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Sunday, June 26 2022 / Published in Weekly Feature

Mindset: Making or Breaking a Comeback

By Margie Sugarman

Someone recently approached me with this story, which might sound familiar to many of you: “I’ve been riding somewhat more confidently and comfortably for the past year. Then a Facebook memory reminded me of when I broke my arm and collar bone years ago. The day after that Facebook reminder, I went to the ring to watch a few rounds before it was my turn to compete. First, a woman next to me in a golf cart was recounting her recently broken leg and telling me about a mutual acquaintance who broke her ribs. Then I stood up to walk and review the course with my trainer. As I was walking, I saw a girl walk by on crutches. Now I’m thinking, Is this a sign? Should I scratch? I decided to compete, but couldn’t get the idea out of my head that I was going to hurt myself. Consequently, I pulled at every jump. What is the best way to handle situations like this? How can a rider get these negative thoughts and fears out of their head?”

 

Riding brings with it a significant amount of mental pressure. Walking hand in hand with that mental pressure is stress that gets played out in various ways—in and out of the ring—and can impact any and all equestrian endeavors. Although horseback riding is extremely popular among Americans, it comes with a potential price.

 

 

Many of us grew up hearing you weren’t considered a rider until you had fallen off three times. That’s an interesting perspective, when you consider riding is more dangerous than motorcycling and 81% of equestrians get injured at some point in their riding careers (I think I’ve personally surpassed that stat!). Nonetheless, we keep going back for more! Why do we return? Riding adds excitement and a thrill with the added surge of adrenaline we get from participating in this sport.

 

Riding accidents occur for a variety of reasons, from the rider’s behaviors to the actions of the horse to third-party influences. Many of these accidents are preventable.

 

Frequently we feel more confident than we should. We inflate the value of our experiences and ride a horse that requires more than we have in our skill set. Of note, statistics show that the more experience we have, the more likely we are to become injured. Confidence can compromise caution.

 

Answering the question of how to deal with the thoughts and fears associated with a past injury requires a multilayered response. Foremost is the acknowledgment that the fear exists. There is no shame in accepting it. When we feel a situation is threatening, our anxiety levels increase, leading to changes in our ability to focus. Stress negatively affects an athlete’s ability to pay attention (reduces peripheral vision, causes distraction, enhances irrelevant thoughts), increases muscle tension (which impinges normal coordination) and impacts proper breathing (raising the brain wave).

 

 

Developing skills to counteract these physical and emotional responses to stress, such as relaxation techniques and diaphragmatic breathing, allows positive psychological and physiological changes to the mind and body, and can change performance when challenged by the same questions that caused the injury. This is not a one-step cure! The healing process from an injury is much deeper than the physical wound. The mind thinks and the body responds. Small goals should be set and achieved before moving on to more challenging riding situations. Remember, it’s more than just being able to ride around a challenging course at home. The show ring brings different pressures and challenges. How often have you asked yourself why you can do it so well at home and seem to be another rider at the show?

And let’s not forget about our partner, who also responds to environmental changes as well as the tension he feels from his rider.

 

Remember:

*Acknowledgement

*Goal setting

*Stress-reduction exercises

*Visualization (Mind/Body)

*Breathing techniques

 

Utilizing such skills while working with an understanding and supportive trainer will allow you to work towards and ultimately reach the level of competition you’re striving for after an accident.

 

The mind and body work together. Addressing one without caring for the other leaves one out of balance and vulnerable. Take control and have control. Your mindset can make or break your comeback.

 

 

 

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Tagged under: equestrian, horses, margie sugarman, Sports Psychology

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It’s been a while since I’ve shown. After Indo It’s been a while since I’ve shown. After Indoors we turned the horses out and let them be horses. But now it’s time and I’m getting ready to head to Florida for the winter circuit. I’m feeling a bit anxious about getting back into the competitive state of mind, doubting myself and feeling more stress than I did when I was showing. Is this normal? What’s happening to me? What do I do to get back into the right place in my head? Why do I keep going back to this if it does what it does to me at the start of each season? - a Sidelines fan

"Throughout human history, people have enjoyed organizing competitions—the Ancient Greek Olympic Games go back to 776 BC. If you look around, you’ll notice that competition is everywhere in the modern world. Many historians believe that 'competitiveness' is a biological trait that co-evolved with the basic need for human survival. However, returning to a competitive state after time off from being a competitive athlete can be quite daunting," says sports psychologist Margie Sugarman.

"The proper mindset keeps you grounded in the present instead of solely focusing on the results. This automatically helps lower the performance brain state and allows for better focus, performance and results- Focus on what you can control."

Read the full column at the link in our bio!

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Emily Dulin has always been an animal lover, and h Emily Dulin has always been an animal lover, and helping others is in her blood. She’s the daughter of a Venezuelan ambassador and has spent much of her professional career working in social services and animal welfare. In 2015, Emily took on the role of chief executive officer of Brooke USA Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the welfare of working horses, donkeys and mules, and helping the people that depend on them for survival worldwide. 

“We are making a difference,” Emily said. “We will evaluate an animal at the start of a new program, and then just one, two and then five years later, we see marked improvements in terms of how they are handled, husbandry practices, what they eat and even how crops are being grown just to feed their animals—how feed is stored—and more. To see that end result firsthand is what I find most satisfying.”

Get to know Emily and how she helps working equines as the leader of @brooke_usa at the link in our bio!

Thank you to Brooke and Cody Holcomb of Wyco Ranch in Ft. Pierce, Florida, for the use of your farm, donkeys and horses for the Sidelines photo shoot.

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The February issue of Sidelines Magazine is here a The February issue of Sidelines Magazine is here and it's filled with love - including the love story of dressage riders Sarah Lockman Tubman and Lee Tubman! Thanks to photographer Kristen Scott-Crocker for the beautiful photos and Kimberly Gatto for sharing Sarah and Lee's story. 

We have so many amazing stories in this issue—get to know Sharn Wordley and Craig Martin of Wordley Martin Equestrian, LLC, the two Kiwis have had a fascinating journey in the equestrian world! And meet three day eventer Liz Lund who not only has a great story but wins the award for holding the most horses in one photo taken by Sidelines photographer Melissa Fuller. Hint, it's more than five but less than seven - and everyone had their ears up!! Amazing! 

Also meet hunter-jumper rider and photographer Kirsten Hannah Lafforthun, artist Vanessa Whittell Equine-art, dressage rider Brett Ingram and Emily Marquez-Dulin of Brooke USA, which is a great organization to support - make sure to visit them! 

Meet Madison Ibach and Reagan Ibach, sisters who work at the Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort and have a huge social media presence - make sure to follow them on Instagram! We are excited to continue our Women Entrepreneur stories and introduce you to Gigi Stetler, President/CEO of Broward RV. 

We also feature three great breeding and stallion stories and introduce you to John Almond and Margaret Hoffecker Almond of Loafers Lodge Welsh, and Craig Heckert and Patty Larson of Rivervale Farm, and Kelly Sigler Patterson of Looking Glass Farm. Mary Choate has great answers to share in our Unbridled column, and don't miss our columnists Rob R.L. Jacobs, George Williams, Liz Halliday-Sharp - HS Eventing and Margie Sugarman. 

Make sure to sign up for a year's subscription to Sidelines by visiting our website, www.sidelinesmagazine.com so you can get a copy of the magazine sent to your house or barn every month! Enjoy reading this issue now - link in bio!
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