Take a Chill Pill!

By Kailey Wessel

March 2017

We’ve all been there. There you are, all dressed up, on your horse in the warm up ring. Everyone’s telling you that you look great and you are feeling it too. But then, the announcer comes on and says those dreaded words "Class number whatever it is may now enter the arena." All of a sudden you've forgotten how to breathe, a wall of butterflies hit you like a freight train, so much you might even feeI a bit nauseous. You look at your trainer with desperation and they think you might pass out off your horse. Then before you know it, you’re trotting in on the rail to strut your stuff with your faithful Arabian sidekick. But how can you keep yourself calm in those moments before you enter the ring? Here are a few tips to keep your nerves in check in the warmup ring!

Deep Breathes: You know you're horse, and you know what your doing!
Sing a Song in Your Head: It always helps to distract yourseIf for a second, take a step away from the ring and hum a tune that makes you smile!
Put Yourself in a BubbIe: Don't look around watch everyone around you, only think about you, look at your horse and maybe even close your eyes and only think about you and your teammate.
Think About the Bigger Picture: Think about how you will improve from the last class, and what you want to get out of the class.
And Lastly, Remember it's All About Having Fun: Winning is great, it an amazing feeling to come out of the ring with that blue ribbon, but remember the more important thing is to be the best you can be and enjoy the ride!

These are tips that have always helped me to relax before I go into the arena, and I hope that you will benefit from them too! Remember to have fun and worry about yourself, rather than everyone else around you! Now go give your Arabian horse a hug!