? Question for the Competitor ?

Question

How do you all beat the nerves before a competition? Our horses only feed off of them, so what do you do to combat them to acheive your goals?

Answer 1

I take a few magazines and my Ipod, after my horse is ready I just sit next to him, or on him, listen to music and read.

Answer 2

i go through it to, I try to not think about what is ahead and tell myself that it really isn't a big deal.  Shows are there to have fun, and remember you have done this stuff A LOT before so it shouldn't be a big deal.  Try a comfort food like chocolate to calm your self.  Also try some music, i have heard this works for horses as well as you! Have fun!

Answer 3

I barrel race as well as 3-day event. I listen to hard rock music. Instead of being nerves I turn it into adrenalin. I also do not eat anything untill I am done. I tend to get very sick if I do. Also I smoke a cig lol not everyone can do this I am of age so I can. Try talking to your horse that helps too. My barrel horse knew the differnece between practice and competeing so that made it a bit hard with him.

Answer 4

I make myself really busy to keep my mind off of it. I usually stay calm up until right before my classes, but once I'm on and schooling, everything's fine.

Answer 5

its normal to be nervous.. feed off it  its just adrenalin running   I think its a good thing... but try not to be so nervous cuz you just get them nervous

Answer 6

I have horrible anxiety before a show. I just try to maintain it and once I'm out there I try to just focus on me and my horse. If I start to think about everyone else, the judges, the people watching, etc I'd lose it.

Answer 7

I try not to worry to much about it I know my horses and we work well together they always give me there best and how ever we do is just fine with me i go and just try to have fun don't worry about winning or losing if my horse works good and they try hard im just as happy as if i would have one because for me that is like winning since i train all of my own horses its kinda rewarding when they try there best and do every thing right so just don't worry and go have fun if your worried your horse will be too and your chances of winning are less

EDIT: no im not there to lose but i dont get mad if i dont come in first in every class yes it is nice to win but you cant always win so just have fun

Answer 8

The absolute BEST way is to be prepared, and have your horse prepared, there is nothing that builds your confidence and keeps you calm and thinking like being prepared.  Be early, early enough to be ready so that you can watch a few classes before yours, that prepares you even more...judges have certain ways that they do things, certain times that they look at a certain direction, they are creatures of habit...if you aren't familiar with the judge of the day, it's a good way to get that way...also, watch where you go when your number is called, don't appear to be a novice...it doesn't mean that you have to be cocky, but if you enter the ring with confidence and doing well, the judge is going to try and use you, even if he doesn't know you or your record.  Lastly, don't go to shows other then schooling shows unless and until you are actually ready to seriously compete...nothing eats on your confidence like losing....and yes, you are there to have fun, but let's be honest, we really aren't there to lose, we are there to at least to right by our horses and show them to their best advantage...sometimes that means winning, sometimes it doesn't...

Answer 9

I put in wax earplugs before the show starts and wear them throughout the day and I won't watch any other competitor. This way I don't get cocky if there are lots of low scores and many faults or vice versa where I don't get down on myself if there are a lot of high scores to beat.

Answer 10

Breath!!!! I love that feeling!! It makes me smile!!!! Smile girl you know your out there kickin' butt!!!!! Turn N burn!!!! LOL Sorry had to add that... LOL

***edit****

At a show, I could never read!!! I  was always sooo excited!!!!!

Answer 11

I'm a h/j and so before my shows, my trainer refuses to let me have my ipod, cell phone, or anything of that matter, nobody is aloud to talk to me. It's not that fun, but it's worked.

What I do is I actually talk to my horse. I tell him the course, I point it out with my crop, like trace it, and I have to say it to get it down, but I don't seem like such a werido if I say it to my horse. lol.

Answer 12

wine

Answer 13

I don't get too nervous anymore, at least not enough to affect my performance or my horse, but one thing I do is try to ride my horse at home like I do at the show.  For instance, if I know that my nerves makes me tense-legged (though I don't do it anymore), then at home I will try to ride tense a little so the horse gets comfortable with it and doesn't freak out when my riding changes at the show.  I think that's the main reason horses get nervous when we get nervous.  It's not so much that they pick up on the actual nerves, it's more that they can feel us changing our body position and such when we get to a show, and that makes them nervous.

Answer 14

It sounds really stupid but i talk to my horses and explain to them the course (i showjump) it seems to help, even though i know that they cant understand a word i am saying.  also like th person above said try some music, it really helps

Answer 15

just try and know that u've practiced this over and over and that its just like another practice and its no different and i try and think that its no big deal. I try to just take deep breaths to calm myself down and it helps when i just give a huge hug to my horse and bury my face in his neck when i hug him and i pray that we do the best we can and this usually calms me down big time. Alot of the time if you can just learn to channel that adrenaline into action instead of nerves you can channel it to focus on what you there to do, (like just focusin on the barrel pattern and like u know what your horse is prone to doing, like dropping his shoulder on the first barrel or sumthin then just be focusing before hand on getting his attention to be listening to you before he does it so when you cue him to pick it up so he does and the problem is solved before he even drops it.) I just try and focus on what we have to do and that usually helps :)