Page 18 - Libro_MariaA_26agosto

María Alejandra Ramelli

Being an equestrian also teaches you to control your nerves. It is normal to
be nervous before a show. Everyone is looking at you and talking about you.
She’s riding horrible, she hasn’t seen a single distance, her horse is doing all the work,
that saddle pad doesn’t even look good... And well, everything can go wrong du-
ring a show. You may be the champion or you may get eliminated. Nothing is
guaranteed. It happens a lot that you are in the lead at a national championship
and when everybody thinks you’re going to win, you fall off in the last round.
Some professional riders say that a horse’s value can totally change in a wee-
kend. You wouldn’t pay the same for a horse that isn’t afraid to jump as you
would for a horse that crashed into a jump and now may get scared and refuse
to jump. Or, you wouldn’t pay the same for a national champion as you would
for a regular show horse.

When I was seven I used to feel nervous even before riding a horse. I was so
scared that I would fall off. I still remember the first time I got thrown off. The
horse I was riding got scared and I flew away. In the beginning, I didn’t want
to ride again, but my father and my love for horses pushed me so hard that I
realized that I couldn’t live out of the saddle. Now, I’ve learned to control my
nerves because when you’re too nervous you can’t think straight. Today, I don’t
feel nervous anymore before riding a horse. Even if it’s a completely unfamiliar
horse, I ride him with no fear at all. Horses have taught me that I can’t focus on
what can go wrong, or it will go wrong. Riders must focus on riding well and
always doing their best.

Riding or grooming your horse is a great way to reduce stress and clear your
mind. When you’re around horses, all you can think about is being in the moment
with your horse, and your daily problems fade away. It also improves your abi-
lity to solve problems (Becic, 2015) and be resourceful because your horse is not
always going to react the same way. I remember one horse who wouldn’t eat all
his grain because he got bored of always having the same flavor. His owner had
to add something different to his grain once in a while, so it would taste different.
Vitamins, gelatin powder, oil, carrots, even Pony Malta. Horses are animals, not
machines. Something that worked today may not work tomorrow.

Moreover, owning a horse forces you to multitask. Horseback riding is a
multitasker’s sport because you have to make sure that both you and your hor-
se are doing everything right at the same time. As a rider, you must be able to
make your horse do everything you want him to do while keeping the proper
position. You have to focus on your riding, as well as on everything your horse
does. You can’t just think about your rhythm and forget to look straight, keep
your heels down, or even turn. Here’s a little list of activities I have to keep
watch on while riding:

24