| Have you ever forgotten part of your dressage test | | | | Dressage rider - your idol (Isabelle Werth, Steffen |
| and by making an "error of course" lost those winning | | | | Peters, Anky Van Grunsven or whoever you admire |
| marks in a test? I bet you know it's a pretty lousy | | | | most) - riding your horse in your dressage test. Imagine |
| feeling when this happens... So, how do you make sure | | | | watching the test as a spectator, as your idol |
| you remember your test? What is your strategy of | | | | performs the test on your horse without any errors. It |
| learning your tests? Do you ride it every day the week | | | | is the most beautiful test you can possibly imagine |
| before the competition is on? Do you read it the night | | | | being performed at your level. Every single exercise is |
| before your competition when you go to bed? Do you | | | | ridden perfectly; your horse is attentive, willing and |
| walk the test next to your float at the competition | | | | presenting itself absolutely picture-perfect. If you have |
| ground just before you get on your horse? | | | | doubts or are feeling resistant to imagining this, ask |
| Whichever way you have learnt your tests so far, I'd | | | | yourself for permission to give it a go anyways, you |
| like to introduce to you a technique which will not only | | | | are the master of your thoughts and this exercise will |
| make you remember your test inside out, but also help | | | | truly benefit you, when you follow the instructions. |
| you train yourself mentally and improve your | | | | Notice the details of how your idol rides your horse |
| performance! | | | | through the test. How does she/he collect your horse |
| The technique is called Visualization. Many | | | | before the extension? How does she/he sit in the |
| sportspeople have no doubt heard about visualization | | | | half-pass? How does she/he prepare the flying |
| before or even tried imagining a successful | | | | change or walk transition? In your minds eye see how |
| performance. Visualization is nothing esoteric or | | | | precisely your idol give her/his aides and motivates |
| strange; we do it every day to function in this world - | | | | your horse to perform at this level. Allow yourself to |
| to do anything you first have to 'imagine' yourself doing | | | | really focus on the details and set your mental video to |
| it. However just thinking positive or imagining yourself | | | | slow motion speed, so you can observe the details! |
| winning is different from utilizing positive mental imaging | | | | And don't forget to notice how proud watching your |
| to improve sports performance. | | | | horse perform like this makes you feel inside. |
| The reason why visualization can be such a huge | | | | 3. Now, after allowing yourself a short break, go back |
| resource to your training is because it allows you to | | | | into that head space again and imagine your horse |
| practice without error. There is an old saying "practice | | | | performing the same test again. This time with you as |
| makes perfect", this is not quite true. Practice makes | | | | the rider. Make sure you stay disassociated, which |
| permanent. However sport psychology studies have | | | | means you are watching yourself riding as if you are |
| shown that "perfect practice makes perfect". Think | | | | an observer on the side of the arena. Watch you and |
| about it. Right? Right! | | | | your horse performing the test exactly as your idol did. |
| Critics might label visualization as self-deception, but in | | | | You paid attention to what exactly your idol did and |
| fact it is a very useful tool to maximize your self | | | | you see yourself riding your horse precisely as she/he |
| direction and improve your skills by training yourself | | | | did. Again, take your time to notice the details of how |
| mentally when you're off your horse. It has been | | | | you ride. And remember you are performing as |
| proven that neurologically your brain cannot tell the | | | | amazing as your idol did. |
| difference between real and imagined experience | | | | 4. Now, after allowing yourself a short break, go back |
| (provided the imagination exercise is imagined vividly | | | | into that head space again. Image the same perfect |
| and in detail)! For example: Have you ever kicked with | | | | ride once more and this time associate yourself into |
| your leg or jumped out of bed during a very vivid | | | | this imagination with your whole body. Make the |
| dream? There are so called subliminal motor | | | | experience "real" to you now by allowing yourself to |
| movements, very small muscular movements, | | | | associate with all senses. Note: If you can see yourself |
| unnoticeable to your conscious attention, which occur in | | | | in the visualization, you're not in your body! See out of |
| response to the imagery process in the mind. Because | | | | your own eyes as if you are really riding the test now. |
| of this muscular response to the visualization it is | | | | Hear the rhythm of the hooves in the arena sand, hear |
| possible to instill desired patterns of behaviors and to | | | | your horses breathing. Feel your horse swinging |
| train muscles to perform particular actions without | | | | beneath you moving forward in a balanced rhythm, |
| actually doing them physically - provided you know | | | | feel the soft, attentive contact you have in the rains. |
| how to perform the action. | | | | And now imaging yourself entering the arena doing the |
| So, how can you utilize this powerful technique for | | | | test, that perfect test, you have already seen |
| your Dressage competition performance? First of all | | | | performed twice. Focus on feeling the aids, and |
| you need to know that there is more to visualization | | | | specific details you have noticed in the other 2 |
| than just closing your eyes and letting your imagination | | | | visualizations. And remember this is your chance or |
| run wild for a few minutes with video clips of you | | | | performing your perfect test! Everything falls into place |
| winning. It requires daily repetition, a concentrated, | | | | and your horse presents itself unleashing it's potential |
| focused state and an environment without any | | | | to a degree that you weren't even aware of it had. |
| distraction to maximize the benefit of visualization to | | | | Another thing to remember in this "ride": The |
| improve your sports performance. It's recommended | | | | visualization should be executed at the normal speed |
| to limit visualization practice to 5-10 minutes when first | | | | for actually riding the test. Mentally riding your perfect |
| beginning, gradually increasing practice time to what | | | | test in "real time" and in your body is very important as |
| you feel comfortable with - maybe 20-30 minutes. | | | | these 2 factors prime your neuro-muscular relays for |
| So, let's get started! | | | | execution. |
| 1. Sit back in a straight backed comfortable chair and | | | | Remember: Regularity and consistency of training your |
| close your eyes. You may do a relaxation exercise | | | | visualization skills is most important to improve your |
| beforehand or just allow your body to feel totally | | | | sports performance! |
| relaxed while your mind stays alert and focused. | | | | Visualization techniques can also be used to overcome |
| 2. Either know your dressage test by heart or have | | | | fears and improve your self-confidence in your sport. |
| somebody read it out to you very slowly (another | | | | I wish you lots of fun experimenting with visualization in |
| option is to record your own voice when reading the | | | | your dressage training and would love to hear from |
| test out very slowly!). Now imagine your favorite | | | | your experiences! |