How can Horseback Riders benefit from Self-Hypnosis?

Firstly, what is Self-hypnosis?If someone is willing to take the time and mental
Self-hypnosis is a process of communicating withdiscipline necessary to improve their riding ability and
oneself, directing one's own attention in specific waysawareness of themselves and their horses, with self
in order to produce states that are commonlyhypnosis, the results will be extraordinary, positive and
recognised as trance states. Neither sleep norlasting.
unconsciousness, hypnosis is a state in which a personHypnosis is simply a state of mind, in much the same
has shut out distractions and is free to focus intentlyway 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 makinghypnosis 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 attitudeself-hypnosis. Hypnosis is a state of heightened
or approach?awareness. You remain fully alert, in fact more alert
Because her competition nerves are hindering herthan usual.
performance during contestsAny one can be hypnotised. In fact, it is often a learned
Because she wants to get rid of the debilitatingtrait. You can teach your body and mind to go into
residual fear after a horse riding accidenttrance, and get better and better at it as you practice
Because she wants to get rid of ingrained riding habitsself-hypnosis. We are constantly hypnotising ourselves.
that limit her progressSometimes we are our own worst enemy, when we
Because she wants to master new riding skills fastercall ourselves names, or put ourselves down and
Because she wants to stay motivated to reach herreinforce fears and limitations. It can become a habit
riding goalsand if you do it long enough you will develop a belief
Self-hypnosis can be a very powerful tool in thethat 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 degreeMore appropriate auto-suggestions to give yourself
to the possibility that you can improve your riding abilityunder 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 rememberaccess to your unconscious mind, you will embrace
little of the journey, but if you suddenly had to reactthese suggestions without reserve and accept them
fast to avoid an accident, you would have. You areas the pure, unadulterated truth.
not asleep during hypnosis. You are aware of everyImagine what might happen if you changed the
thing that is being said. You can remember everythingsuggestions 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 andempowering suggestions to improve your riding, reduce
created by the very person who will ultimately use andyour anxiety about and exponentially increase your
benefit from it, incorporating the precise words andself-esteem?
phrases that mean the most to that particular person.