Anxiety, fear, competition nerves, general nerves, fear of failure and awareness of vulnerability and the possibility of physical injury. Ever felt like this? Ever felt it before you got on a horse or even before you got to the yard or on the drive to a competition? Of course you have. Ever felt physical symptoms?ContinueContinue reading “Whatever you choose to feed will grow”
Tag Archives: equestrian
We don’t have to be amazing at this
This is something I found myself speaking a lot about last week in person and online. I am, like many others, an amateur rider. Horses are not in my family background and much as they are what I live for, I had neither the talent, the support or the funds to be a professional atContinueContinue reading “We don’t have to be amazing at this”
Sit in Row 24 and Keep Off The Floor!
Fresh after our Roland Tong clinic on Friday a couple of weeks back, Sammy was rather intrigued at being put back into the horsebox on Saturday. “Jumps Sammy” I promised as I bribed him up the ramp with a haylage net. We set off for Killossery for the Sarah Ennis eventing clinic but ground toContinueContinue reading “Sit in Row 24 and Keep Off The Floor!”
10 Reasons Your Horse Is Living A Better Life Than You
Scroll through Facebook or Instagram and it is on many ‘inspiring’ quote or hastag #livingmybestlife but you’re not, your horse is. Horse ownership should come with a disclaimer that explains its most about being covered in hair / mud / poo and paying vet bills or replacing expensive broken things. If you don’t agree let’sContinueContinue reading “10 Reasons Your Horse Is Living A Better Life Than You”
Horses you will meet when it snows
Bucket B**lix Will encouragingly watch you slip, slide and groan as you lug heavy buckets of water that you have slowly and painstakingly dragged from the nearest tap or water source that isn’t frozen solid. Will wait until you arrive before promptly knocking the bucket over looking absolutely delighted Kicky McDoor When forced to endureContinueContinue reading “Horses you will meet when it snows”
The Reality of the UK as an Irish Equestrian
My partner and I spent a week in the UK in August with one of the horses he competes. It was a brilliant week and we learned quite a few things about being an Irish Equestrian abroad! 1. There are some really nice people. I mean ridiculously nice. As in dropping your b & bContinueContinue reading “The Reality of the UK as an Irish Equestrian”
Elementary my dear horse
Why the national championships? Goals are personal and what matters to each rider really does depend on their own experiences. For me, competing successfully at the National Dressage Championships has meaning because when I first started proper dressage training a few years ago it seemed ridiculously unlikely that I would ever be good enough toContinueContinue reading “Elementary my dear horse”
Competition nerves and Winning Against Worrying
My anxiety around competition was never really just about competition. It was a fear of the unknown, of lack of control, of new things. It started when I was a small child and if I was anxious about something I would feel sick and nervous. Things like exams, trying new things, bus trips. Over timeContinueContinue reading “Competition nerves and Winning Against Worrying”
13 Ways To Annoy Your Riding Instructor
1.Being Stirrupy Mcstirrups Checking your stirrups before you ride, changing them after warm up, changing them before you jump – this is all grand and expected. Turning in in a group lesson sixteen bajillion times to change them though – no, just no. 2. Being consistently late Everyone can be late on occasion or exceptionalContinueContinue reading “13 Ways To Annoy Your Riding Instructor”
Things you should know before having dressage lessons
Get used to being on a circle. You won’t be moving sideways at the greatest of ease any time soon. The circle is your friend, embrace the circle. Don’t go large around the arena – this does not go down well. If you have enough grasp of spatial relations to be able to ride aContinueContinue reading “Things you should know before having dressage lessons”
Equestrian Reality 