{"id":96947,"date":"2023-02-21T16:10:37","date_gmt":"2023-02-21T15:10:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antares-sellier.com\/?p=96947"},"modified":"2023-04-20T09:38:19","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T07:38:19","slug":"rider-mental-preparation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antares-sellier.com\/en\/2023\/02\/21\/rider-mental-preparation\/","title":{"rendered":"A rider’s mental preparation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mental preparation<\/strong> is taking up an increasing place in the sport of riding<\/strong>. While technique, tactics and fitness are the 3 main pillars to sporting achievement, mindset should be the 4th. It is vital to work on mental preparation as riding is a sport that you practice as a duo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxime Chataignier<\/strong> is an ex-elite speed skater who competed for the French Olympic Short Track team for 10 years. During his career he took part in 3 Winter Olympics, winning a gold and a bronze medal in the 2010 European Championships and finishing top of the overall rankings in the 1,500 m in 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxime is now a mental skills coach<\/strong> with some experience in the riding sector and he agreed to answer our questions. What are the recurring problems for riders and how are they resolved? How do you manage your stress as well as that of your horse’s when you compete? How should you react when you put in a poor performance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxime answers these questions and gives you tips<\/strong> to improve your mental preparation to perform better when you compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maxime Chataignier reveals his vision for a rider’s mental preparation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To what extent do you work with elite sportsmen and women? What is your role? What do you bring them?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I have a multi-faceted role when I work with elite athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, I help them to better control their emotions<\/strong>, grasp the goals<\/strong> they’ve set themselves and deal with the pressure<\/strong>. That’s the essence of my work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I frequently act as an organiser to relieve congestion in their daily tasks or ecosystems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s a bit more specific when it comes to riders<\/strong> as riding is a quite an unusual sport. Elite riders have their own set-up, i.e., a stable or stud where they practice. That means that there is an economic model<\/strong> at work in addition to competing in sporting events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By contrast, when I was an elite athlete, I was paid to play sport and when I wasn’t competing or training, I had little to manage. The day I retired, I had to switch career. I knew it, so it was a plan I had to prepare in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compared to many athletes, things are more interlinked for a rider. They have an economic model that works in conjunction with their sporting success<\/strong>. So, if their stables are doing well, this generates income which gives them some peace of mind to focus on competing. If the competition results are good, they earn money and a reputation which reflects well on their business. So, these are really aspects that we can work on together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n