Ideas to calm nerves?

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budley95

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I'm the world's worst when it comes to nerves for shows. As in I will be physically sick the night before and of a morning on the day of a competition. I've tried the whole meditation, relaxation techniques, rescue remedy and l-theanine etc.

Horse is a superstar though and puts up with my nerves and goes to sleep in between his classes, wakes up to do his job calmly and goes back to sleep. My instructor (uncle) bullied me into joining the RC he's the trainer for this year, as he wanted us for teams. Went out competing for the first time in 18 months 2 weeks ago. Horse came 8th out of 70 due to 2 time faults in the 95cm, probably from us skidding on grass where he doesn't wear shoes so didn't have studs in.

I managed to avoid doing the competition this weekend and said I'd be a helper instead. But somehow or other I've ended up being put in the teams for the 1.05cm for Hickstead in August. I've been put there as they think 95cm is below horse's capabilities (he pops round a 1.20m/1.30m course for fun at home and does the same at local clear rounds we hack too and will do a 1.50m single jump with me at home), they were also a person short for this...

I'm already panicking, not sleeping, worrying he's not got the right food, the right tack, I've not got the capability, he's not got the capability, he's going to get silly there, I'm going to get hurt, he's going to get hurt and so on and so forth. I know that none of that is true. Uncle and chairman wouldn't have put us in the class if they didn't think we were capable. I wouldn't be getting told to get on with it if they had any doubts. But I'm still worrying and being a wuss.

Any ideas to help me relax already? My OH thought it would be hilarious to get me pants with "brave pants" written all over them, but I don't think they're going to cut it with the nerves this time!
 
I get nervous too, but my worries are more along the lines of .. will he load ok ? Will I get lost/arrive on time etc. Once I'm at the event it all seems to calm down. Have you tried writng down what you are worrying about, read it back to yourself & work out what the solution is to each issue. Be confident that you would not be on the team if you & your horse were not capable.
Good Luck!

PS Rescue remedy too!!
 
I went to the doctor and got some propananol. Not sure if it is phycological but helps. I also force myself to smile, and watch a few vids of my good rounds and visualise a lovely round which puts me at ease a bit. I have to really fight with myself in my head or I can get ridiculous about everything from the loading, to the travelling to the actual jumping! Much better now
 
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googol said:
I went to the doctor and got some propananol. Not sure if it is phycological but helps. I also force myself to smile, and watch a few vids of my good rounds and visualise a lovely round which puts me at ease a bit. I have to really fight with myself in my head or I can get ridiculous about everything from the loading, to the travelling to the actual jumping! Much better now
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The doctor just prescribed Proprananol like that??? I am really confused as this is a strong drug and usually given to those who have heart conditions, high blood pressure, or migraines. It is also under one of the FEI banned substances so if you are competing BSJA then you need to be aware that there could be repercussions.

I used to be prescribed it for bad migraines, and went on a course for either three or six months (fifteen years ago now) and found it really calmed me down. I used to wear a 'medic alert' bracelet saying I was on it, and not realising at the time I was competing BSJA that it was against the rules! When I eventually got round to reading the rule book I realised.

A few years ago I went to see a cognitive behavioural specialist and that really helped with my comp nerves.
 
applecart14 said:
The doctor just prescribed Proprananol like that??? I am really confused as this is a strong drug and usually given to those who have heart conditions, high blood pressure, or migraines. It is also under one of the FEI banned substances so if you are competing BSJA then you need to be aware that there could be repercussions.
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Yes, prescribed it easily. Can't see it doing any damage when I only take 1 every few months. And that's what another doctor said when I went to get a renewed prescription. Don't worry, I don't do any affiliated competition, if I did I would not take it. I have a paramedic friend who takes it when she gets a headache, she was also very relaxed about it
 
You say the show is in August, why don't you go out and jump some classes before the big day, lots of places do clear round days with good course builders, if you have already jumped the height in public before Hickstead you will feel a lot more confident.
 
I'm going to come from a different angle here...but isn't riding supposed to be fun?

A lot of people get nervous but there comes a point when the nerves become detrimental. Do you actually enjoy competing in spite of the nerves, because if not why do it?

I get nervous before dressage. I normally forget about it from the time of entering to the competition date. Then it's normally when I'm calling for times that I get this likttle stomach flutter. Then on the day I get nervous while warming up but I still enjoy doing it and the feeling of competing out-weighs the feeling of nerves.
 
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