by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in Eventing USA, February 2010

The field of sport psychology is thought of in a variety of ways by the general public. One commonly held idea is that it assists those who “Strive for Excellence”. This attracts people who look high and low for any advantage or new skill to help them succeed. There is also the opinion that sport psychology means “Consistent Preparation/Consistent Performance” which highlights all of the ways to ready yourself for riding in order to perform well. In addition, and perhaps most often referred to, is the “Help, I Have a Problem!” model that consultants deal with frequently. This involves using sport psychology techniques with a rider to help them fix a specific problem.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in The Plaid Horse January/February 2010

There you are, at the bottom of the list to come back for round two, or last to enter the ring for the work-off. What does that mean? In a millisecond it registers in your mind (and the butterflies start chaos your stomach): you’re on top.  Fantastic! Exactly where you wanted to be, right? Or is it?

“It’s more difficult to stay on top than to get there.” - Mia Hamm

Being in the top spot is a challenge unto itself for a lot of riders, but why? Isn’t it what you worked so hard to achieve? To be sure, coming back under pressure and nailing it for the win takes mental discipline, focus and strength. Here are some useful suggestions for ways to help make that happen.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in Showbiz Magazine January/February 2010

You ride beautifully at home, even in group lessons with people watching and waiting their turn - so why is it that the horseshow spectators can feel so different?

While it is true that the ‘Audience Effect’ can help some riders focus more, and perform better, there are those riders for whom it creates nothing but worry and concern. Which type of rider are you? Would you like some ideas to make riding in front of people at a show a consistently positive experience?

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by Kelly Sanchez
Appeared in The Equestrian News June/July 2010

Watching Olympians Beezie Madden or Steffen Peters as they put their horses through their paces, it’s tempting to imagine that they were simply born great. These riders work hard, to be sure, but through some happy accident the must have been blessed with the raw talent to launch themselves into the stratosphere of the sport.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in The Plaid Horse, January 2010

Imagine yourself going through your daily routine at the barn or a horse show and then ask yourself this question: What inspires you? What brings you joy, helps you work hard toward your goals, and reminds you how much you enjoy riding a horse? Is it a nice hack through the country? Succeeding in a hard exercise during a lesson? Watching a rider you admire look elegant mastering a difficult course at a horse show? Finding the moments and experiences that inspire you to ride and compete is an important and on-going process. It’s what gets you revved up, excited to try again when times are tough, and gives you hope that you are progressing down the road toward becoming the best rider you can be.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in The Plaid Horse, March 2010

It’s a dark night outside, and you are bundled into your hotel. Tomorrow you have to be at the show grounds at ____ (early!!). Your most important class goes first, and you are hoping you feel prepared and ready to go when you enter the ring. Your horse has been schooling well at home, your trainer is happy, and you are riding effectively and confidently. So why is it that you are sitting in your hotel room biting your nails, feeling tired and slightly queasy? And, more importantly, what could you be doing instead?
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by Tonya Johnston, MA
appeared Eventing USA,  July/August 2008

OK, let’s not pretend. Famous or not, international or local - it has happened to all of us. You know it, I know it, your friends, family and trainers know it. (Heck, it has even happened to many of those same trainers at some point in their riding careers!) What are we referring to? The dreaded competition moment, “Oh dear, not now - is this really happening? I absolutely, positively have no fathomable idea where to go next.”

At this point most of us have either pulled up, jumped something at random that looked inviting, or circled until a jolt of inspiration hit us like a meteor from outer space. In addition, feelings of shock, mortification, sadness and the-floor-just-dropped-out-beneath-you often ensued. Is this normal? Yes. But if it happens to you more than once in a (very) blue moon, then the strategies and tips provided here will assist you in making it a thing of the past once and for all. (Frankly, even a fear of losing your way can inhibit your riding skills. Better safe than sorry, right? Read on.)

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
appeared in The Plaid Horse, September 2009

You jump the last fence in your course and make your closing circle. As the applause dies down (yes, there was lots of whooping and clapping) you exit the ring giving your horse a pat on the neck. What happens next? Obviously the five minutes after you come out of the ring are very much driven by your trainer, but, like many things in riding, there are a lot of opportunities to support, encourage and teach yourself as well.

As your trainer debriefs the course with you, you are also reviewing your effort. If you have another round right away this process will of course differ slightly than if you do not. Either way, there are strategies you can employ to cement the good things and lock in the lessons that you would like to embrace in the future. We discussed your pre-ride routine for the back gate in Part 1; now we will look at some ideas that can be a consistent part of your post-ride routine in Part 2.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in Eventing USA September/October 2009

People’s knowledge about the field of sport psychology and specific performance enhancement techniques can vary quite a bit. This breadth of information can range from the basics (”What is positive self talk?”), to the more subtle benefits (”Can breathing techniques energize me?”). In the interest of promoting education about sport psychology, my column for this issue will be a small quiz. To play along: take a folded piece paper to help you read each question slowly, decide if you think it is a true or false statement, check yourself and then read the explanation. How do you think you will do? There is no need to keep score - this game (as with many things in life) is about the process, not the outcome.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
appeared in Eventing USA Magazine, July/August 2009

What do you think you can accomplish on a horse? Do you believe you can be calm and focused in your stadium round next week? Are you going to get strong enough to sit your horse’s trot for more than three laps of the arena? Do you think you will be successful at the next level?

What you believe about yourself, your abilities, your horses and the world at large play a large part in creating your experiences. Although these beliefs exist at a deep level, and are thus sometimes hard to identify and adjust, it is important to take stock periodically to ensure they are 100% helpful to you.

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