How staying away from the mobile phone increases focus in riding
Christine from work left you a voice message, Steve sent a message about changing your daughter’s piano lesson time, your brother sent an email about Saturday night dinner, and Alice commented on your new profile picture on Facebook.
But you know nothing about any of these because you are with your horse, and your phone is the furthest thing from your mind (turned off, in the car, in the equipment trunk, or on airplane mode, or at home).
Congratulations!
You have successfully navigated a major challenge to maintaining focus on your horse and riding in this day and age.
Does this really sound like you?
Or were some of those calls, messages, or posts able to reach you and scramble your mind while preparing and divide your focus at the start of the lesson?
When working with horses, it is very important to be mindful and focused so that you stay safe, make progress, and build a more meaningful relationship with your horse.
Here, I share an inspiring story of a rider who successfully put her phone aside while riding and competing, and I offer practical methods to help control phone use time in the stable.
Taylor St Jacques’s no-phone strategy paid off In 2017, the young hunter and equitation star, Taylor St Jacques, achieved a major success at Devon Horse Show by winning four divisions—the ASPCA Maclay, USEF Medal, WIHS, and USET Talent Search—and also earning the prestigious Ronnie Mutch Championship title.
Obviously, many factors contribute to such a championship performance, such as exceptional talent, a great horse, and top-level training.
But for Devon, Taylor added a new element to her preparation program.
Her strategy was part of her trainer Andre Dignelli and her mother’s request to reduce distractions and help her maintain greater focus throughout the competition.
After winning all four of her divisions at Devon Horse Show this spring, Taylor St Jacques went on to claim the overall 3-foot-6-inch champion title at the USEF Young Hunter National Championships East this summer.
©ESI Photography She said: “My daily routine was to arrive at the showgrounds around 4:30 a.m. and be ready by 5 or 5:30.
As soon as I arrived, I would put my phone at the bottom of the equipment trunk and put things on top of it so I would never be tempted to reach for it.
I didn’t touch it until I was heading to my car to leave the show.
” Taylor was thrilled by how much this helped her focus.
She said: “I wasn’t worried about what was going on on my phone, who to talk to, social media, and all that.
Usually I don’t care that much about focus because I think, ‘Maybe my trainer wants to call me’ and things like that, but Devon is such a small venue that everyone knows how to communicate with each other.
I really have never been this focused in my life.
I had nothing to distract me.
This was the first time I did this, and clearly it paid off.
” Taylor noted that she will definitely use this strategy in the future as well.
She kept her promise and once again used her no-phone routine to win the 2017 Hunterdon Cup and be recognized as the overall 3-foot-6-inch champion at the USEF Junior Hunter National Championships East.
The best ways to manage your phone in the stable may be that your phone distracts you in the stable without you noticing and reduces your quality energy.
For example, you are getting your horse ready and your phone announces a text message.
You look down and your attention is immediately drawn to another aspect of your life—you momentarily forget how important it is to be aware of your horse and your surroundings.
Without you even noticing, your phone can easily distract you and reduce the quality energy you experience with your horse.
In the stable, it is important to be present and stay focused so you can stay safe, make progress, and build a more meaningful relationship with your horse.
©Alana Harrison If you want to make a positive change, here are some fresh ideas for controlling phone use in the stable: 1.
Creating a routine for the phone: putting your phone in your riding pants pocket is a routine.
This routine may not be conscious (or ideal), but it is a routine nonetheless.
So, if you want to control your phone use in the stable, it is helpful to create a new, realistic routine for your phone.
For example, can you get into the habit of leaving your phone in the car?
Or putting it in your tack box before greeting your horse?
Or, if you want to carry it for emergencies, turn off all notifications.
Commit to a specific period, such as one or two weeks, to test a different behavior pattern.
2.
Alternative solutions: Before using your mobile phone, think about alternative solutions for some of its functions so that you have more control over it.
For example, do you need to time your training sessions?
Use a wristwatch.
Worried about missing an important call?
Record a special voicemail or set up an automatic reply for text messages.
Want to take photos or videos?
Set a specific time and place for this, or get help from friends who are not riding at that time.
3.
Following up on conversations: When you are in the middle of email or text conversations, you may feel like you have unfinished business and need a way to disconnect effectively.
By writing down the names of contacts and the details that need to be passed on, using pen and paper or a whiteboard in your tack box, it helps you step out of the flow of communication without losing your place.
When you are sure that you will not forget an important response or message, you will feel calmer and more focused and can step away from your phone.
To control mobile phone use in the stable, create a new, realistic plan for using your phone.
For example, can you get into the habit of leaving your phone in the car or putting it in the equipment box before greeting your horse?
Or, if you want to carry it with you for emergencies, turn off all notifications.
©Amy K.
Dragoo 4.
Managing social media habits: The thing is that social media is a fun way to connect with friends, but when it comes time to get ready for riding, they have potential drawbacks.
When you are looking for focus, the last thing you want is to be distracted from the present moment, compare yourself with others, or passively scroll through edited life stories.
When you go to the stable, you can avoid the temptation to scroll through feeds by taking a few simple steps, including turning off notifications, deleting apps for the morning (or the day or the weekend at a show) and/or putting your phone on airplane mode if you need to have it with you.
The key point is that your phone creates tremendous opportunities to simplify daily tasks and increase your efficiency in today’s world.
However, make no mistake, riding and connecting with your horse are not on this list.
When it threatens your mental focus and calm, it becomes a threat that requires careful management.
In the coming weeks, pay especially close attention to how you integrate your phone into your riding schedule — your horse will appreciate your undivided attention!
About Tonya Johnston, MA Tonya Johnston, a mental skills coach in riding and an A-Circuit competitor, holds a master’s degree in sports psychology and is the author of Inside Your Ride: Mental Skills for Being Happy and Successful With Your Horse.
For more information about her, click here.
This article was originally published in the November 2017 issue of Practical Horseman magazine.
Source: Practical Horseman – Health