Q&A Series: How do you stay focused in competition?

Question: How do you stay focused in competition?

Answer: It’s best for me to have my alone time before a big class. Whether it’s off on my own or even when I’m riding another horse, I find some solitude to focus really calms the nerves.

I do get nervous—in a good sense. I taught myself at an early age to find my zone, to find my mental space. I don’t really do that with music, but some people do so maybe that will work for you. I do try to avoid people and distractions, just for a half hour, or so, before the class.

If I literally have just one class in a day, I don’t spend my whole day in that zone. And during that time, I’m thinking about the horse, what it needs, when I need to walk the course—that feeling of preparedness really helps to calm the nerves and to stay present in the moment.