PERFORM WELL PART 1:
think well & move well
Ever wondered how top riders maintain their mental wellbeing and how it might help you? Leonie Lightfoot and Jane Holden, from British Equestrian’s Perform Well programme, reveal all
Our experts
Leonie Lightfoot is a BASES (British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences) accredited sport scientist and has a Masters degree in sports psychology. She’s been helping athletes on British Equestrian’s World Class Programme since 2016.
Jane Holden is Performance Lifestyle Coach for the World Class Programme and is currently completing a PhD researching athlete lifestyle. She previously worked with England Hockey as a physiologist and is also a trained yoga instructor.
Just like your physical health, your mental health changes over time. If it starts to dip, it can affect your ability to cope with the normal stresses of daily life – running late for work, your horse ripping his new rug, or not having enough milk for that much-needed cup of tea. Sometimes the need to invest some time and energy in your wellbeing only becomes obvious when you overreact to one of those small incidents.
Taking measures to maintain your mental wellbeing – with a contingency plan if you find you’re struggling – will have a huge impact on your ability to perform, whether you’re riding at home or competing at the Olympic Games. Here are a few simple techniques designed to help calm a busy mind, nip negativity in the bud and keep you happy in the saddle and other areas of your life, too.
Photos: Jon Stroud, FunKey Factory/Shutterstock.com. With thanks to British Equestrian for their help with this feature, visit britishequestrian.org.uk