Competition Anxiety with Tanja Mitton

This article is from the January 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

I meet so many riders who suffer from competition anxiety because they put simply too much pressure on themselves. I am often asked how I can help and my answer is “you need to get perspective.”

Okay so let’s explore this topic a bit more. Perspective is a point of view, which means we interpret the situation from our standpoint at that particular time. That standpoint varies depending on what else is going on in our life at that time and if we have greater challenges or not.

People often crave stress and drama; too much happiness is apparently not a good thing. If you have a good job, enough money to put food on the table, loved ones around you who care for you and a roof over your head you are far more likely to create stress and discomfort for yourself in the trivial situations compared to someone who struggles to survive. Our perspective is a product of our situation and our environment. The better life we have the more stressed we become over nothing.

Coming back to competition anxiety, let’s have a look at what is really at stake. For most riders competing is a hobby not their livelihood. However, the pressures we put on ourselves can be compared with the fear of losing not only a ribbon but also our whole existence. The fears are often so great that they become paralysing. We have to ask at this point, what is the fear? What are we so fearful of losing?

Is it our reputation, our esteem? Is there a fear of failure, of not being good enough.

It is important to look closer. The truth is you already have achieved so much in your life, riding and all. You are good enough. And anyway, unless you believe you are good enough, no one else can tell you anyway. How many competitions have you won, how many placings have you had, and why do you still feel like it is not enough and you have to put the pressure on yourself?

Perspective is when we can compare the real tragic experiences with the ones that in the bigger picture take a less important seat. How would you feel if a loved one would be diagnosed with a life threatening illness, or your business would go bankrupt? How would you deal with life if it would take a turn? Would your competition riding still be your number one priority and would you put the same amount of stress on yourself? Or would you go back to wanting to enjoy your riding, see it as a downtime for yourself, a time to relax?

I ask you, how do you think your riding would change, and how would your horse respond? If your answer is “better” then let me ask you something. Do you have to wait for a life changing tragedy to occur or can you make the mindset change without it?

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for ambition and competitiveness, but if it comes with the cost of your health and your wellbeing then we need to make a change. Let’s focus on becoming more grounded and relaxed in order to compete with better outcomes.

Before you get on your horse, reflect. Ask yourself:
What am I grateful for?
What have I already achieved?
How far have I come?
What is the worst thing that could happen if I make a mistake?
How is my life going to change as a consequence?

Check if your answers are realistic or if you have created drama.

Then take a big breath out and enjoy your ride.

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