You are here: Home / Articles / Horse care
Brain food: it's all in the mind
19 August, 2004
In the spring, I was lucky enough to attend a British Equestrian Federation World Class Performance Seminar at Hartpury College organised for the Olympic and Paralympic teams.
Over two days, the riders received a programme designed to set them up physically and mentally for the Olympic year.
We may acknowledge that to win medals takes luck, but the theme of the two days was that you can set about making your own luck – a philosophy that isn't just limited to Olympic riders, but to all competitors.
Particularly inspiring was the key-note speaker Bill Beswick, currently assistant coach at Middlesborough Football Club, but with a long CV in high-level sports coaching, including a spell at Manchester United.
He articulated his "10 commandments for success" – most of them based on organising the competitive mind to work positively. These are as applicable to anyone reading this as to the Olympians, and are as follows:
- I believe in myself
- My self talk will always be positive
- l come to compete every day
- I will not surrender
- I will not turn against myself during tough times
- I cannot choose what is happening around me but I will choose how I respond
- I will use setbacks as learning opportunities
- I will focus on my strengths and contain my weaknesses
- I understand my role as a team member is to help my team-mates win
- I will not come second best to myself
You will no doubt be wondering what on earth this has to do with nutrition?
To me, preparation is the answer to achieving a positive state of mind. Any rider entering the rind with full confidence will have built up that state of mind in the knowledge that they have done all they can at home in preparation. This means the attention to detail behind the scenes, from grooms and owners, from farrier to feed and from training to tack.
Feeding and Performance
- Good nutrition underpins good performance: always be prepared to review your horse's nutrition
- Just because he goes well doesn't mean to say that he can't go better
- Look beyond the obvious when setbacks occur: what may seem a problem in competition could be related to fatigue or dehydration and could be "fixed" by changing the training, nutrition or electrolyte tactics.
- Nutrition and brain power are linked: for instance B vitamins are linked to cognitive functions; glucose is brain fuel. Make sure both you and your horse have enough brain food.
- Review diets together with your trainer, nutritionist and vet.
- Review in relation to the nature of the physical effort required, the intensity of training, temperament and physiology.
Related articles:
- Ask H&H: insurance pay out
- New equine flu vaccination covers the latest strains
- Australia officially free of horse flu 11 months after outbreak
- Equine flu warning for Scottish horse owners after more outbreaks
- Rare Breeds Survival Trust appeals for semen
- Free seminars offer training boost for equine businesses in West Country
- Vet cleared by judge in dressage horse vetting wrangle
- Rider takes vet to High Court claiming £65,000 damages
- Horse owners asked to aid study on equine grass sickness
- National Equine Database opens to public this autumn
Subscribe to Horse & Hound and Save
Enjoy all the latest equestrian news and competition reports delivered straight to your door every week.
Click here to subscribe now