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

In the ideal world you are always confident, focused and positive right before you go in the ring. However, most of us live a world with a bit more variety. Some days are terrific, some not-so-good. How about you? Have you ever found yourself at the back-gate wondering when the butterflies in your stomach would stop doing jumping jacks? Preoccupied with worry about being in the top four so you could be champion? Or perhaps you have been busy noticing who was on the rail to watch your trip? If any of these sound familiar (or if you could write your own list of similar off-track concerns) you may be interested in some suggestions on how to effectively and consistently utilize those last moments before you walk into the ring.

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

My last article on communication focused on the way you communicate with yourself. The goal was to help explore your core beliefs, your self talk, the use of affirmations, and changing negative messages into positive and productive ones. So, have you paid more attention to your self talk in last couple of months? Have you observed your self talk influencing your behavior and performance? Awareness is the key; the more aware you are of the messages you are sending yourself, the more productive you will be at keeping your mindset on track.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
appeared in Eventing Magazine September/October 2008

Think back to the best clinics you have ever attended. (If you have never gone to a clinic, try to recall terrific lessons from your past.) What memories stand out from those experiences? Why did you have such a good time? As you reflect, notice what skills you utilized in order to do so well. I’ll wager that your best outings happened not only when you were with a great clinician, but your attitude and focus were both on point as well.

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in Showbiz Magazine, May/June 2009

It’s safe to say that getting a junior rider to the ring is a team effort that includes a lot of parental support. Whether it is emotional support, organization, time management, transportation, financial backing - or a big mix of all of these factors, most juniors owe a big debt of gratitude to their parents for making their competitive lives workable and successful. Now, does that mean that the team cohesion between parent and child is perfect and the team runs like a Swiss watch? Perhaps, but it is also possible that the parent-child relationship as it relates to horse shows could benefit from a small tune-up now and then.

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By Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in The Plaid Horse, May 2009

Chipped so hard to the first jump it made the earth move? Rode around the warm-up ring for 20 minutes with a mane comb stuck in your horse’s tail? Forgot the halt after the trot jump in the work-off after going in on top? We’ve all been there - well, maybe not to exactly the same places - but certainly every rider has their own list of forgettable moments; if only we could forget them! Why do they seem to stick like glue to our memory banks? Why do they insidiously creep into our thoughts at the most inopportune times?

Letting go of these types of ‘oops’ moments after they have occurred is important. Like the hard drive on a computer, our brains only have so much space in which to be productive. When these unproductive memories start to clog the memory bank and negatively affect our core beliefs (e.g. “I always mess up to the first fence.”) we begin to severely limit our performance potential. So, how can you let go of these moments once and for all? Read on. read more »

By Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in Eventing USA, January/February 2009

If I had a dollar for every time one of my clients told me how much they hate the warm-up ring, I would be writing this article while floating in my infinity pool that overlooks the ocean on my ranch in Northern California. read more »

by Tonya Johnston
Appeared in Eventing USA March/April 2009

Have you ever felt wildly misunderstood by your ______ (horse, trainer, or friend)? Have you ever been too hard on yourself? Have you ever reflected on your communication skills and wished you could do better? In riding there are two things that are essential in communicating effectively: sharing your thoughts clearly and saying things that serve you as a rider. When you communicate well you are easily understood and your messages support your efforts to be an excellent horseperson.
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By Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in The Plaid Horse January/February 2009

Can you remember when you first did a full jumper division, including the Sunday classic? Or your initial outing in the open equitation division? What about your debut in the short stirrup hunters? Many of these first times are memorable not only for the accomplishments they represent, but for the determination and perseverance you utilized in order to get there. You set your sights on doing something new, gathered up your courage, and went for it!

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by Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in Showbiz January/February 2009

Riders of all ages and abilities share something that helps them strive for excellence in the ring: good old fashioned competitive fire. Passion to succeed will vary widely by person, but the ability to harness it, for every rider, is one of the most important things a rider can learn.
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By Tonya Johnston, MA
Appeared in The Plaid Horse October 2008

Horse shows are always challenging, but some carry more weight for us than others. Let’s face it; a local A-show will not have the same impact as a medal final you have never been to or your first time at indoors, right? Happy feelings of excitement and enthusiasm can often morph unexpectedly into their negative counterpart: pressure.  This shift can come from our own desire to excel, from the high energy environment, expectations from those around us - a vast array of places. The most important thing to be aware of is that pressure, if not addressed, can have negative and potentially debilitating effects on our focus and performance.
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