Just a Thought…About Sighthounds
What is a sighthound, you ask? I had to look it up.
Guest Blogger Amanda MacDonald is the Founder of Full Gallop Communications. She’s also a dressage riding mare whispering sighthound collector.
Amanda shares about what it means to be a horse girl and giving mindfulness a try.
“I’ve been a horse girl since I was led around on my cousin’s Shetland in my dress and ‘pearls’ at three. The smell of the warm horse in the KC evening, the gentle squeak of the leather saddle. It’s been a family deal for us for a couple of generations now. Horse showing is an odd sport. There are volumes of Chick Lit and YR series dedicated to its quirks and trials and drama.
So why would I want to ‘enjoy’ a day or three in the NY heat and humidity (and thunderstorms)? I’ve trailered to venues with my teeth literally chattering with nerves. Age and competing in other sports have helped me to get a better grip, however, horses pick up on the smallest tension in your hands and your seat (your butt… Unclench, girl). Riding a harmonious dressage test with a sensitive mare will always be a challenge but it is a magical thing to watch and even better to ride.
Being tossed very early into performance and judging in school with violin and flute, feeling highly unprepared, but with high expectations, gave me some additional baggage throughout my horse showing history.
After setting a reasonable goal of getting Grace, my mare off property, and as my husband put it, ‘my triumphant return’ after some serious illness all winter, I picked a local schooling show this summer as a target. We signed up for two tests, including a new challenge level up for me. And Grace.
I decided that I finally needed to find a way through my nerves.
Enter Laura and Mindful Matters…
Not at all familiar with the language around riding or dressage, Laura took the time to research the connection between horse and human and asked really thoughtful questions about the show process to come up with a creative and wonderful session to help prep me. She MAY have also been excited to finally get me to address and be aware of some my baggage and set it down.
Laura, “I was.”
With some on point conversation and beautiful visualizations, our session gave me new tools to use in the days leading up to the show, and also when I tend to get in my head during the event. Laura helped me have a better plan for those moments where I historically freeze, or blank out on the test. Our session also just reset my head in general and allowed me to shed some major stress that was still hanging out from the past year.
It worked.
I also asked Laura to help me set a mantra.
“A mantra is a meaningful phrase developed over time that has emotional, mental, and energetic significance to the athlete. A mantra sets a powerful intention for performance.”
By using my brand new mantra, “We are one and we flow,” I was able stay in the moment to breathe and refocus when Grace spooked during our first test and help her to refocus on our task. Usually, I would panic and forget where we needed to pick up again (which is super embarrassing and bad for your score).
Not only was I able to really enjoy the day - even when things weren’t letter perfect - but I only noticed the adrenaline after the last test while packing up. The valley smoke had cleared out, the sun was out, and Grace hopped back on the trailer like the pro she is.
I’m grateful for a lot more these days, but now I get to be grateful for the mindfulness tools that I have at my disposal to make show day more fun. Laura sent me the session notes so that I can refer back to them at any time before our next event and I know that she is always there to help if I need a refresher or feel like I need more ongoing support.
Onward!
Maybe she’s right about this mindfulness stuff…just a thought.
Laura, “I am.”
