Does a High-Risk Sport Always Have to be High Stress?

How to Develop Emotional Regulation Skills to Improve Performance

By: Dr. Jenny Swanson, EdD, LICSW, LCSW, CMPC

The Importance of Emotional Control in Riding

Riding a horse isn’t just a physical challenge; it’s also an emotional one. Whether you’re preparing for a competition, training at home, or recovering from a fall, emotions such as fear, frustration, anxiety, and excitement can heavily influence your performance. In fact, emotions have the power to shape your body language, communication with your horse, and your ability to stay focused under pressure.

Emotional regulation—the ability to control and adjust your emotional responses to various situations—is a critical skill for equestrians. It allows you to remain calm under pressure, stay focused in the saddle, and maintain a positive mindset in difficult moments.

In this post, we’ll explore why emotional regulation is so important in equestrian sports and provide practical strategies you can use to develop this essential skill.

Photo credit: The Book LLC

The Role of Emotions in Riding Performance

Riding is inherently a high-stress activity, and our emotions can either enhance or hinder our ability to perform. Let's look at some common emotions equestrians experience and how they impact performance:

1. Anxiety and Nervousness

• How it affects you: Anxiety often manifests physically, causing muscle tension, shallow breathing, and increased heart rate. A rider who feels nervous may become tense, which reduces flexibility and balance, making them less effective in the saddle. This tension can also make your horse feel more anxious and less responsive.

• How to manage it: Instead of fighting the anxiety, use techniques like deep breathing, mindful awareness, and grounding exercises to regain control over your body and mind.

  
  

2. Fear of Injury or Failure

• How it affects you: Fear often results in hesitation or freezing, especially after a previous injury or a poor experience. This hesitation can cause a rider to make poor decisions or pull back on their aids, which may confuse the horse or disrupt the flow of the ride.

• How to manage it: Gradual exposure to feared situations, combined with positive visualization and focusing on small victories, can help diminish the power of fear over time.

  
  

3. Frustration

• How it affects you: Frustration often arises when things aren’t going as planned—whether it’s a missed jump, difficulty with a skill, or a lack of progress. This emotion can lead to aggressive or over-correcting behaviors, which can harm the rider-horse partnership and create additional tension.

• How to manage it: Reframing techniques and self-compassion are essential in managing frustration. Instead of focusing on failure, see each challenge as a learning opportunity and remind yourself that improvement takes time.

  
  

4. Excitement and Over-Exuberance

• How it affects you: Positive emotions such as excitement can cause a rider to become overly enthusiastic, leading to lack of control or impulsivity. This can result in speeding up the horse, losing balance, or acting too quickly in decision-making.

• How to manage it: Acknowledge your excitement and channel it into focus. Using grounding exercises or taking a moment to pause and reset can help rein in that over-excitement and bring back the calm focus needed to execute the task at hand.

Why Emotional Regulation is Essential for Equestrian Success

Effective emotional regulation plays a vital role in consistent performance, regardless of external challenges. Here's how emotional regulation benefits you as a rider:

• Improved Focus: When emotions are in check, you can direct your energy toward what matters most—your riding and your horse’s needs. Distraction due to overwhelming emotions often leads to mistakes or missed cues.

• Better Communication with Your Horse: Horses are extremely sensitive to a rider's emotions. A calm and controlled rider can foster a stronger, more confident horse, as the animal mirrors the rider’s emotional state. When emotions are regulated, the communication between horse and rider becomes clearer and more effective.

• Enhanced Resilience: In equestrian sports, things don’t always go according to plan. Emotional regulation helps you bounce back from mistakes, learn from challenges, and stay motivated despite setbacks.

Practical Strategies for Developing Emotional Regulation in Riding

Now that we understand the importance of emotional regulation, let’s explore practical strategies for developing this skill.

1. Practice Mindful Breathing Techniques

Breathing is one of the most effective tools for managing emotional responses. Focusing on your breath can calm the nervous system, reduce tension, and help you regain control over your thoughts and actions.

Try this exercise:

• Inhale for four seconds (counting slowly in your mind).

• Hold your breath for four seconds.

• Exhale slowly for six seconds, allowing your muscles to relax with each breath.

• Repeat three to five times until you feel more grounded and in control.

  
  

2. Implement Positive Self-Talk

Equestrians often struggle with negative self-talk, especially when they make mistakes or face challenging situations. The inner critic can lead to increased stress and reduced performance.

Instead of focusing on what went wrong, replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. For example:

• “I am capable of learning and improving.”

• “This challenge is an opportunity to grow.”

• “I trust my preparation and my horse.”

  
  

3. Visualize Calm and Confidence

Visualization is a powerful tool to help regulate emotions before and during your ride. By picturing yourself in a calm and controlled state, you can program your mind to respond better under pressure.

Visualization exercise:

• Close your eyes and picture a successful ride—see yourself staying calm, composed, and confident as you navigate a challenging course.

• Imagine your emotions being stable and positive throughout the ride.

• Practice this daily, especially before competitions, to reduce pre-ride nerves.

4. Build Resilience Through Gradual Exposure

To build emotional resilience, start gradually exposing yourself to stress-inducing situations. For example, if you struggle with competition nerves, attend a show as a spectator to observe without the pressure of riding. Slowly increase your exposure to stressful situations until they no longer feel overwhelming.

5. Learn How to Reset During a Ride

If you find yourself getting overwhelmed during a ride, it’s essential to have tools to reset quickly. One way to do this is by taking a deep breath, refocusing on your horse’s rhythm, and adjusting your body position. You can also visualize a “reset button”—a mental cue that allows you to recalibrate and move forward calmly.

6. Develop Emotional Awareness

Being aware of your emotions as they arise is the first step toward regulating them. By keeping a journal of your emotional responses during training and competitions, you can identify patterns, triggers, and areas for improvement.

Ask yourself after each ride:

• How did I feel during the ride?

• Did my emotions influence my performance?

• How did I handle stress or frustration, and what can I do better next time?

Mastering Emotional Regulation for Optimal Riding

Emotional regulation is not just about managing negative emotions—it’s about learning how to use your emotions to enhance your performance. Riders who develop emotional control are able to remain calm, focused, and confident, even when faced with pressure.

By practicing mindful breathing, positive self-talk, visualization, and building emotional resilience, you can develop the tools you need to stay composed and effective in the saddle. The result is better performance, a stronger bond with your horse, and a more fulfilling riding experience.

Remember, the ability to regulate your emotions is not something you perfect overnight. It’s a journey of continuous practice and self-awareness. But with time and effort, you’ll find that emotional regulation becomes an invaluable part of your equestrian toolkit.

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Disclaimer: All information shared on this page is for educational and informational purposes only. The information shared here does NOT constitute as therapy or as medical advice and does not establish any kind of patient-client relationship. A patient-client relationship with you is only formed after we have expressly entered into a written agreement that you have signed including our fee structure and other terms to represent you in a specific matter. Although I strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice and you should not rely solely on this information.