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When Laura King began to study hypnosis almost 25 years ago, she had no idea that her passion for helping people and her love of horses and equestrian sports would one day come together. Today, her company is the world’s only supplier of a comprehensive self-hypnosis program designed to help equestrians of all levels and riding disciplines reach their goals.
| The 5 Keys to Winning for the Equestrian program is a series of five CD's or cassettes that allow riders to experience the benefits of hypnosis in the privacy and comfort of their homes. The series is designed to help any horseback rider to become more relaxed, fearless, confident, courageous, safe, and successful.
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| “Whatever your own personal challenges are, hypnosis can help. It can create change so easily and quickly that you will wish you had tried it long ago.” |
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“The underlying principle behind the 5 Keys to Winning series,” says King, “Is that the more relaxed and confident you are as a rider, the more you enjoy what you are doing. And the more you enjoy riding, the more successful you can be.”
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In the first session of the series, "Basic Relaxation," riders learn deep breathing techniques that physically and mentally relax the entire body. Muscle tension is replaced by peace and harmony, producing smooth, effortless, |
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How Do The Sessions Work?
Our subconscious mind is where our brain deals with habits, emotions, long-term memory, and self-preservation. It is the part of the mind that the hypnotist focuses on, and the part through which it is possible to bypass the conscious mind entirely in order to open the door to positive change.
A good metaphor is to refer to the subconscious mind as your hard drive, as in a computer, and to the hypnotist as a re-programmer. When you have targeted a specific glitch, such as fear of performing or the inability to focus, the hypnotist is able to guide you into a relaxed yet aware state in which it is possible to reprogram your subconscious with positive suggestions that replace negative elements.
When a person is hypnotized, he or she is deeply relaxed physically, but mentally many times more alert than in their normal state of awareness. The person being hypnotized has complete control over what they will or will not do, and will reject any suggestions that are uncomfortable to them. |
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and relaxed body movements for a more pleasurable ride. You will also find that listening to this session daily helps to relieve stress from all areas of your life.
You can be most successful in your equestrian competition when you are able to achieve complete relaxation on your horse. When you are relaxed, it can often seem that your body knows, without conscious thought, exactly how to move.
"Fearless Showing and Jumping," the second session in the 5 Keys to Winning series, was created for riders (and, let's face it, this is all of us at one time or another) who let feelings of self-doubt or fear of failure deter them from success. With this session, the voices of past fears and failures in the show ring are transformed into positive, empowering self-talk.
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The third session in the series is called, simply, “Peak Performance,” and is based on two key concepts. First, visualization is essential to success. All great athletes rehearse their performances in their minds to create the results they desire. Through the repetition of hypnotic suggestion, you can communicate with your subconscious mind and program your equestrian experience for success. Second, peak performance is achieved only after a rider is able to build confidence, poise, and sself-image
There are very few athletes in any sport who have never experienced some form of performance anxiety. In equestrian sports, these fears are often amplified due to the fact that oftentimes all eyes are on you and your horse, and nothing else. “Release of Performance Anxiety,” the fourth session in the 5 Keys to Winning series, uses mental imagery to help you replace feelings of anxiety with feelings of being a winner.
After all, anxiety arises from thoughts about the outcome of the class you’re riding in, of a future that you cannot control. Release of performance anxiety comes when you are able to gain your satisfaction from the process of preparing and competing, a process that unlike the outcome, is within your control.
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3 Simple Tips For Riding Success
VISUALIZE
You may choose to remember the best competition you’ve ever had, or to picture your favorite pro rider. Either way, your subconscious mind can build on these images and help you ride more confidently.
PRACTICE DEEP BREATHING
Next time you ride, be sure to focus on taking some deep, relaxing breaths. This helps your muscles relax and brings fluidity and consistency to your movements.
DISCARD NEGATIVE SELF-TALK
A great way to improve your riding has nothing to do with mechanics or strategy. You naturally improve the more you compliment and encourage yourself and the less you criticize yourself for mistakes.
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The final session in the series puts you on the road to success by helping you to improve your powers of concentration. Your ability to concentrate is bolstered by exercises that help you to increase your self-awareness and self-discipline. “Gaining Concentration” gives you the ability to compete despite distractions going on around you or in your mind.
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- Anxiety
Perhaps you’re concerned about the quality of your competition or your horse’s readiness
- Lack of Confidence
When your confidence is low, too much mental energy is wasted on second-guessing your own talents & abilities
- Distractions
It could be outside noises from the crowd, or even unrelated concerns from your personal life
- Boredom
It can be all too easy to let your mind wander in an activity once you feel you’ve mastered it
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Concentration Exercise
Sit down in a comfortable chair in a quiet room where you won’t be disturbed. Close your eyes and focus your attention on the space between your eyes. When you notice your attention moving away, notice where it went and bring it back.
Repeat the exercise once again with music with lyrics playing in the background. Is it harder to concentrate?
Where does your mind go? If you can hold your attention on the space between your eyes for a full minute, you should have no problem concentrating on your event, regardless of outside distractions!
Did You Know?. . . Some Russian athletes, while training for the Olympics, practiced concentration by sitting between two radios playing different stations while mentally rehearsing their sport.
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