Concentrate on the process, not the outcome – Top competition preparation with elite rider Erin Orford
Dressage rider and
Derriere Equestrian ambassador Erin Orford has been selected for the British
para dressage team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, with Annabel Whittet’s
Dior – so ahead of this important event in the equestrian calendar, we asked
Erin to share her pre-competition preparations with us…
Firstly a HUGE Congratulations to Erin, such well deserved selection. Erin Won the 2014 Derriere Equestrian Stars of the Future Sponsorship and we have been behind Erin every step of the way with this magical journey.
As a top-level rider, mental preparation must be key – so
how does Erin prepare for a big contest? “The bigger competitions are often the
most important; so of course I put myself under more pressure for these, as I
want to do well and show the horse off to the best of its ability,” Erin
explains. “I often feel more nervous in the build up directly before getting on,
when I have time to think about the event or occasion, and my mind has time to
build it up and go over it in my head! I've been working a lot this year on
concentrating on the process and not the outcome, however – so for example if
you're trotting around thinking, ‘I need to get 75%’, the chances are you're
not concentrating on your horse, or riding the movements; this makes the
desired outcome less likely to be achieved,” Erin tells us.Here are her five top tips for making maximising the chances of achieving a personal best at a competition of any riding discipline:
- Leave sufficient time: I like to make sure I leave myself plenty
of time at a competition; I get ready early, put my earphones in and run through
my test by the arena, so that I can familiarise myself with the layout, and the
surroundings. Little things can throw you when you're under pressure, so you
want to minimise the likelihood of this happening where possible.
- Control the controllables: You can't change the weather, who's
on the judging panel in a dressage test, or who else is in your class; you can
only do the best that you can do on the day, so focus on what you're doing.
- Have the right people around you where possible: whether
that's something to give you a kick up the ‘derriere’ in the warm up, or to
build your confidence just before you go in; learn what works best for you.
- Use targeted warm-up exercises: If you're nervous or get
distracted, give yourself specific exercises to work on in the warm up; this
way, you have less time to be overwhelmed by the big occasion.
- Invest in your Derriere! Derriere Equestrian underwear will provide you with discrete comfort, ensuring you are able to achieve a deeper, more effective, symmetrical seat. The Performance Padded Panty and the Bonded Padded Shorty Styles provide the best in selective, technical padded underwear.
We went on to ask Erin about equine anxiety or tension, and
how she deals with this. “An anxious or tense horse can be like sitting on a
ticking time bomb, which can make the rider anxious, and it becomes a cycle of
nervous energy between the horse and rider,” she advises.
“Tension can show in many different ways; some horses ‘go in’
on themselves, while some are outward in their response, with spooking, running
off, etc. You can often feel it in their back, in terms of their lack of
attention or responsiveness to your aids, making you feel even more out of
control. In this situation, you want to try to relax the horse with easy
exercises that encourage them to bring their attention back to the rider. It is
your job as a rider to give the horse confidence, use your voice to settle them,
or to give them an aid when their bodies are too tense to listen to the rein or
your leg. Large circles and easy transitions help to bring their attention from
outside the arena back to you; you want to ride positively but in control,
helping their balance and building their confidence as you go. Leg yield can
also help to encourage them to use their body, as well as encouraging them to
accept the leg; but make sure the exercise is easy for them, and then you can
increase the difficulty when they are able to maintain the relaxation. Patting
them gently on the neck can also help to encourage them to relax, as well as
making sure that you're not holding them too much with the rein, so that they
don't feel ‘trapped’.”
Many of us experience physical tension when riding; Erin
says that common issues are becoming ‘fixed’ in one’s body and position, so the
shoulders ‘hunch’. “You might for example grip with your hands and / or legs,
and this will affect your ability to use your seat effectively. In the trot, you
might struggle to do sitting trot, as it will feel as if you're being bounced
out the saddle, “ she explains. “It might help to take your feet out of the
stirrups for a stretch before putting them back in again; if you have a
tendency to grip the reins, keep giving little pats to the horse, so that you
can release the pressure, and mix up the sitting trot with rising, so that you
can allow your back to warm up a bit more. Doing exercises in walk and canter
can also help with your pelvis - and don't forget to breathe!” she concludes.
Erin rides at para
grade three, as she is missing the radius bone in both arms, meaning she has
shortened lower arms and only four fingers on each hand; the leading dressage
rider also rides with prosthetic legs during competitions, as she’s a
bi-lateral through-knee amputee.
“As I have no lower legs, my seat is extra
important - my Derriere undies are therefore invaluable!” she adds.
For a detailed Bio on Erin Orford, visit our sponsored riders page on the website.
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