The Struggle is Real: Remembering Courses and Dressage Tests!

We have all been in the situation where we’ve turned down the centre line, approached C and suddenly, we are asking ourselves ...‘Do we track left or right?!’ Or, we’ve landed over fence 6, having jumped clear to this point, and we can’t for the life of us remember what fence 7 looks like!

Well, many us have been in these situations. Equally, many of us will also know somebody who can look at a Dressage test and have it memorised in seconds, or watch one person jump the course and they could tell it you backwards!

Is it an age thing? Are they born with it? Or, are they simply superhuman?!

It is unlikely that they are superhuman but, some evidence does suggest that they could well be born with a better NATURAL MEMORY!

What is Natural Memory?

Natural memory is how we refer to information we retain passively!

For instance, last night you may have watched the television, read a book or viewed something on social media. You were probably not making notes, actively trying to remember every detail however, if I asked you to briefly explain to me some of the details it is likely that you could. We are constantly storing passive information in our memory bank. Some of it more influential to us than others!

Now, we all know that sometimes we can’t even remember what day of the week it is, let alone anything else; so, what effects are ability to remember everyday information?

Sleep: getting enough but, not too much!

Exercise: the more the better- but build it up gradually! And remember, anything is better than nothing so get moving!

Diet: Brain food ideally! But, most importantly a healthy and balanced diet!

Ok, so that’s how to improve your general memory covered but, what about learning these courses and dressage tests?!

To do this, we must focus on our TRAINED or WORKING MEMORY; this is how we learn and retain new information. All new information is put into our short term memory bank to begin with but, in order to avoid those ‘blank moments’ there are a number of techniques you can use to hold onto the information for longer!

Here are my top 3 methods:

(In no particular order because everyone's brain is different!)

- Make it CATCHY!

Ever wondered why you start singing that song on the radio that you don’t really like several hours after hearing it for the millionth time- because of its annoyingly catchy lyrics! You need to make your test or course annoyingly catchy! Sing it, use colour (highlight parts of your dressage test or the colours/type of fences), draw it out- anything that makes it stand out, that makes it catchy! Then play it on REPEAT!

- Chunk it.

Learn small sections at a time.

Try associate each section with key words.

Centre line, left, 20m at A or red fence, filler, double.

Then learn the next section.

Tip: you can also use post stick notes to put the key words on. You then have a little selection of post sticks with the test or course on you can look rather than it as whole.

- Ride it in your head!

Otherwise known as ‘Visualisation’ and it is essentially imagining the test or course in your head. Now this one does take some practice!

In order to do visualise effectively it is worth practising getting into a 'zone'.

Closing your eyes, focussing on your breathing and blocking out the outside world (find somewhere quiet to do this at first where you won’t get disturbed), you can also use music to help!

Once you can do this for a few minutes start to build a picture up in your mind of you and your horse. This can be from the rider perspective or from an onlooker.

Ride through the test or course in your head- how it would go in an ideal world!

For some people this comes very naturally, for others it comes with practice and it doesn’t suit some at all. But, for those of you that find it useful this method can be expanded for even further effect!

I can remember it perfectly at home but, as I enter the ring my mind goes blank!

Unfortunately, stress and anxiety do have a negative effect on memory! It maybe that you have a good memory but, it is your anxiety causing you the mental block! Fear not, your mind can be managed, so if you feel this is an area you would like to improve take a look at the SPCoaching Mental Coaching and Training Services or contact me for more details!

I hope this has given you some food for thought!

Until next time,

Sian