26/ JULY 2025 THE RIDER Confident Horsemanship:
ride. You feel tense. You worry about making a mistake. And you find yourself not riding as well as you do at home. Pressure creates mental tension and
physical tension. And horses feel it. With a few simple mindset shifts
and preparation strategies, you can stay calm, focused, and ride your best even when the stakes feel high. Here are 5 common pressure trig-
gers and how to handle them.
1. Fear of Being Judged Whether you’re riding in front of
By Anne Gage, Horse Riding Confi- dence Coach –
www.confidenthorse-
manship.com
Pressure can show up any time - at
a horse show, clinic, riding lesson, or even when someone is watching you
David Arcand Continued from page 25
a better horse on this field, for sure,” said Arcand, 35, of jumping on the ex- pansive grass arena at Wesley Clover Parks. “It’s been my best week of the year. I really love the grass. It’s the only place we have to jump on the grass. There’s Spruce Meadows, but unless you have the horses to jump the big classes or you’re on the Canadian team, it’s a long way to go, especially when you’re running your business at home. We are happy to have Ottawa because we have a grass field that is amazing. “Especially after this win, I want to
at the RBC Ottawa Summer Tournament I. In addition to defending his title in the $40,000 RBC Royal Bank Grand Prix, he and “Phil” also won Thursday’s $15,000 Open Welcome for the second consecutive year. “He’s always a good horse but he’s
so far, this year has been even better!” It’s been a banner week for Arcand
say that we really worked together with the farrier, veterinarian, and groom,” ac- knowledged Arcand. “It was teamwork and I’m very happy with the results. When you have a strong team, that’s what makes the difference.” With two wins under their belt so
others, it’s easy to get caught up in imag- ining what they’re thinking. You worry that they’ll notice your mistakes or thinking you’re not good enough to be here.
Solution: Bring your focus back to your horse. Focus on what you feel through your seat. Notice his rhythm. People aren’t paying as much attention to you
Staying Calm, Focused, and Confident Under Pressure
as you think. And you’re not a mind reader. What they’re thinking is none of your business.
2. Focusing on Perfection When you put pressure on yourself
to ride without any mistakes, you actu- ally increase the likelihood of making them. Tension tightens your body and clouds your judgement which can make your horse more tense, too.
Solution: Aim for progress rather than perfection. Before you ride, choose one or two simple goals (e.g., keep a consis- tent tempo or ride deeply into corners). Simple goals reduce overthinking and help you stay in the moment.
3. Comparing Yourself to Other Rid- ers:
Watching other riders, especially
confident or more experienced ones, can make you feel like you don’t measure up.
Solution: Comparison drains confi- dence. Instead of judging yourself against others, notice what you admire about them, and use that as inspiration. What can you learn from what you see? Every rider has strengths and weak- nesses. Focus on your own growth.
4. Negative Self-Talk Pressure often brings out the inner
critic that tells you you’re not ready, not good enough, or going to mess up.
Solution: Have a positive phrase ready to counter that inner voice. Something simple and true like, “I’ve prepared for this,” or “I know how to do this.” You can also use a physical anchor like pressing your thumb on your first finger or exhaling deeply to shift your focus.
5. Overthinking the Outcome When you fixate on placings, scores, or what others will think, it’s
& Sparkles Gala, presented by RBC, will be held on Wednesday, August 13. Benefitting the Queensway Carleton Hospital Foundation, Spurs & Sparkles offers one-of-a-kind entertainment, in- credible prizes, and local craft beverages paired with delectable food from the city’s best restaurants and vendors. For more information and to purchase tick- ets, visit
www.spursandsparkles.com. Spectator tickets are also available
David Arcand, pictured aboard Phil v/h Wezelse Heihoeve, is presented as the winner of the $40,000 RBC Royal Bank Grand Prix by Karen Sparks (left), Executive Director of
Wesley Clover Parks, and Steven Brougham, Senior Portfolio Manager and Wealth Advi- sor of RBC Royal Bank. Photo by Ben Radvanyi Photography
far this season, Arcand and “Phil” will be hoping to extend their winning streak
LongRun’s TB Star of July
Argentium is a lovely 10-year-old gelding, standing at 16.1. He is coming along nicely under
saddle and is now available for adoption. Argentium
would be suited to a career as a low-level hunter, jumper or dressage.
If you are interested in meeting Argentium,
please contact LongRun!
mer Tournament II, international show jumping competition returns to Wesley Clover Parks from August 14-17 with the RBC Ottawa International, featuring
during the RBC Ottawa Summer Tour- nament II running July 9 to 13. Arcand is the defending champion of the $40,000 Cooper Equipment Rentals Grand Prix, scheduled for 4 p.m. on Sat- urday, July 12. Following the RBC Ottawa Sum-
CSI5* and CSI2* divisions sanctioned by the Fédération Equestre Interna- tionale (FEI). Attracting some of the highest-ranked show jumping athletes in the world to the Nation’s Capital, the RBC Ottawa International will feature the US $340,000 CSI5* RBC Grand Prix on Saturday, Au- gust 16. Adding to the excitement of
the Ottawa International, the Spurs ARGENTIUM
tality experience, tables for the RBC Ot- tawa International are being offered at a 20% discount until July 14. Visit
www.ottawaequestriantournaments.com /hospitality for details. For more information on the RBC
for the RBC Ottawa Summer Tourna- ments in July and RBC Ottawa Interna- tional in August. To purchase, visit
www.ottawaequestriantournaments.com /spectators. For those looking for a VIP hospi-
ments Instagram page as well as Face- book for exhibitor information, show updates, results, and more.
mentsystem.com/events. Follow @ottawaequestriantourna-
harder to ride calmly in the moment.
Solution: Before you ride, remind your- self of your why. You’re here because you love horses. You’re learning. You’re growing. Focus on the experience not the outcome. Remember that even elite riders
feel pressure. What sets them apart is not that they don’t feel it, but that they’ve learned how to ride with it. And so can you.
Author Bio: Anne Gage is a certified riding coach, horse trainer, and mindset expert who helps adult riders release fear, build confidence, and enjoy every ride — at home and in the show ring. Learn more at ConfidentHorseman-
ship.com.
$40,000 RBC Royal Bank Grand Prix
Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments, visit
www.OttawaEquestrianTournaments.co m. All competitor information is avail- able at
www.ottawaequestriantourna-
ments.com/calendar and full results can be found at
ottawa.showmanage-
Saturday, July 5, 2025 Rider / Hometown / Horse / Faults / Time 1. David Arcand / Boisbriand, QC / Phil v/h Wezelse Heihoeve / 0:0 / 46.40 2. Sam Pegg / Uxbridge, ON / Casadimo / 0:0 / 47.87 3. Stephanie Bourassa / Laval, QC / Guss de Kergane / 0:0 / 50.93 4. François Lamontagne / Saint-Eustache, QC / Lacros VDL / 0:4 / 42.90 5. Amy Millar / Perth, ON / Jagger HX / 0:4 / 42.94 6. Jade Lalonde / Candiac, QC / Kapital Cre- ation Z / 0:4 / 48.04 7. François Lamontagne / Saint-Eustache, QC / Thunderbird vh Scheefkasteel Z / 0:8 / 49.87 8. Carson Lewis / Denfield, ON / King Kong B / 4 9. Rachel Schnurr / Baden, ON / Copain de Picobello Z / 4 10. Sam Pegg / Uxbridge, ON / Casey H / 4
Call 416-916-1527
www.longrunretirement.com •
info@longrunretirement.com
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