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  A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
  
Location: NC | How the heck do you turn your mind off before a run and just ride?!?!
I have the basics down. I've had some really good runs. I can practice 20 times at home and be great! As soon as it comes show time, I forget how to ride as soon as I go through the gate. It's like I keep over-thinking every step and can't just remember what I know and let it happen. It's been almost 2 years now that I've been riding/running and I still can't seem to have more than one decent run at a time!!
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | what is your pre-run routine? |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Fallon's article in BHN might help you out. |
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | Crowned Image - 2015-02-09 9:15 AM
what is your pre-run routine?
I used to warm up for too long. Loping circles and everything else. Standing by the arena for extended periods of time. My horse is DEATHLY calm, so I've been working on doing the least amount possible before my runs to keep him from getting too relaxed.
So now I've been getting on with just enough time to get his muscles warmed up and then run. I've had my best runs with minimal warm up time, so I think the longer I'm on the horse, the more nervous I get and the more I overthink what needs to be done. If that makes sense.
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it. |
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I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | hlynn - 2015-02-09 9:20 AM
Crowned Image - 2015-02-09 9:15 AM
what is your pre-run routine?
I used to warm up for too long. Loping circles and everything else. Standing by the arena for extended periods of time. My horse is DEATHLY calm, so I've been working on doing the least amount possible before my runs to keep him from getting too relaxed.
So now I've been getting on with just enough time to get his muscles warmed up and then run. I've had my best runs with minimal warm up time, so I think the longer I'm on the horse, the more nervous I get and the more I overthink what needs to be done. If that makes sense.
get yourself used to doing some silly things. I'm an avid caps fan and call my routine my Holtby-isms, maybe there's a caps fan/hockey fan that gets this on this thread.. I like to long trot both directions, lope both ways. Then, get my horse turning on the forehand and haunches then let him go stand at the trailer or walk around, try to make some new barrel racing friends... anything to keep from thinking about what I'm going to work on and fix today. then when I'm in the hole I will quickly go through the pattern with what my hands do twice. then when I'm on deck I will pet my horse and whisper sweet nothings in his ear and remind my gelding and myself that I trust him and I have no doubts in my mind that I'm going to come out of this run safely and topside.
I focus so much on my routine so I stop thinking about barrel racing. I tend to mess myself up by thinking about all the bad things that could happen so I have to force myself to do these little things. I'm beginning to think my pre-run routine has everything to do with what happens in the pattern. Mainly because it helps me personally relax my mind and when my mind is fresh on the barrels I ride the horse I'm on and stop just going through the motions in fear of something really bad happening. |
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | Crowned Image - 2015-02-09 9:31 AM
hlynn - 2015-02-09 9:20 AM
Crowned Image - 2015-02-09 9:15 AM
what is your pre-run routine?
I used to warm up for too long. Loping circles and everything else. Standing by the arena for extended periods of time. My horse is DEATHLY calm, so I've been working on doing the least amount possible before my runs to keep him from getting too relaxed.
So now I've been getting on with just enough time to get his muscles warmed up and then run. I've had my best runs with minimal warm up time, so I think the longer I'm on the horse, the more nervous I get and the more I overthink what needs to be done. If that makes sense.
get yourself used to doing some silly things. I'm an avid caps fan and call my routine my Holtby-isms, maybe there's a caps fan/hockey fan that gets this on this thread.. I like to long trot both directions, lope both ways. Then, get my horse turning on the forehand and haunches then let him go stand at the trailer or walk around, try to make some new barrel racing friends... anything to keep from thinking about what I'm going to work on and fix today. then when I'm in the hole I will quickly go through the pattern with what my hands do twice. then when I'm on deck I will pet my horse and whisper sweet nothings in his ear and remind my gelding and myself that I trust him and I have no doubts in my mind that I'm going to come out of this run safely and topside.
I focus so much on my routine so I stop thinking about barrel racing. I tend to mess myself up by thinking about all the bad things that could happen so I have to force myself to do these little things. I'm beginning to think my pre-run routine has everything to do with what happens in the pattern. Mainly because it helps me personally relax my mind and when my mind is fresh on the barrels I ride the horse I'm on and stop just going through the motions in fear of something really bad happening.
Thinking about the bad things is a huge problem with me I think. I wish I could just put some headphones on and someone come get me when it's my turn to run. No on deck. No in the hole. Just when it's my turn to go down the alley. Any wait time and I'm thinking wayyy too much.
Thanks for the routine advice. I think I need to try my music. Go sing some Shake it Off really loud in a field somewhere. LOL |
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 Go For It!
Location: Texas | hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:25 AM
GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it.
You need to come to one of our clinics, ;).
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:25 AM
GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it.
LOL, you and me both  |
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | grinandbareit - 2015-02-09 9:46 AM
hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:25 AM
GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it.
You need to come to one of our clinics, ; ).
I need something! Maybe some liquid courage Who knows! |
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Member
Posts: 14
Location: Southern California | The mental aspect is harder to get down than the barrel racing part lol??. I used to get so nervous I couldn't think when I ran nor could I hear anything. I actually went to a sports therapist and learned some pressure points that help me relax. I just do high school rodeo and junior rodeos and the junior rodeos were kinda like practice for me and didn't matter as much as high school rodeos, so when I'd get ready to run at a hs rodeo I'd tell myself that it's just a junior rodeo, and that's seemed to help me a lot. Talk to yourself when your riding at home, tell your horse your goals and how he's going to help you and vice versa, I swear mine understands me. All these things help me to stay calm and clear minded ?? |
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Member
Posts: 14
Location: Southern California | The question marks were supposed to be emojis haha |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| I don't want to think about the things that can go wrong, very scary, but Fallon was talking about seeing them happen and then going back and watching herself correct them. I think that is what I need to do, face my fears of what can go wrong and see myself reacting correctly if they happen or being proactive and not letting them start to happen. I have made them into monsters and I need to face them down mentally instead of hiding from them. I hope I made some sense, in my head I understood myself, lol. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 356
| You might look into working with Randi Larson. I know for myself and quite a few of my friends, she's really helped us get past a lot of those mental blocks! https://www.facebook.com/randilarsoncst |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| grinandbareit - 2015-02-09 9:46 AM
hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:25 AM
GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it.
You need to come to one of our clinics, ; ).
You need to bring a clinic east. |
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A Lady with Fight
Posts: 2701
Location: NC | Thanks for all the advice/tips.
I try to tell myself it doesn't matter. My nerves don't FEEL as bad as they used to be. But they're still bothering my riding.
I do have a friend who is really into essentual oils. She's making me something for race days. I'm going to try to stay away from the arena until the last possible minute. Maybe not seeing other runs will help. I think I psych myself out because I'm convinced I'm terrible. I keep forgetting that these other riders have a good 10+ years on me for the most part. Even the youth!
Edited by hlynn 2015-02-09 2:01 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 617
Location: London Ontario | I am BIG on mental game. Most people think I am in a bad mood or whatever before my run but I am actually just focused. In all my down time I run through the pattern in different pens and different situations. Right from hearing my name called to walking out of the pen. I think about where I am coming up to the barrel, what my hands are doing etc. I also try to run through different scenarios. Its all about muscle memory. I too used to freak out about being late or missing my run so I too used to warm up super early but I found I lost my focus a lot when I did that. I am also big on creating relationships with my horses. Yes I can kick one in the booty when being bad but I am such a little kid in the fact that I still go to the barn some nights just with a bag full of treats and sit there and pet my ponies. I love on them, groom them etc. People are always so dumbfound when my horses nicker to me when I walk in but I find they enjoy what they do more when they enjoy who the do it with! |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6437
Location: Montana | Umm...well, just keep going and doing.  My mare can get a little hot, but nothing bad, so I warm her up trotting both directions and loping both directions. If she is not doing something like I'd like, I work on that with her. Then when I'm done warming up I get off and walk around and don't get back on until about the drag before my run, depending on the number I run after the drag and do a little warm up, trot a little, just to make sure my mare is ready to go.
During my warm up, or at least before I run I pick my spots (Stockman's sign to the left of the first barrel, fence post to the right of the second barrel, chute to the right of the third barrel, or whatever it happens to be) and memorize them so when I'm going in the arena I don't have to think about it. My mare is ratey and push type, so I always have to think beyond the barrel so we don't cream them. So once I get to my run all I have to remember is the spots I have picked, ride two handed between the barrels, get my mare's shoulders past the barrel before I que her to turn, and kick. Now that I have my routine figured out, it has mostly gone pretty smoothly. Sometimes there is a hiccup, but that is life.
But I'm a bad one about not remembering ANYTHING about my run. I remember going in the arena or if something goes slightly wrong I remember that, but the rest is kind of blank until I watch a video of it. I'm getting better at that, but sometimes maybe it is better that way, LOL.
Anywho, those things have helped me.  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1118
Location: The South | A friend recommended the book "With Winning in Mind" by Lanny Bassham and it helped SO much!
I really think it helped me enjoy the competitions again. Also I think it's the reason I stayed on my horse when he started bucking on the rundown (in shooting it's like running home after the third barrel). I was relaxed so I stayed in the saddle, but before I probably would've been a lawn dart because I stayed so tense! |
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 Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | Barbra Schulte...I went to one of her mentally tough clinics in Texas several years ago...she has a tape out on barrel racing, but I bet it's hard to find...the same priciples apply with any of her tapes....she's awesome...it's teaching your body and brain to go into a "state" of performance readiness through muscle memory training etc.....http://barbraschulte.com/ |
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Go For It!
Location: Texas | quikchik - 2015-02-09 9:32 AM
grinandbareit - 2015-02-09 9:46 AM
hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:25 AM
GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it.
You need to come to one of our clinics, ; ).
You need to bring a clinic east.
I had someone contact me from up that way... I told her if she got some folks together I'd be there! But it would have to be sometime in the summer.
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 Transplant Okie
Posts: 1206
Location: Always on call..... | Cindy Hamilton - 2015-02-09 2:47 PM Barbra Schulte...I went to one of her mentally tough clinics in Texas several years ago...she has a tape out on barrel racing, but I bet it's hard to find...the same priciples apply with any of her tapes....she's awesome...it's teaching your body and brain to go into a "state" of performance readiness through muscle memory training etc.....http://barbraschulte.com/
I second Barbara Schulte - her book The Gift helped me a ton.
I visualize myself having the run I want days before the event. I feel myself (vs. watching myself) going through the pattern as I visualize the run. Barbara says to not limit yourself when doing the visualization. See yourself riding as the competitor you want to be.
I also get really nervous the more time I wait for my run. Now I warm up only about 20-30 riders before me. I stay as far away from the arena as I can and don't watch other runs. When I do come up by the arena I get off my horse and just lead them around until the drag before my run - then put their boots on and get on.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:37 AM
Crowned Image - 2015-02-09 9:31 AM
hlynn - 2015-02-09 9:20 AM
Crowned Image - 2015-02-09 9:15 AM
what is your pre-run routine?
I used to warm up for too long. Loping circles and everything else. Standing by the arena for extended periods of time. My horse is DEATHLY calm, so I've been working on doing the least amount possible before my runs to keep him from getting too relaxed.
So now I've been getting on with just enough time to get his muscles warmed up and then run. I've had my best runs with minimal warm up time, so I think the longer I'm on the horse, the more nervous I get and the more I overthink what needs to be done. If that makes sense.
get yourself used to doing some silly things. I'm an avid caps fan and call my routine my Holtby-isms, maybe there's a caps fan/hockey fan that gets this on this thread.. I like to long trot both directions, lope both ways. Then, get my horse turning on the forehand and haunches then let him go stand at the trailer or walk around, try to make some new barrel racing friends... anything to keep from thinking about what I'm going to work on and fix today. then when I'm in the hole I will quickly go through the pattern with what my hands do twice. then when I'm on deck I will pet my horse and whisper sweet nothings in his ear and remind my gelding and myself that I trust him and I have no doubts in my mind that I'm going to come out of this run safely and topside.
I focus so much on my routine so I stop thinking about barrel racing. I tend to mess myself up by thinking about all the bad things that could happen so I have to force myself to do these little things. I'm beginning to think my pre-run routine has everything to do with what happens in the pattern. Mainly because it helps me personally relax my mind and when my mind is fresh on the barrels I ride the horse I'm on and stop just going through the motions in fear of something really bad happening.
Thinking about the bad things is a huge problem with me I think. I wish I could just put some headphones on and someone come get me when it's my turn to run. No on deck. No in the hole. Just when it's my turn to go down the alley. Any wait time and I'm thinking wayyy too much.
Thanks for the routine advice. I think I need to try my music. Go sing some Shake it Off really loud in a field somewhere. LOL
That is a big one...... You can't not think of something.... Don't think about the things you don't want to do. Concentrate and think about the things you are trying to do.
For example, if I said don't think about a pink elephant. The only thing your brain just did was think of a pink elephant. So if you are thinking, "don't hit a barrel", the only thing your mind is "hit a barrel".
I coach for a living. I never tell my players, "Don't fumble". I always tell them to "hold on to the ball".
Also, like many others have said....get a routine. Make it the same no matter where you run. There are some things you need to build into your routine to help you relax as well.
Others have mentions mental coaches, I would like to throw out the name Brian Cain. He as worked with many athletes from MMA, baseball, softball, etc. Find his books and videos. He has an awesome approach to what it take mentally to win. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | Get the book Mind Gym!!!!! Such a good read and very helpful. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| grinandbareit - 2015-02-10 12:18 AM
quikchik - 2015-02-09 9:32 AM
grinandbareit - 2015-02-09 9:46 AM
hlynn - 2015-02-09 8:25 AM
GLP - 2015-02-09 9:19 AM
Fallon's article in BHN might help you out.
I really loved her article. I just wish my confidence was where it needed to be. I think that's a lot of my problem. I just have no idea how to overcome it.
You need to come to one of our clinics, ; ).
You need to bring a clinic east.
I had someone contact me from up that way... I told her if she got some folks together I'd be there! But it would have to be sometime in the summer.
PM me if you get it set up!! I would love to come. |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | Eat turkey before my run and don't watch anyone while I'm waiting and just chat. If I don't think about it, I ride much better. |
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Mental Game