By Molly Sorge

Mind over matter, as the saying goes. It’s no secret that mental strategies play a key role in performing at one’s best. But it’s a lot harder to tell yourself, “Be positive,” and affect a change than it is to say to yourself, “Push your heels down,” and do it.

The author of Inside Your Ride, Tonya Johnston, is a mental skills coach who also competes in the adult equitation at AA-rated shows. She’s worked with riders of various disciplines, and her advice can be applied to any type of riding. read more…

Any successful equestrian will tell you that riding well is just as much of a mental exercise (if not more) than it is a physical one. This book approaches that aspect of riding, focusing on mental preparation, and using this insight to improve your skills.

The author gives many strategies for increasing a rider’s confidence, as we as improving his or her focus. The book takes a look at how a rider’s attitude can influence the outcome of each ride—both positively and negatively. The final chapter focuses on coming back from a setback, such as a fall or injury.

Bottom Line: It’s not enough to just be a passenger on a horse; learn how to get your head in the game as well. Rating: Five blue ribbons

By Traci Donatelli

It’s common for riders to spend time in the gym building physical fitness for greater proficiency in the saddle. Author Tonya Johnston, a lifelong hunter/jumper rider who is a mental skills coach, outlines a variety of sport psychology techniques designed to help equestrians build their mental facilities for the next horseback outing, whether it’s a hack through the woods or a competition on the A-circuit. read more…

The horse is sound, the rider is fit and ready for the ring. Or are they? Riding is a sport, and even the world’s top riders and the best horses have off days. No matter how physically prepared a rider is, if their mental skills are not on par they are not prepared to achieve their best results.

Tonya Johnston, MA, has spent two decades as a mental skills coach. As a rider herself, she applied her knowledge and experience while writing Inside Your Ride. Within the pages of her book you’ll learn helpful mental relaxation and focus practices such as stretching, breathing, visualization and more. Inside Your Ride also gives readers the rare opportunity to get inside the heads of top riders from across the country, as they reveal how they mentally prepare for big classes such as the Olympics and the World Cup Final.