longer term goals by facing and growing from short term challenges. Feeling discouraged is natural and human, but building a mental mindset where we face challenges without allowing them to stop our forward momentum is mental toughness.
CONCLUSION
Mental toughness does not mean a win-at-all-costs mentality. Mental toughness means finding your core values, recognizing where your mental game needs work, and putting in the pre-work to face challenges to our success as equestrians.
As equestrians, we put a tremendous amount of time and energy into training ourselves and our horses. Training our “mental toughness” also takes time and energy, in order to develop strategies to overcome the barriers to our success.
For more information, please visit the The Whole Equestrian website where you can find the Whole Equestrian Podcast as well as contact information for Dr. Held.
