Brain Training for Riders: Unlock Your Riding Potential with StressLess Techniques for Conquering Fear, Improving Performance, and Finding Focused Calm

by Andrea Monsarrat Waldo

Overview

Did you know there is an area of your brain known as the “Lizard Brain” that thinks only about the immediate moment and your means of survival? Yes, in certain circumstances, your “Rational Brain” can effectively “shut down” and you are at the mercy of a reptile ... dry-mouthed, sweating, queasy, unable to think clearly—even though you know better. When does the Lizard Brain run the show? It can happen in any number of unfamiliar, uncomfortable, challenging, or “stressful” riding situations. But here’s the thing: with the right kind of training, you can learn to manage the reptile within, which leads to greater confidence with horses, better riding performance, and ultimately, happiness at the barn, at shows, and everywhere in between.

Andrea Monsarrat Waldo teaches you how to: handle uncomfortable emotions, such as fear, anger, anxiety, and embarrassment; hone your mental game and focus your riding time to get the most out of your hours in the saddle; care for your emotional injuries the same way you would care for an injured horse; and produce a state of “Focused Calm” and tap into the skills you have (whether you know it or not!) to ensure an outstanding ride.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781570767517
Publisher:	Trafalgar Square
Publication date:	11/15/2016
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	980,130
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Andrea Monsarrat Waldo holds a Master's Degree in Counseling and is a riding instructor certified in 2008 by the United States Eventing Association. She is co-owner of Triple Combination Farm in Ferrisburgh, VT, where she and her two business partners train horses and riders of all ages and abilities in the sports of eventing and dressage.

Andrea currently competes through the Intermediate level in eventing, has shown through third level in dressage, and has brought along several horses from the very beginning of their training. She was also a practicing psychotherapist from 1994 until 2012 and now does StressLess Riding Performance Coaching in workshops and individual sessions with equestrians at all levels of horse sports. She remains dedicated to constant development in both her riding and psychological training by seeking out regular riding instruction and staying abreast of current literature in equestrian theory, psychology, and neuroscience.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

How to Use This Book 6

Part I Stressless Riding Fundamentals: Brain Basics or How to Train Your Inner Lizard 9

Chapter 1 Your Brain on Stress: Meet Your Inner Lizard 11

Why Do You Ride? 13

Why Do I Do That When I'm Nervous? 15

A Quick Tour of the Brain 15

It Works If You Do It 23

Chapter 2 Stress Less: Don't Let the Lizard Hold the Reins 25

Controlling Your Fight or Flight Response 25

Confidence Means Owning Your Abilities 36

Chapter 3 Watch Your Language! How Self-Talk Can Hurt or Help Your Riding 41

Negative Self-Talk: Are You Your Own Worst Critic? 41

Positive Self-Talk: These Aren't Your Grandmother's "Affirmations" 46

Brain Traps 49

Restructuring the Committee 64

Practice Anytime, Anywhere! 66

Part II Focus, Confidence, and StressLess Performance 67

Chapter 4 The Keys to Your Brain: Stressing Less in the Saddle 69

Focused Calm 69

Any Time, Any Place 84

Chapter 5 StressLess Practice: How to Get Better (At Anything) Faster 85

Practice Makes…Mistakes? 85

Comfortable… Discomfort? 92

Handy Survival Skills 98

Chapter 6 StressLess Showing: Competing with Confidence 105

Defining Success 106

The Plan: Your Road Map to Achievement 113

The Aftermath 128

Part III Battling the Big Demons 133

Chapter 7 Beyond Stressful: I Just Can't Get Over It 135

The Big One 136

Staging a Comeback 139

When You Just Can't Get Over it 152

Chapter 8 The Right Horse Brings Less Stress 155

Opening Pandora's Box 155

Good Times: The Exception or the Rule? 160

Eight Odd Couples 162

I'm Riding the Wrong Horse-Now What? 170

When It's Time to Move On 176

Part IV StressLess Techniques for Trainers 179

Chapter 9 Make the Brain Your Ally 181

Times Really Have Changed 182

Making Hard "Fun" 184

Know Thyself 185

Positive Teaching: What It Is, Why It Matters 187

The Not-So-Magnificent Seven 194

Be Willing to Let Go 206

Final Thoughts 207

References and Recommended Reading 209

Index 210

Editorial Reviews

”In her new book Brain Training for Riders, professional counselor, psychotherapist, and riding instructor Andrea Monsarrat Waldo helps readers get past the survival-focused ‘lizard brain.” —USDF Connection
“If you're a sports psychology newbie, I think this is a great first read… book gives a good framework of common problems. I think a lot of the techniques Waldo outlines are useful in the real world too.” —Everything Eventing

"My favorite equestrian-specific mindset book has been Brain Training for Riders. I think it breaks things down in a way that’s easy to understand, and it gives you tips for how to handle pressure, emotions, and fear. We all know just how mental this sport can be, and this book is really great at helping us understand why we feel the way we do, and how to change it, or how to move past disappointment or handle embarrassment. I have said before that IMO the mental side of riding is something we don’t talk about nearly enough, but it’s so incredibly crucial to our success and well-being. Every rider needs to own this book, and every trainer needs to read it." —the900dollarfacebookpony.com

“Advanced Level eventer and psychotherapist Andrea Waldo tells us why we need to screw up (a lot!) if we want to be better riders.” —EventingNation.com
”Insightful… an engaging and empowering volume that demonstrates that it really IS all in your head.” —Catskill Horse
“Andrea Waldo knows what it takes to overcome challenges that would flatten most people. The strategies in this book worked for her—we’d do well to listen.” —Denny Emerson, USEA Hall-of-Fame Inductee
”Once you understand how your brain's fear response operates and why it does what it does, you can focus on how to prevent that fear from getting so big that it hijacks your ride.” —OntheHorse.com
“This well written and easy to read book is highly recommended for any rider.” —Horse & Pony Magazine (UK)

From the Publisher