10 life tips from famous riders

Often, striving to reach new heights in sports, we forget about simple truths. But it is they who help the rider to reach a new level.

We have collected 10 quotes and tips from the equestrian world that every rider should pay attention to. After all, sometimes it is precisely such simple things that we lose sight of.

Patrick Kittel / photo from Instagram sportsman

1. “Learn to accept criticism”

This important piece of advice came from one of Germany’s most famous dressage riders, an Olympic champion. Zenke Rothenberger.

“The rider needs to listen to the comments, no matter what level he is at and what he has achieved in the sport. To achieve outstanding results, you need to constantly learn and improve. Being open to constructive criticism will help you find mistakes, correct them, and improve your skills.”, says the rider.

2. “Be persistent”

One of the top competitors Кент Фаррингтон, notes that determination is necessary for every rider.

“Equestrian sport is a series of constant doubts: can you climb to the top, are you a good rider, will you remain the best. The ability to overcome these doubts and follow your goal is simply necessary for those athletes who want to achieve something.“, notes Kent.

If you really want something, then you will definitely achieve your goal. Believe in yourself and your dreams and be willing to work VERY hard to make your dreams come true.

“Purposefulness is a good and necessary quality. Be persistent in your goals“, also notes Piggy French, winner of the team eventing gold medal at the 2018 World Equestrian Games.

3. “Skills alone are not enough to achieve high results”

Of course, you will not become a top rider without knowing how to sit in the saddle.

“Skills and good riding alone are not enough to achieve high results. You must be developed comprehensively. You need to learn to understand each horse. And if she becomes your friend, if you have mutual understanding, then your partnership will be truly harmonious.”, says the Olympic champion Pippa Funnell.

4. “Constantly learn something new”

Olympic champion, first Rolex Grand Slam winner show jumper Scott Brush says that the rider must constantly learn. A couple of hours of horseback riding a day won’t make you feel any better.

“Watch riders warm up, learn the tricks of famous athletes, attend master classes, ask questions and learn something new all the time!

View successful performances of famous athletes and learn to notice everything you see”, advises Kent.

5. “Consistency is essential in everything”

Participant of the 2016 Olympic Games, one of the best triathletes in the UK Gemma Tattersall emphasized the need for planning and gradual development in sports.

“A good rider always has a definite plan for working with a horse or preparing for tournaments. The ability to organize your schedule, not to “jump” from one thing to another, and not to force things is the key to success. Remember: consistency is essential in everything“, – adds the athlete.

6. “The athlete must be developed not only physically, but also intellectually”

“The intelligence of the rider must be combined with patience. You must be willing to spend time explaining the element to the horse and thinking of ways to communicate your requirement. And in no case do not rush!

Successful athletes are developed not only physically, but also intellectually. They need knowledge in order to overcome difficulties and get out of crisis situations. And given that the rider’s partner cannot speak, the task becomes even more difficult.”, — says the competitor Harry Charles.

7. “Не старайтесь понравиться всем”

Patrick Kittel, the leading rider of the Swedish dressage team, shared one of the tips that has been useful to him in life.

“I know it may seem naive, but when I started riding, I thought that I could please everyone and make friends with everyone. I spent time not on training and thinking about my mistakes, but on talking and talking.

It was only later that I realized that I was wrong. Don’t try to please everyone! In sport this is not possible and we as riders have to just accept it. But I know that my family definitely supports me in everything and I don’t have to try to get their approval”, — добавил спортсмен.

8. “Don’t get hung up”

Jessica von Bredow-Werndle, who won team and individual gold at the Dressage Olympics in Tokyo, draws attention to one of the most important skills for a rider.

“I believe that an athlete should not get hung up on doing everything perfectly. Don’t try to be the best. Think only about improving your own result.

Do not get hung up on problems and do not try to achieve the desired goal through monotonous repetitions. Remember – you have to enjoy the process”, the athlete notes.

9. “Strive for quality, not quantity”

Famous British sportsmen, Charlotte Dujardin and her coach Carl Hester, it is advised to pay attention to the quality of the work performed.

“You should not assume that the element will work for you if you repeat it dozens of times. And a horse will not perform better if you train it seven days a week without a break.

Horses need days off too! And in order to improve a certain element, it’s better to think about your own mistakes, analyze what exactly you can’t do. In training, do everything gradually. It is better to do a part of an element well once than to repeat it completely badly several times.”, advise the riders.

10. “Learn to adapt to the situation”

One of the most famous athletes Isabelle Werth, often draws attention to the fact that each horse needs a different approach.

“There is no horse that does not have “weak points”. Our goal as riders is to find the “key” that unlocks the horse’s potential. Be imaginative and learn to adapt to certain circumstances – if the horse does not understand what you want, try changing the approach. They are all different.

And while the basic principles of dressage remain the same, the methods you use may differ depending on the individual horse.“, says the rider.

Surely you already know many of the tips, but this does not make them less valuable – the simplest things sometimes need to be repeated to yourself more often. We hope that with these tips you can rethink your approach to what you love and improve your results.