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Saturday, April 17 2021 / Published in Sidelines Feature

The Challenge Perspective

By Margie Sugarman

When I’m riding, it can sometimes be hard for me to stay positive. My trainer is a person of few words and this often leaves me wondering what she really thinks. When she does give corrections or tries to use constructive criticism, it often leaves me feeling inept. I’m losing my motivation to continue, but I love riding and showing. I want to progress and meet my show goals. How can I get these negative feelings to stop?

Negative thoughts can, and do, affect everything in our lives. Who hasn’t heard something like, “Think the worst and you’ll make it happen”? Clinically, a statement like this actually has a name. It’s known as the “nocebo effect,” meaning negative outcomes are often caused by negative thoughts about events.

Through research, it has been found that people regulate their emotions in one of two ways: via reappraisal or suppression. Suppression, which is pretending not to feel upset and hiding one’s feelings, is the more common trait. Unfortunately, this approach often impacts the development of close friendships, fuels negative emotions, results in lower satisfaction with life, less social support from others and can cause high blood pressure, to name a few negative results. 

What’s also interesting is the impact this suppression has on others. This same research showed that being around someone who is suppressing emotions has a definite impact on other people’s stress responses. For example, have you ever been around your coach and just felt some sort of tension or hidden anger in her demeanor? Although there is nothing specific or definite, your body is reacting and physiologically registering your coach’s demeanor. In turn, this sets off an alarm within you, triggering your own set of emotions.

Understanding the effect that suppression can have on oneself and those around you might lead you to think that expressing your emotions might be a more appropriate approach when it comes to the sharing of feelings. However, just blurting out what’s on one’s mind could totally destroy an aspiring athlete’s motivation or the confidence and connection to the trainer that’s needed in a learning situation.

Be it trainer or student, reappraisal is a very strong muscle to employ in stressful situations. Reassessing an emotional situation, or reappraisal, may be the most useful approach in addressing and resolving certain dilemmas. One must stop looking at the situation through the eyes of disappointment and dejection, for these emotions only put the brakes on resolving the problem.

Although reappraisal might seem difficult when you feel overwhelmed, you need to stop for a moment and clear your mind. Do some deep breathing exercises to lower your brain state and anxiety level. These exercises should be practiced routinely. They are tools that get rusty if left too long in the toolbox.

Approach the problem as a challenge. A challenge is looked at very differently than a threat. A threat is cognitively more overwhelming. A “challenge” approach builds the opportunity to overcome the problem because it’s presented in a more positive way with a viable outcome.

Think back. Have you ever experienced the same difficult situation with two different people, but left one interaction feeling positive and the other feeling unsettled and upset? Did you use suppression or meet the challenge of reappraisal?

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Tagged under: positive thinking, positivity, Sports Psychology

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Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses Annette Longenecker wasn’t just born into horses—in a way, she was born into her career. She grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where her parents ran a farm. Her mother taught, and her father had a jump business and then created one of the first horse show software programs: Ryegate Show Services, Inc.

Riding all her life, Annette spent many years as a groom and loved it, but knew it wasn’t what she wanted to do as a career. After she finished college, Annette’s father recruited her to help process entries at Ryegate. Since her father, Lloyd Longenecker, founded it in 1981, Ryegate has provided show management and office staff for some of the largest shows in the country. Now, Annette has taken over from her father and directed the company as it focuses on managing memberships and rankings for organizations such as the North American League, WIHS Championships and Equitation, Rolex/USEF Computer Ranking and National Medal Series (THIS NCM and Ariat NAM). Ryegate also provides scoring software for use with video walls, and production teams for hunter and jumper shows.

“Besides running Ryegate Show Services and its various organizations, I can be found in the show office, running a scoreboard or judging jumpers at most shows,” Annette said. “I love getting to wear a few different hats at the show.”

When she’s not busy at a show, Annette lives in Annville, Pennsylvania, with her “fur-baby,” Maggie Mae, and enjoys spending time with her many godchildren. Though she doesn’t currently own any horses, Annette rides when she can at Rolling Acres Farm with Patty Foster, Ashley Foster-Worthington and Mary Lisa Leffler.

Read this month unbridled with Annette Longenecker by clicking the link in our bio. Never miss a story by subscribing to Sidelines Magazine! 🦄
📸Photo by Sheryl Sutherby

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A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself The spor A column from Liz Halliday-Sharp herself 
The sport of eventing is a demanding and mentally challenging discipline that requires a combination of physical and mental fortitude from both the rider and horse. While having a coach can be incredibly beneficial, self-coaching can also play a crucial role in a rider’s success.

I think that given the opportunity, most riders would like to be coached every day. The reality of life in the horse world, however, is that the majority of us need to absorb as much from the lessons we have on a limited basis and then practice those skills at home to improve.

When I am riding, I try to have a plan for the horses each day and focus on what I’m looking to achieve. It’s important to be aware of the steady improvements rather than trying to solve everything all at once. This is especially important when teaching horses new movements or exercises that they might struggle with, and we need to give them time to learn and understand what we are asking for.

I have a couple of quotes that I use regularly when I’m teaching, and these are mottos that I hold myself to in my daily work as well.

The first is, “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten.” This is a quote that was said to me many years ago when I was still motor racing and I keep it in the back of my mind each day. It’s easy to get stuck doing the same thing every day with your horse and bad habits are hard to break, from both riders and horses!

This leads me to my next quote, which is, “If what you are doing isn’t working, try something else.” It really is as simple as that! Many riders I see keep asking a horse to do something the same way over and over with an ongoing negative response and they wonder why things don’t get better. In these circumstances, I recommend that the rider change something, even if it’s wrong.

Read the full article by clicking the link in our bio! Don’t forget to keep your eye out for our April subscription!
📸Photo by Alex Banks Photography
The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here The✨April issue✨ of Sidelines Magazine is here and we are so excited to feature three-day eventer Liz Halliday on the cover! Big thanks to photographer Melissa Fuller for the beautiful photo of Liz and Cooley Nutcracker- Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing. Liz and her horses have taken the eventing world by storm - and find out how Liz is at the top of the sport as a female eventer! As the horse world gears up for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event 2023, it's the perfect time to enjoy our eventing issue!! We also feature eventer and woman entrepreneur Frankie Thieriot Stutes, who is not only an eventer, but also runs Athletux and FRANKIE CAMERON handbags and accessories. And don't miss our eventing story on Robert "Bobby" Costello, who will be leading the US Eventing team to the 2024 Paris Olympics- and US Equestrian has named Bobby the eventing technical advisor/chef d'equipe!! Liz, Frankie and Bobby all have GREAT stories - don't miss any of them and don't forget to get your tickets for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day event! We are also excited to introduce you to hunter-jumper rider Casey Lorusso Smith, who is not only a talented rider but also a psychotherapist and incorporates horses into her career. If you are up for adventure, then read the story on dressage rider Priscilla Baldwin who certainly doesn't let any grass grow under her feet! We also head to the west coast to catch up with hunter-jumper trainer Jim Hagman of Elvenstar Farm, we feature beautiful art by equestrian artist Tammy Tappan, and we get to know Miranda Jones and her family. Miranda is not only an attorney who spends a lot of time in the courthouse, but she's a rider and spends lots of time riding, and is joined by her daughters also! We are excited to feature Stephanie Lightner in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists George Williams, Robert R.L. Jacobs and Margie Sugarman! It's a great issue - and you can read it online, but don't forget to go to the website and order a subscription and get every issue delivered to your mailbox!! Enjoy this issue and enjoy the ride: Link in bio!!
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