Royal Tournament Round Up!
We've been quite quiet recently on the old blogging. But fear not, as we've been out and about competing and what a week's it's been.
My only sporting goal that I set out for this year was to get back into the saddle, and at some stage, head out to compete (anywhere). Simple enough, right? 🤔 This week I've been given the privilege by the Royal Artillery Saddle Club at Larkhill to ride one of their hunters-turning- eventers, Geoff (great name I know) at the highlight of the military equestrian calendar The Royal Tournament. Coming from a life of hunting, I knew he was going to be fun...and nappy!. Not being properly in the saddle since September 2017, with my last competition in France, I expected to be barrelled over with being overwhelmed at the derby styled competition! This was exasibated with the fact I hadn't ridden Geoff before, but as they say "hey ho, let's crack on". I soon found out what my skill fade was to be!
Taking myself back to basics, and rightly so, I had been entered in the 85cm and 95cm classes. This was a great opportunity as I allowed myself to get to know Geoff and use this competition as a springboard to jump from (excuse the pun). I noticed that from all of my Sports Psychology I have been pursuing this last year that I excelled in my Psychological Skills Training. Using methods such as visualisation of my course as I felt I was going to ride it, ascertaining 'the zone' controlling my controllables; for the first time, I had no thoughts of "what if he runs out?" or "what will the audience thing of me?".. in other words I really did practice what I preached!
Now here is where the physical element hit me, not riding for such a while has it's impact, we came to fense ten, a double with an oxer for he first element and an upright fo the second. I wasn't comitted this was reflected, we jumped scew-wiff, my shoulder was forward and o was in the light seat just after landing.. he napped and I went out the left side window, hitting my lower back upon the hard ground. Totally rider error! As the adrenaline wore off and the immovable stiffness pain kicked in, I thought to myself "oh bugger, this just isn't cricket!". Yet determination prevailed and we carried on to the next class! The next class came and went, the same fence I had trouble, I realised it's my Psychology which stopped me, I had already created an association of the fence and falling, I focused too much on that fence that I had 'paralysis by analysis'. We stopped, I had a refusal a the second element, part of my brain, the irrational chimp said "withdraw, you're not with it, what were you thinking you could do this?". I realised that this was my defense mechanism and I wasn't about to let it get me.
My Chimp "Philip" as I call him tried to take advantage, at this point I locked him away and said under my own breath " you will do this Dan, that is Philip talking". I took a step back, relaxed my shoulders, took a deep breath and carried on, from here we went on the have a clear round and some big pings by Geoff. In the end I had 8 faults with 2 time penalties Reflection is a great tool that we use in Psychology. Anything you do you can reflect on, picking up the laundry or shopping, taking the bins out, traveling to work, getting a workload done or how you play in sport, you reflect upon all these things. Such relfections can be as simple as " how could I have improved upon that" to complex " what, how, when, why and how can I improve and to what consequences". That evening I reflected on what I could have done differently, my answer was to made sure I was back inthe saddle and prepared, therefore I was preventing the preventable! It's a great tool once you start using it. You should definitely give it a try!
Coming away from th competition, Ihad already set out my goals, from here on in I set out my gold standard performance, not gold medal 🏅. Representing the Queens Own Yeomanry and riding a Royal Artillery horse, I felt great pride (and very little stress) in taking part. I'm certainly looking forward to getting fully back into the saddle and returning to the game!
