Mindfulness is actually a pretty simple concept regarding bringing your full attention to the present, being aware of what you are doing and not distracted by irrelevant information. Being a mindful rider is about being in the present moment, fully engaged with the experience of communicating with your horse. It involves being open to what is happening, actively taking in information without judgement. Mindfulness can help you reduce ‘brain chatter’ – stress-inducing thoughts of previous errors or unfavourable future outcomes – which allows you to maintain perspective and focus so you can stay calm and better problem-solve.
By contrast, ‘mindless’ behaviour involves taking in information uncritically, making assumptions from past experiences, and operating from a single, often closed perspective.
Have you ever been guilty of mindless behaviour? Have you ever come out of a round thinking “what did I just do?”, gone off course, assumed that you could not do something (a course, a skill, a jump) because in the past you were unable to do it, made the same mistake again and again, assumed there was only one solution to a problem, or done something because it was the ‘way somebody else did it’? Take heart; here are some ways you can practice mindful riding:
Practice mindfulness around the barn. Try bringing awareness to the daily activities you have in your routine. Pay more attention as you brush your horse or clean your tack. Focus on the input from one sense at a time. What do you see, smell, taste, hear, and feel? You might be surprised at how enjoyable a simple activity suddenly becomes.
Watch your mind come and go. We naturally will shift to different aspects of what we are doing, or even wander off course mentally, but this is not cause for concern. When you notice your mind has gone off track, just gently bring it back to your original focus without judgement.
Keep it short. By keeping your mindfulness practice short, especially at first, you will be inclined to feel less pressure. Opt for a few minutes just focusing on the cadence of your horse’s walk. Isolate the feel. Consider it meditation. Then allow your mind to relax and go where it wants to go. Again, just follow it without worrying where it’s going. Then bring yourself back to your next point of focus. In this way, you’ll gain confidence that you can pick up, drop, and regain your attention at your own will. This skill can come in handy when you’re at a show and realize you are stressing about the future. You can bring yourself back to the ‘here and now’ by locking your focus onto an element of the present, such as what you see (your horse’s ears in front of you), smell (the earthy tones of the ring), hear (people chatting), and feel (the weight of your body contacting the saddle).
Make it part of your pre-ride routine. Choose a cue that you encounter before your ride to help shift your brain into mindful mode. This might be the entrance to the arena or bridling your horse. Use it as a reminder to slow down and get present with yourself and your horse. Alternatively, you can use your warm-up at the walk as a mindful beginning. As you walk around the ring, take a trip through your senses; go through each one and take note of what you are experiencing.
Mindful riding will most certainly improve your focus and reduce stress if practiced regularly, and will bring you an added benefit: gratitude for the experience of sharing time with your equine partner.
