Building mental representations
Q, What differentiates a novice rider from an elite rider A, Their mental representations. What’s your mental representation for example of a canter transition? When you picture what a canter transition looks like in your head what does it look like? What can you see,...
Schooling with perceptual positions
Schooling with Perceptual Positions One of the NLP coaching techniques that I think can provide a great insight for riders is perceptual positions. Perceptual positions is the process of viewing a situation from three different viewpoints. These being, first position...
Should riders describe themselves as athletes?
As part of my psychology degree I am spending this academic year studying sport psychology. As an equestrian coach and rider it’s a subject that for me has huge relevance. But all this talk of working with athletes has got me thinking, how many riders would describe...
The limitations of positive thinking
The riders I work with are often a little surprised when I say they need to look beyond thinking positively. Surely as an NLP practitioner I should encourage riders to only visualise the perfect scenario with the most desirable outcome. And yes, sometimes that’s great...
The ideomotor effect and how it can impact your riding
I remember as a teenager owning what is known as a dowsing crystal, a small pointed crystal on the end of a silver chain. I would hold the top of the chain and let the crystal hang down keeping my hand very still and steady, I would then stare at it intensely while...
Welcome
Welcome to my blog focusing on all aspects of equestrian life