A Mind to Ride - in case you're wondering why you need a MIND to ride!
By Sue McIntyre
I guess some of you might be wondering why you need a mind to ride (like wouldn’t a horse or something be more useful?!), so perhaps that is as good a place as any to start ……………
Just imagine that I have laid a very ordinary plank (like a floorboard) on your yard and I ask you to walk along it. Could you? Chances are that you could manage that quite happily. Now I take exactly the same plank and suspend it thousands of feet in the air between two skyscrapers. Are you happy to walk it now? If not, why not? It’s exactly the same plank! Since the physical demands are essentially the same, surely the answer must lie in the perceptions created by your mind – and if the mind can make such a difference to your ability to walk along an inanimate object like a plank, what contribution must it make to something as potentially complicated as riding a horse?
Most authorities agree that there are basically two parts to your mind. I tend to think of the "conscious" mind (situated on the left side of your brain) that deals with logical, rational thought and sophisticated language and the "subconscious" mind (situated on the right side of your brain), which basically deals with all the rest! The subconscious mind understands language in images and stores all your memories, intuitions and conditioned responses (habits?). It has no way of differentiating between what is real and what is imagined. The conscious mind has your willpower; the subconscious mind your imagination.
These fundamental differences are hugely significant. When both parts of the mind work together, the potential is vast but if there are conflicts, each takes energy from the other so that the output is considerably inhibited. In equestrian terms it’s a bit like comparing the experience of those magical moments when horse and rider are in absolute harmony (i.e. ‘getting it together’), with the times when either the communication or the intent is poor and the resulting conflict (battle?) falls far short of the ideal. In fact, for myself (and probably many other riders) it is the sheer wonder of those magical moments that seduce me into persisting through my fears and my self-doubts, my conflicts and discomforts, in an optimistic effort to recapture that elusive experience of being ‘as one’.
The ‘A Mind to Ride’ approach comprises two very different CDs aimed at enabling us to recognise and resolve our conflicts so that we can move forward with complete congruity towards our goals, whatever they may be. The ‘Equinimity’ self-hypnosis audio CD works primarily with the subconscious mind to access creative, imaginative and problem-solving abilities whilst the ‘LifeMapper’ Motivator CD-Rom programme encourages you to work mainly (but not exclusively) with your cognitive, logical and rational resources. The combination is a powerful psychological approach that generates a focused positive mental attitude – increasing motivation, self-belief and confidence, enhancing performance, freeing you from unhelpful anxieties and limiting beliefs, enabling you to realise your potential.
Without doubt, the biggest and best resource you have to achieve any of this is -YOURSELF. The more you know about yourself and how your mind works, the better you are able to manage your resources to best advantage. (I read recently, for example, that the skill of riding is not about trying to control the horse but about being able to control yourself and your emotional state.) Trying to be someone you are not generates huge conflicts and wastes a lot of energy that could be more profitably spent making the most of who you are! Who are you? Well, take a look at three of these main ‘equestrian archetypes’ (most people are actually a combination) and see whether you can recognise anything of yourself.
The archetypal ‘Resolute’ or ‘Warrior’ equestrian
These riders tend to have a preference for large, powerful horses – perhaps a bit like the old ‘destrier’ warhorses. Often competitive, with a good appreciation of ‘rules’ and ‘territory’ (boundaries), they ride with determination and courage and are particularly at home on the hunting field. Problems could arise when any lack of control of the horse may become evident – i.e. the horse bolts or sometimes an unexpected loss of control in their personal life (such as ill health) can also impact on and undermine their confidence when riding. Equitation is not called a ‘discipline’ for nothing and this is where this personality type really comes into its own – problems are met with true ‘fighting spirit’ so they tend not to give up easily and can cope with the hard, demanding and often routine work involved in this sport.
The archetypal ‘Intuitive’ or ‘Settler’ equestrian
These are the ‘natural’ horsepersons of the world who prefer to work with the horse than to ‘break’ it. Gentle and intuitive, they are good with animals in general and like to care for them. Here you will also find the ‘rescuers’ who may well own or look after a horse not necessarily because it suits them but because for some reason or another, nobody else wanted it! This could well incur some conflict because these are generally sensible and practical people but the heart will ultimately rule the head and their adaptability will enable them to make the best of what might otherwise have been a bad job. Appearance is not of primary importance except of course that the horse should look (and be) well cared for; much more important to the ‘Settler type’ equestrian, is the ability to form a real partnership with his/her horsey friend. Rarely confident riders (full of self-doubt), problems arise for this group when the imagination begins to run riot and they are beset with ‘what if’ projections (like ‘what if he bucks’, ‘what if I fall off’ etc.). They are also likely to ‘freeze’ when they get into difficulties which can be both debilitating and dangerous.
The archetypal ‘Charismatic’ or ‘Nomad’ equestrian
Here we are most likely to find the owners of the ‘showy’ Arabs and Thoroughbreds. Not for the ‘Nomad type’ equestrian is the discipline of riding and they are far more likely to pay someone else to do all the hard and ‘boring’ stuff. This is the rider perched on the prancing stallion enjoying all the attention s/he is attracting whilst paying scant thought to the havoc created by his/her exhibitionism. At the other extreme is the archetypal gypsy horse dealer – scruffy, probably unreliable but equally dramatic in his claims for his or his animal’s prowess. The most infuriating thing about these equestrians (at least for the other personality types) is that they are often gifted riders who just seem to be able to get on and ride with ease. In fact, if they couldn’t do it with ease, they probably wouldn’t do it at all! Whereas the ‘Warrior type’ will fight against his difficulties and the ‘Settler type’ will tend to freeze in the face of a perceived threat, these ‘Nomadic types’ are inclined to flee – in equestrian terms basically just give up, get bored with it and move on to something more exciting. However, the ‘Nomad type’ thrives on danger and the adrenaline rush and whilst they may not necessarily be considerate or safe riders, they can be extravagant and skilled ones.
Part of the ‘LifeMapper’ programme consists of a personality assessment that will highlight your strengths and weaknesses and identify your natural resources according to your personality profile. Its great fun to play around with and you might enjoy having a go with the free version on my website at www.theconsultingrooms.co.uk You can also buy ‘A Mind to Ride’ direct from the site if you wish.
In addition to specific skills in personal development and coaching, Sue has extensive experience as a private practitioner and an integrative skills base incorporating hypnotherapy, NLP, advice and guidance, counselling and stress management techniques. She is a Supervisory Member of the Association for Professional Hypnosis and Psychotherapy, an Accredited Member of The National Council for Hypnotherapy, a LifeMapper Senior Therapist/Coach and a full member of the International Stress Management Association. For more information, visit www.theconsultingrooms.co.uk.
This article was posted by Susan McIntyre
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