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