| Firstly, what is Self-hypnosis? | | | | mental discipline necessary to improve their |
| | | | riding ability and awareness of themselves |
| Self-hypnosis is a process of communicating | | | | and their horses, with self hypnosis, the |
| with oneself, directing one's own attention | | | | results will be extraordinary, positive and |
| in specific ways in order to produce states | | | | lasting. |
| that are commonly recognised as trance | | | | |
| states. Neither sleep nor unconsciousness, | | | | Hypnosis is simply a state of mind, in much |
| hypnosis is a state in which a person has | | | | the same way that happiness is a state of |
| shut out distractions and is free to focus | | | | mind. |
| intently on a particular subject, emotion, or | | | | |
| memory or goal. The hypnotic state is an | | | | Contrary to what most people believe, the |
| optimum state for making changes in your | | | | mind under hypnosis is still alert and very |
| attitude and approach to horse riding. | | | | much in control. If you cannot hear |
| | | | anything, then you cannot benefit from |
| Why would a horse rider want to change their | | | | self-hypnosis. Hypnosis is a state of |
| attitude or approach? | | | | heightened awareness. You remain fully alert, |
| | | | in fact more alert than usual. |
| Because her competition nerves are hindering | | | | |
| her performance during contests | | | | Any one can be hypnotised. In fact, it is |
| | | | often a learned trait. You can teach your |
| Because she wants to get rid of the | | | | body and mind to go into trance, and get |
| debilitating residual fear after a horse | | | | better and better at it as you practice |
| riding accident | | | | self-hypnosis. We are constantly hypnotising |
| | | | ourselves. Sometimes we are our own worst |
| Because she wants to get rid of ingrained | | | | enemy, when we call ourselves names, or put |
| riding habits that limit her progress | | | | ourselves down and reinforce fears and |
| | | | limitations. It can become a habit and if you |
| Because she wants to master new riding skills | | | | do it long enough you will develop a belief |
| faster | | | | that will get the results you fear. Ex: |
| | | | |
| Because she wants to stay motivated to reach | | | | * Boy, my jumping is getting bad |
| her riding goals | | | | |
| | | | * I am so bad at setting the horse up for a |
| Self-hypnosis can be a very powerful tool in | | | | jump |
| the mental skills toolbox of the rider. | | | | |
| However, if you think hypnosis is no more | | | | * I will never jump higher than 90 cm, never |
| than a stage trick or is performed only by | | | | |
| charlatans, your doubts will impede any | | | | These are auto-suggestions or negative |
| positive results that you may get from a | | | | affirmations. More appropriate |
| hypnotic session. Therefore, you must be | | | | auto-suggestions to give yourself under |
| open-minded to some degree to the possibility | | | | self-hypnosis would be: |
| that you can improve your riding ability | | | | |
| through the power of auto-suggestion. | | | | * My jumping is getting better and better |
| | | | every day |
| In reality, trance states are nothing | | | | |
| special; we go in and out of these states | | | | * I am very good at show-jumping, it is easy |
| several times during the day. Day dreaming, | | | | for me to set up my horse for a jump |
| a well-known trance state, is a form of | | | | |
| self-hypnosis. You have hypnotised yourself | | | | * I will easily jump higher than 90cm |
| when you drive to work on auto-pilot. | | | | |
| Afterwards you remember little of the | | | | ...and because the trance state gives you |
| journey, but if you suddenly had to react | | | | direct access to your unconscious mind, you |
| fast to avoid an accident, you would have. | | | | will embrace these suggestions without |
| You are not asleep during hypnosis. You are | | | | reserve and accept them as the pure, |
| aware of every thing that is being said. You | | | | unadulterated truth. |
| can remember everything afterwards. | | | | |
| | | | Imagine what might happen if you changed the |
| True, effective self hypnosis should be | | | | suggestions that you give yourself on a daily |
| designed and created by the very person who | | | | basis? If you used the hypnotic trance state |
| will ultimately use and benefit from it, | | | | to give yourself empowering suggestions to |
| incorporating the precise words and phrases | | | | improve your riding, reduce your anxiety |
| that mean the most to that particular person. | | | | about and exponentially increase your |
| If someone is willing to take the time and | | | | self-esteem? |