An Equestrian Coping With Self-Isolation

April 26, 2020 Ashley Ward

I don’t know about you, but self-isolation is really making me miss riding. If only we could fight the pandemic while still being able to ride. I guess my plans for competing this year have been cancelled. And yes, I do understand that there are bigger problems in the world right now, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not disappointed. I was looking forward to competing and riding this year. I finally felt like my mindset was starting to improve. Oh well.

I’m trying to be productive during this time. If I can’t train physically, at least I can train mentally. I’ve been absorbing various YouTube videos recently and studying other riders. I’ve been watching FEI’s re-live videos of past show jumping competitions and studying how riders approach the course. I’m trying to learn from others that are more advanced than me to gain new tools that I can use once I am allowed to ride again.

I’ve also really enjoyed watching clinics on YouTube. I have found, however, that I don’t always agree with what the clinicians are teaching. I’d recommend that you do your research and follow your gut. Find trainers that you respect and learn from them. One of the greatest benefits of watching clinics online is that you get access to information from people you may never get the chance to meet. To me, these resources are extremely valuable.

I enjoyed watching Richard Spooner’s clinics online. He is a rider that I’ve watched compete on TV for a long time. Hearing him explain how he approaches certain challenges was insightful. Especially how he views the flatwork. It has given me some new strategies that I can’t wait to try out when I’m back in the saddle. I’ll include one of the videos here. I think that there were 4 groups and the clinic lasted 3 days. So there’s plenty of videos to watch learn from.

Another great rider is Beezie Madden. For those of you who may not be aware, John Madden Sales Inc has its own YouTube channel. They give you a little behind the scenes look at how they operate their barns and train their horses. Recently, they have uploaded a few videos showing how Beezie likes to train her horses and how she teaches her students. It’s really insightful. Again, they’re giving you access to opportunities and information that the average rider probably wouldn’t have access to before. So why not take advantage of it?! I’ve included a video below of one of their uploads.

What surprised me after watching these videos is how much my confidence is growing. As someone who is extremely critical of themselves, watching others ride has helped me put things into perspective. Especially since I’ve been filming my lessons for a year now, I found myself watching the riders and noticing that I’m a little bit stronger in a certain exercise or that my position is a little better than theirs. Not that I was telling myself that I’m better or that they’re horrible riders, but it helped me realize that I’m not as inexperienced as I thought I was. Before this, I would watch others ride and compare them to what I thought I looked like. I used to criticize my riding by how it felt. I would beat myself up about it too and I would tell myself that I wasn’t good enough yet. Comparing these videos to my riding videos has given me the confidence to push myself further. It showed me that I can move up the levels because I’m a stronger rider than what I tell myself. This new confidence is something that I’m really curious to see how it improves my riding once we are officially out of self-isolation.

Other than spending many hours watching videos on YouTube, I’ve also been doing a little online window shopping. I’ve been eyeing various riding apparel and tack and adding them to my wishlist. If you only knew what I would buy if I had my own horse and money wasn’t an issue! There are many breeches that I’d love to own, boots that I’d like to try and saddle pads that I’d like to collect. I’d love to compare the same products from various brands and share my thoughts with you. I’d love to buy the list of browbands that I have my eye on. I’d love to order from brands that I’ve never seen in my tack shops and splurge on those luxury pieces that make me swoon. Needless to say, I’ve been equestrian daydreaming. Please tell me that I’m not the only one!

I’d love to know what you’re doing to cope with your horsey withdrawal. Are you working out to keep your fitness up? Are you studying to grow your equestrian knowledge? Or are you one of the lucky ones who can still visit and ride your horse? Let me know in the comments. Remember, we’re all in this together. And hopefully, we’ll be back to our equine friends very soon!

Until next time, happy riding!

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