Visualization is an important tool for success in any sport, so getting as much information about the show ring is crucial to positive visualization. Tie together positive thought and visualization with advice from a sport psychologist in this video on horseback riding techniques.
Hi I'm Tonya Johnston. I'm a Sport Psychology Consultant and it's my job to help riders be psychologically prepared and mentally tough. In this segment we're going to talk about visualization before the show. A lot of times riders think about visualization as something that they can only do at the show once they have learned the course, or once they have seen the ring, but actually there's a lot of really productive visualization that can be done before you even leave home. In the weeks prior to a horse show, perhaps an important one, something that you want to be extra prepared for; it's very useful to do some visualization in those rings, in that show ground, in those very environments that you will find yourself at the show. This is facilitated by information. Whether you have been to the show grounds or not, you want to try and make it as realistic as possible. These days, we can go online and find pictures of places very easily. You can go on YouTube and find videos. So, if you have a show coming up that you've never been to, go ahead and do some of that research, because it will be very helpful to build a vivid image that's realistic to what you will find when you get to the show. When you're doing this kind of visualization; really helpful if you write out the ring. So, drawing out a course perhaps or if it's a medal final situation, trying to get some courses from past years, so that you're actually going to visualize an entire course with yourself in the ring, looking out, seeing the jumps ahead of you, you know, planning the environment and being very detailed about what you can see and how you're going to handle being in that ring. Visualization before the show, you want to do in the same way as any visualization. Be very organized about your course plan, memorize the jumps and ride the course or test with all of your physical skills and all of your awareness.
Specialty: Sports Psychology
