| Firstly, what is Self-hypnosis? | | | | If someone is willing to take the time and mental |
| Self-hypnosis is a process of communicating with | | | | discipline necessary to improve their riding ability and |
| oneself, directing one's own attention in specific ways | | | | awareness of themselves and their horses, with self |
| in order to produce states that are commonly | | | | hypnosis, the results will be extraordinary, positive and |
| recognised as trance states. Neither sleep nor | | | | lasting. |
| unconsciousness, hypnosis is a state in which a person | | | | Hypnosis is simply a state of mind, in much the same |
| has shut out distractions and is free to focus intently | | | | way that happiness is a state of mind. |
| on a particular subject, emotion, or memory or goal. | | | | Contrary to what most people believe, the mind under |
| The hypnotic state is an optimum state for making | | | | hypnosis is still alert and very much in control. If you |
| changes in your attitude and approach to horse riding. | | | | cannot hear anything, then you cannot benefit from |
| Why would a horse rider want to change their attitude | | | | self-hypnosis. Hypnosis is a state of heightened |
| or approach? | | | | awareness. You remain fully alert, in fact more alert |
| Because her competition nerves are hindering her | | | | than usual. |
| performance during contests | | | | Any one can be hypnotised. In fact, it is often a learned |
| Because she wants to get rid of the debilitating | | | | trait. You can teach your body and mind to go into |
| residual fear after a horse riding accident | | | | trance, and get better and better at it as you practice |
| Because she wants to get rid of ingrained riding habits | | | | self-hypnosis. We are constantly hypnotising ourselves. |
| that limit her progress | | | | Sometimes we are our own worst enemy, when we |
| Because she wants to master new riding skills faster | | | | call ourselves names, or put ourselves down and |
| Because she wants to stay motivated to reach her | | | | reinforce fears and limitations. It can become a habit |
| riding goals | | | | and if you do it long enough you will develop a belief |
| Self-hypnosis can be a very powerful tool in the | | | | that will get the results you fear. Ex: |
| mental skills toolbox of the rider. However, if you think | | | | * Boy, my jumping is getting bad |
| hypnosis is no more than a stage trick or is performed | | | | * I am so bad at setting the horse up for a jump |
| only by charlatans, your doubts will impede any positive | | | | * I will never jump higher than 90 cm, never |
| results that you may get from a hypnotic session. | | | | These are auto-suggestions or negative affirmations. |
| Therefore, you must be open-minded to some degree | | | | More appropriate auto-suggestions to give yourself |
| to the possibility that you can improve your riding ability | | | | under self-hypnosis would be: |
| 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 | | | | * I am very good at show-jumping, it is easy for me to |
| and out of these states several times during the day. | | | | set up my horse for a jump |
| Day dreaming, a well-known trance state, is a form of | | | | * I will easily jump higher than 90cm |
| self-hypnosis. You have hypnotised yourself when you | | | | ...and because the trance state gives you direct |
| drive to work on auto-pilot. Afterwards you remember | | | | access to your unconscious mind, you will embrace |
| little of the journey, but if you suddenly had to react | | | | these suggestions without reserve and accept them |
| fast to avoid an accident, you would have. You are | | | | as the pure, unadulterated truth. |
| not asleep during hypnosis. You are aware of every | | | | Imagine what might happen if you changed the |
| thing that is being said. You can remember everything | | | | suggestions that you give yourself on a daily basis? If |
| afterwards. | | | | you used the hypnotic trance state to give yourself |
| True, effective self hypnosis should be designed and | | | | empowering suggestions to improve your riding, reduce |
| created by the very person who will ultimately use and | | | | your anxiety about and exponentially increase your |
| benefit from it, incorporating the precise words and | | | | self-esteem? |
| phrases that mean the most to that particular person. | | | | |