Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
How to Use This Book 6
Part I Stressless Riding Fundamentals: Brain Basics or How to Train Your Inner Lizard 9
Chapter 1 Your Brain on Stress: Meet Your Inner Lizard 11
Why Do You Ride? 13
Why Do I Do That When I'm Nervous? 15
A Quick Tour of the Brain 15
It Works If You Do It 23
Chapter 2 Stress Less: Don't Let the Lizard Hold the Reins 25
Controlling Your Fight or Flight Response 25
Confidence Means Owning Your Abilities 36
Chapter 3 Watch Your Language! How Self-Talk Can Hurt or Help Your Riding 41
Negative Self-Talk: Are You Your Own Worst Critic? 41
Positive Self-Talk: These Aren't Your Grandmother's "Affirmations" 46
Brain Traps 49
Restructuring the Committee 64
Practice Anytime, Anywhere! 66
Part II Focus, Confidence, and StressLess Performance 67
Chapter 4 The Keys to Your Brain: Stressing Less in the Saddle 69
Focused Calm 69
Any Time, Any Place 84
Chapter 5 StressLess Practice: How to Get Better (At Anything) Faster 85
Practice Makes…Mistakes? 85
Comfortable… Discomfort? 92
Handy Survival Skills 98
Chapter 6 StressLess Showing: Competing with Confidence 105
Defining Success 106
The Plan: Your Road Map to Achievement 113
The Aftermath 128
Part III Battling the Big Demons 133
Chapter 7 Beyond Stressful: I Just Can't Get Over It 135
The Big One 136
Staging a Comeback 139
When You Just Can't Get Over it 152
Chapter 8 The Right Horse Brings Less Stress 155
Opening Pandora's Box 155
Good Times: The Exception or the Rule? 160
Eight Odd Couples 162
I'm Riding the Wrong Horse-Now What? 170
When It's Time to Move On 176
Part IV StressLess Techniques for Trainers 179
Chapter 9 Make the Brain Your Ally 181
Times Really Have Changed 182
Making Hard "Fun" 184
Know Thyself 185
Positive Teaching: What It Is, Why It Matters 187
The Not-So-Magnificent Seven 194
Be Willing to Let Go 206
Final Thoughts 207
References and Recommended Reading 209
Index 210