Andrea Monsarrat Waldo - Brain Training for Riders: Unlock Your Riding Potential with StressLess Techniques for Conquering Fear, Improving Performance, and Finding Focused Calm

BRAIN TRAINING
for Riders

BRAIN TRAINING
for Riders

Unlock Your Riding Potential

with StressLess Techniques for

Conquering Fear, Improving Performance,

and Finding Focused Calm

ANDREA MONSARRAT WALDO

First published in 2016 by

Trafalgar Square Books

North Pomfret, Vermont 05053

Copyright 2016 Andrea Monsarrat Waldo

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer quoting brief excerpts for a review in a magazine, newspaper, or website.

Disclaimer of Liability

The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. While the book is as accurate as the author can make it, there may be errors, omissions, and inaccuracies.

Trafalgar Square Books encourages the use of approved safety helmets in all equestrian sports and activities.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Waldo, Andrea, author.

Title: Brain training for riders : unlock your riding potential with stressless techniques for conquering fear, improving performance, and finding focused calm / Andrea Monsarrat Waldo, MS.

Description: North Pomfret, Vermont : Trafalgar Square Books, 2016. | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016024647 (print) | LCCN 2016031886 (ebook) | ISBN 9781570767517 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781570768163 (Kindle) | ISBN 9781570768170 (Epub)

Subjects: LCSH: Horsemanship--Psychological aspects.

Classification: LCC SF309 .W226 2016 (print) | LCC SF309 (ebook) | DDC 798.2--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016024647

Book design by Lauryl Eddlemon

Cover design by RM Didier

Main cover photo by Allan Ajifo/Flickr (aboutmodafinil.com) https://creativecommons.org licenses/by/2.0/legalcode; top front left by Jerry ONeill; top front right and bottom from Rookie Reiner and used by permission of the publisher; front middle courtesy of Andrea Monsarrat Waldo; back cover by Giuliana Robertson.

Index by Andrea Jones (jonesliteraryservices.com)

Typefaces: Trade Gothic, Calibri

Printed in Canada

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

In memory of my grandmother,

Peggy Monsarrat, who gave me the gift

of horses when I was six years old,

And to my husband, Eric Waldo,

for understanding that I need to ride

as much as I need to breathe.

It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes an entire communion of angels and saints to raise a horsewoman, especially one who decides to write a book on top of everything else.

To my husband, Eric, thank you for, welleverything. Thank you for your wisdom, your humor, your patience with being asked 17 variations of the same question, and most of all for your ability to be the sane, stable one in this relationship. I love you.

To my siblingsmy brothers Sean and Alexei, and my sister-in-law Amythank you for taking this project seriously from day one, even before I did. Your unfailing enthusiasm, along with ruthless editing of the proposal and early drafts, were invaluable. The random Monty Python quotes, Marvin the Martian videos, and 80s movie references helped too.

Thanks to my mom, Dorothy Monsarrat, for giving me what no one ever gave her: the assurance that I could do anything in this world that I wanted to do. Even horses.

To Sean Coppinger, the family I chose: thanks for 31 years of friendship. You make me remember who I am when I lose my way.

To the other two members of the Triple Combination, Chris Armstrong and Mary Brust: no words. Thank you just doesnt begin to cover it. I cant fathom walking through so much fire, or laughing so hard, with anyone else.

Thank you to my wonderful students and clients, especially those of you who allowed me to share your stories in these pages. This book wouldnt exist without you. Its horribly clich to say it, but I have learned more from all of you than I have ever taught. Ive also laughed harder and longer every day than most people get to do in a year. Thank you all for sharing your real selves with me: the good, the bad, the pretty, the ugly, and the completely hilarious. Your courage astonishes me every single day. I have the best job in the world.

Thanks to Rebecca Didier, Caroline Robbins, Martha Cook, Lila Gendal, and the team at Trafalgar Square Books. You made the process of writing a book feel deceptively smooth, and only mildly terrifying.

Finally, my thanks go to the many horses that have come into my life. You give me great happiness, humility, and sometimes peace; you always challenge me to become more than I am; and you make my life whole.

August days dont come any more perfect than this one: warm but not hot, clear skies, a slight breeze. I walked up to the fourth jump on my cross-country course, a green table that looked like it could seat Harry Potters giant friend Hagrid and his entire family for Thanksgiving dinner. There were four normal-sized people stretched out across the top of it, chatting happily.

I swallowedactually, it was more of a gulp. Id been stressing out about this jump for an entire year, ever since it had debuted on last years course when I had started to contemplate a move up to this level. It hadnt gotten any smaller.

I looked at my coach. Normal people dont do this. Normal people bake cookies on the weekends.

He just grinned at me. Or they go to the beach, he suggested helpfully.

The beach sounds great. Lets go to the beach. I wasnt entirely sure I was kidding.

Just ride forward and come in straight and strong. It will ride fine. I wondered briefly if I still even owned a bathing suit.

The next day, my Thoroughbred, Chauncy, hopped over the table as if he barely needed to pick up his feet. Oh, its going to be a good day, I thought, and pressed on to the next jump. When I crossed the finish line, I was wearing a smile that lasted for the next four days.

I still get a thrill in my chest whenever I think about that day. Nothing in my life compares to the thrill of finishing a challenging cross-country ride, whether its an imposing course on my upper-level event horse or taking a green youngster around his first baby novice. And yet, when I walk my next course or ride around the dressage ring waiting to start my test, my stomach will still flip over. Ill still wake up on a competition morning, fantasizing about going to the beach instead of facing the stress of the day ahead. The stories in my head start spinning: What if were not ready? What if I fall off? What if Im not good enough? What if I dont belong at this level? Who do I think I am, anyway?