How to Move up a Level by Managing Your Mindset

When it comes to dressage, skill and technique are vital. However, one aspect often overlooked is mindset. A positive and focused mental state can greatly enhance your performance in the arena. Many riders struggle with anxiety, mental blocks, or low confidence, which can impact their rides. In this blog post, we will explore practical strategies for moving up a level by mastering your mental approach.

Understanding the Importance of Mindset in Dressage

Mindset is critical in any sport, and dressage is no different. A positive or open mindset can be the difference between a perfect ride and a disappointing one. Research shows that athletes with a strong mental focus feel they perform 20% better. Your thoughts directly affect your focus, motivation, and overall execution. Embracing a growth mindset—believing you can improve through effort—sets the tone for both training and competitions.

Setting Clear Goals

To manage your mindset effectively, start by setting clear and achievable goals. Instead of general result-focused goals like "I want to improve my dressage score," create specific objectives that also focus on the process - how you get to the outcome. For example, aim to "get a smooth canter transition by the end of the month." - define what smoother is, and what it might look or feel like. Specific goals provide clarity and a roadmap for tracking your progress.

Break larger goals into smaller, manageable milestones. Celebrate these achievements to boost your confidence. For instance, if your broader goal is to compete at a higher level this year, outline the skills needed, the training sessions scheduled, and the competitions you plan to enter leading up to your main event.

Understand the training cycle

Understanding where you are in the training cycle can be hugely beneficial in deciding when to start learning some new movements. If we can start to build in the harder movements in your training, then it's not such a shock for you or the horse when moving up a level! This would allow you to bridge the gap between levels, improve the lower-level work whilst also learning about the harder stuff!

Training isn't always linear, and we need to consider that horses may need time to build strength, we may need time to build understanding, so why not do this without the pressure of competing!?

A reminder of how it might work:

👉Training to learn - often our happiest place in training, it’s when you are learning something new, or starting to move up a level, and it’s all exciting.

👉Training Ugly - You now have an idea of what you want, and how you would like it to be, but you feel like you're struggling to connect the dots, you get fleeting moments of stuff you like, but it's far from consistent.

👉Training to Compete - This is where things are slowly starting to come together - this does not mean it is perfect yet, but you know what you want, how to get it, and have an idea of how to deal with it when it's not quite going to plan, however its very much still a conscious act.

👉Training to Perform – Peak performance, now not just going through the options, you are training to do it to the best of your ability. You can ride BOTH the test and the horse at the same time.

However, as riders, we can get hung up on trying to master one level that we can forget that we will at some point need to be vulnerable when we are learning or in the 'ugly' stage. We need to make mistakes to learn from them! So we should consider that it is possible to be at 2 different parts of this cycle if we want to move up a level.

It makes sense that when you first start at a level, you may need to start working on those harder movements before you have gotten really good at the lower-level movements, just because it takes time to build strength and confidence in them. So, consider this if you are working in training to compete or training to perform, it would be ok to start to think about training to learn or training ugly through some of those harder movements.

Building a Support Network

Surrounding yourself with a supportive community can greatly influence your mindset. Connect with fellow riders, trainers, or online groups that foster positive conversations about dressage. Share experiences, challenges, and successes to create a sense of belonging.

Don't hesitate to seek guidance from your trainer for encouragement or confidence coaching. An experienced mentor can offer priceless insights into managing your mindset and navigating obstacles. Agree a plan with your coach and discuss what is a suitable and realistic time frame for training at the new level at home vs competition.

This would allow you to take small steps to build confidence and strength whilst setting yourself up for success.

Make sure that your team of physio, saddlers, farriers, and vet also know your goals, it can seem strange, but if they know where you want to go, they can also help guide you within their professional remit.

Learning from Setbacks

Setbacks are a natural part of any riding journey. Rather than viewing them as failures, see them as chances to grow. Analyse what went wrong and identify areas for improvement instead of getting discouraged. For example, if you struggle in a specific movement, take time to reflect on it, practice it, and even seek feedback from your coach.

This mindset shift empowers you to learn from mistakes. Keeping a riding journal to document experiences—both triumphs and challenges—can provide insights over time. Regularly reviewing your entries allows you to maintain a balanced and constructive perspective.

It's important to remember you can only control your mind and your body – nothing else! Control the Controlables and only stretch the comfort zone by 10%. Have a go a putting the pressure practice at home i.e, videoing your test or doing a timed warm up, so you can practice this with less pressure than at a show.

Continuous Learning and Improvement

Adopting a mindset of continuous learning keeps you engaged and passionate about dressage. Attend clinics, workshops, and read materials from top riders and trainers. Embracing new techniques and perspectives can enhance your overall performance.

Constantly seeking knowledge prepares you to adapt to challenges and drives your desire to progress in the sport.

Final Thoughts

Mastering your mindset is crucial for elevating your dressage performance. By implementing clear goals, understanding the training cycle, building your support system, and managing your expectations, you can cultivate a strong and confident mental state on and off the horse. Build a supportive network and frame setbacks as valuable learning experiences to keep your passion for dressage alive.

Remember, every step of the journey contributes to your growth. With a focused and growth-oriented mindset, you will discover increased joy and fulfilment in your journey.