Perfect Mind, Perfect Ride: Sport Psychology for Successful Riding

Possessing the right mind-set and mental skills has long been vital in achieving top performances in all sports. And yet to many riders mental fitness still remains an afterthought. In Perfect Mind: Perfect Ride, the author demonstrates how to develop and achieve the attitude, motivation, and mental skills to make the most of the rider’s abilities, whether riding as recreation or as a competitive sport. Horses are highly sensitive flight animals—they’ll react first and ask questions, well, never! This means that every time riders get on their horses, they need to be fully committed, aware and in control of their bodies, their thoughts, and their emotions, in order to communicate with their horses in precisely the right manner.

The combination of research in the field of sport psychology and real-life examples contained in this book will help readers identify with and understand different topics. Current scientific theories surrounding sport psychology are translated into practice, allowing readers to understand why they think, feel, and act the way they do—and what they need to do change it. Hands-on advice on developing relevant attitudes and mental skills make this book an essential companion for riders wanting to get more out of the sport.

Inga Wolframm holds an MSc in Human and Equine Sports Science and a PhD on psychological traits and states in equestrian riders from the University of Essex. Her research has featured in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences. An accredited sport psychologist, she works regularly with riders ranging from those at grassroots up to international level. She is a senior lecturer in equestrian sport psychology at the University of Applied Sciences Van Hall Larenstein in the Netherlands, as well as at the University of Edinburgh (via an e-learning course). Her academic textbook The Science of Equestrian Sports: Theory, Practice and Performance of the Equestrian Rider was published in 2013 by Routledge. She has written articles for numerous publications, including Horse Sport International, Horse & Hound, The Horse, Horse and Rider, Le Cheval, and Cavallo, and is a regular contributor to the Chris Stafford Radio podcast, a very popular show with more than 300,000 listeners.